Laguna Beach Spring Football Preview: Churchill Brings Experience to Young Breakers

With 50 players in uniform for spring practice and 40 expected to make the varsity roster by the opening kickoff in September, there are two words that could either make or break the 2011 season for the Laguna Beach Breakers:

Staying healthy.

“We are young and enthusiastic, but we have to stay healthy,” said Breakers first-year coach Mike Churchill, the school’s athletic director for the past four years. “I told the kids two things. First, I told them that I don’t know any of you or what you did last year, so everybody starts with a clean record. And second, I said that I’m assuming that you don’t know anything, so we’re starting from the beginning.”

Churchill, who turns 66 this year, knows of what he speaks.

He began his coaching career in 1969 at Damien High in La Verne, and then 11 years later went to Riverside Poly, where he won back-to-back CIF Southern Section championships in 1983 and ’84. In 1989, he coached Redlands to the quarterfinals of the Division 1 playoffs, but in 1991, he returned to Riverside Poly for two more years and led the Bears to the playoffs both seasons.

Churchill also was an assistant coach at Northern Arizona University and coached at Phoenix Cortez.

But even with all his successes, Churchill also knows something about the challenges and difficulties that come with coaching young men.

After compiling a 22-8 record in five seasons of coaching at Riverside Community College, he resigned in 2001, citing players’ in-fighting and apathy. His last coaching stop was Carter High in Rialto, where he was put on suspension for one week during his second season following a post-game incident and promptly resigned from his coaching job

Churchill landed at Laguna Beach in 2007 and has been the school’s athletic director ever since. When Breakers coach Jonathan Todd resigned after finishing 3-7 last season (2-3 in the Orange Coast League) reportedly to spend more time with his family, the school asked Churchill to take over the coaching duties. He agreed.

“I feel renewed coaching again,” Churchill said. “The main reason why I agreed to coach again is because of these kids. They really care and work hard.”

Churchill will be without two of last year’s star players, quarterback Austin Paxson and wide receiver Chris Paul, both of whom will graduate this month after rewriting the football program's record book, and has only eight returning starters, five on offense. Among the returning players will be seniors Derek Riegel (wide receiver/safety) and Ricky Delatorre (offensive and defensive lineman), and juniors Robert “RC3” Clemons (running back/defensive back) and Drake Martinez (fullback/safety), younger brother of University of Nebraska sophomore quarterback Taylor Martinez, who played at Centennial High in Corona.

The Breakers are installing the Delaware Wing-T on offense, which Churchill says should allow them to take advantage of their speed in the backfield and take some of the pressure off their young offensive line.

“It’s a spread offense,” Churchill said. “We ran in at Riverside Poly and had a lot of success with it. We have great team speed, so we’ll be tough to cover.”

On the other side, the Breakers will play a “52 Defense,” Churchill said, which features three down linemen. Clemens played cornerback last year, but likely will be moved to linebacker this season, while defensive ends Spencer Anderson and Travis Clawson will provide an outside rush that should allow the defensive backs to make big plays on both sides of the ball.

Another important player for the Breakers in the fall will be junior Larry Stewart, an all-league baseball player and the son of volleyball coach Lance Stewart.

As far as league competition goes, Churchill says he expects Estancia to be a favored again this season. But if the Breakers can regain the form that won them a league title two years ago — and, of course, stay healthy — they could be playoff contenders.

Laguna Beach's 2011 Varsity Football Schedule

Friday, Sept. 9 vs. Webb, 7 p.m.

Friday, Sept. 16 vs. Ocean View, 7 p.m.

Friday, Sept. 23 vs. Bishop Montgomery, 7 p.m.

Friday, Sept. 30 at Mary Star of the Sea (San Pedro), 7 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 7 at Jurupa Hills, 7 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 14 vs. Estancia, 7 p.m. (homecoming) *

Thursday, Oct. 20  vs. Santa Ana Calvary Chapel at Estancia High, 7 p.m. *

Friday, Oct. 28 vs. Godinez at Segerstrom High, 7 p.m. *

Friday, Nov. 4 vs. Costa Mesa, 7 p.m. *

Friday, Nov. 11 vs. Saddleback at Segerstrom High, 7 p.m. *

* Indicates Orange Coast League game