Dana Hills finds a spark at Laguna Beach

LAGUNA BEACH — For most of the first half Friday, Dana Hills couldn’t get anywhere. The Dolphins had 33 yards of offense and two yards rushing, and they trailed Laguna Beach 7-3 in the second quarter.

Coach Tony Henney went to his bench. Sophomore Caden Marquis, who had played only in the second halves of lopsided games this season, came on late in the half, and Dana Hills scored on his first three drives on the way to a 31-7 Delta League win at Laguna Beach High.

Henney was careful to say the change wasn’t a verdict on starter Carter Anderson, who came into the night among the county’s top passers with 18 touchdowns. “We still love Carter,” Henney told the Orange County Register. “He’s our quarterback.”

How it turned

The first drive took four plays. Marquis scrambled for 34 yards to wake up the Dana Hills sideline, and Enzo Gallo went the last 46 on the next snap for a 10-7 lead.

The second came right before halftime. Another 34-yard run and a 37-yard completion set up a 1-yard touchdown run, and Dana Hills went to the locker room up 17-7.

The third took two plays. On the second snap of the second half, Marquis hit Jack Norman for a 74-yard touchdown and a 24-7 lead.

The defense closed it. London Getz picked off a pass and returned it 90 yards for a touchdown.

The numbers

Marquis completed 4 of 5 passes for 126 yards and a touchdown and ran six times for 59 yards. Gallo, who came in averaging 104 rushing yards a game, ran 13 times for 63 yards and two touchdowns. Anderson had completed six passes for 31 yards before the change.

Final: Dana Hills 31, Laguna Beach 7

Backup QB Caden Marquis (below) leads Dana Hills to 3TD drives immediately after coming off the bench. He had 126 passing with a TD. Jack Norman 99 yards rec with a TD. Noah Carter 2 sacks

— Michael Huntley (@mikehuntley63) October 16, 2026

Dana Hills held the Breakers to 169 yards and made eight tackles for loss. Junior Noah Carter had two sacks.

Laguna Beach is playing without senior quarterback Jack Hurst, out with a knee injury. Freshman Braden Hansen, making his second start, threw for 100 yards and scored the Breakers’ only touchdown on a 1-yard run, one play after converting a fourth-and-2 with a 34-yard pass to James Nugent. Bob Gardner ran for 46 yards, and Boise State commit Grayson Kazmouz had a sack.

Played through the smoke

The game nearly didn’t happen. Smoke from the Norte fire covered the Dana Hills campus Friday afternoon and seemed headed north toward Laguna Beach before the wind turned. Laguna Beach coach John Shanahan said the Breakers were willing to move the game to Saturday, but the coaches agreed to play it as scheduled.

What’s next

It was the response Dana Hills (7-1, 2-1 Delta) wanted after its first loss of the season, 21-16 to unbeaten Huntington Beach a week earlier. Laguna Beach fell to 4-4, 1-2.

The Dolphins host El Modena on Friday, Oct. 23, with second place in the Delta on the line. Both teams are 2-1 in league.