Football: Calvary Chapel 62, Laguna Beach 56 (OT)

Game of the Century? Maybe.

Calvary Chapel’s victory Thursday over Laguna Beach will likely be included in the same discussion as Servite’s 43-42 Trinity League finale in overtime over Santa Margarita in 2011, and Garden Grove’s 31-30 victory over Beckman in 2010 in the Southern Division championship. There are some other games that deserve mention, too, but at the very least, consider Calvary’s 62-56 overtime win over Laguna Beach on the short list.

Calvary Chapel won on a night when both teams’ playmakers excelled. It included a record-breaking night by a member of the losing team, and more than 1,000 yards of combined offense by the passer on one team and the running back on the other.

And, in the end, it was defense that made the difference.

Score: Calvary Chapel 62, Laguna Beach 56 (overtime)

Key Stats: Nathan Lancaster rushed for an Orange County record 552 yards, in 31 carries, breaking the record 527 set by Foothill’s Skyler Champion in 1999. He scored seven touchdowns, only one from fewer than 41 yards. Calvary Chapel’s Danny Mattero passed for 505 yards and five touchdowns, and also rushed for 95 yards. His 505 was the third-highest in county history.

Pivotal Moment: Lancaster ran over the Calvary Chapel defense all night. Until overtime. Getting the first possession, Lancaster carried three times for four yards, bringing up fourth-and-sixth. Laguna Beach QB Jack Simon’s pass on fourth down was incomplete, giving Calvary Chapel a chance to win on its possession. Which it did.

Quotable: "Statistically, it was the greatest night ever in Orange County high school football," wrote Steve Fryer in the Orange County Register.

Records: Calvary Chapel (7-1 overall, 3-0 in Orange Coast League), Laguna Beach (5-3, 2-1)

Notes: In addition to the heroic efforts of Lancaster and Mattero, the 118 combined points bettered the 109 points Fullerton and Anaheim scored 92 years ago—in 1921. It was the most points scored in the Southern Section since 1923 when Santa Maria and Canoga Park combined for 122 points. ... The 118 points is ninth in Southern Section history. The record is 139 by Inglewood and the L.A. Military Academy. ... The 63 points scored in the first half—Laguna Beach led, 35-28—is tied for eighth in section history. ... The teams combined for 1,416 yards. There is no official county record in that category. ... Lancaster rushed for seven touchdowns, of 75, 68, 63, 1, 41, 76 and 68 yards. He broke Champion’s record on a 68-yard score with 2:41 remaining that gave Laguna Beach a 56-49 lead. The seven touchdowns is the second-most in county history. … Going into the game, Lancaster had rushed 118 times for 1,377 yards. That’s an average of 11.7 yards per carry, 196.7 yards per game. On Thursday, he averaged 17.3 yards per carry. … Lancaster’s previous season-high came Oct. 11, a 55-19 victory over Saddleback in which he rushed 18 times for 335 yards. … Lancaster's 552 yards is second in section history; the record is 619 set by Ronny Jenkins of Hueneme against Channel Islands in 1995. ... Calvary Chapel got the second possession of the overtime after its big stand on defense. It started at the Laguna Beach 25, per overtime rules, and won on Mattero's 22-yard pass to Luke Buran for a touchdown that ended the game. … Mattero passed for touchdowns of 75, 49, 15, 15 and 22 yards. He also rushed for a 7-yard score that tied the game at 56-56 with 1:26 remaining. … Calvary Chapel went into the game ranked No. 8 in the Southern Section Southern Division 9 rankings, and Laguna Beach was ranked No. 8. … With its victory, Calvary Chapel becomes the heavy favorite to close out the season as the Orange Coast League champion. … Calvary Chapel plays Costa Mesa (4-3, 2-0) next week and Laguna Beach plays Godinez (3-4, 0-2).