San Marino’s Big Plays Swamp Laguna Hills

MISSION VIEJO — San Marino made all the big plays and Laguna Hills made none as the Hawks lost a Division VIII quarterfinal game, 27-12, Friday night at Mission Viejo High.

The tone of the game was set on the first series, when Laguna Hills (9-3) drove to the San Marino 29-yard line. Facing fourth and four, quarterback Justin Vedder was stopped on a keeper at the line of scrimmage. The Hawks moved the ball into San Marino territory twice more in the first half. Once Vedder was intercepted. On the other, his pass on a fake field goal fell incomplete.

The Titans (9-2) used a 41-yard punt return by Steve Park to set up a four-yard touchdown run by Geoff McAdam in the first quarter. McAdam went 23 yards with a screen pass from Scott Shaw to score in the second quarter as San Marino took a 14-0 halftime lead. That drive was aided by a Laguna Hills facemask penalty.

San Marino converted fourth-down plays on both its second-half touchdown drives. Chris Baedeker scored both Laguna Hills touchdowns, on a 12-yard run and a 29-yard pass from Vedder.

Laguna Hills outgained San Marino 288 yards to 193.

S--McAdam 4 run (Chamberlain kick)

S--McAdam 32 pass from Shaw (Chamberlain kick)

LH--Baedeker 12 run (kick failed)

S--Oder 15 run (kick failed)

LH--Baedeker 29 pass from Vedder (pass failed)

S--Soloman 1 run (Chamberlain kick)

LEADING RUSHERS--S: McAdam 24-56; LH: Ciska 15-58. LEADING PASSERS--S: Shaw 8-16-0, 137; LH: Vedder 11-23-1, 168. LEADING RECEIVERS--S: Park 5-99; LH: M. Stilson 3-77.

Attendance--1,100.