IRVINE – Prior to Thursday’s game, Northwood coach Dean Toohey spoke of fine-tuning play on both sides of the ball.
Within 10 minutes of the first snap, the Timberwolves were running like a well-oiled machine.
Powered by a tenacious defense, Northwood breezed past Laguna Beach, 38-14, at Irvine High, in a final nonleague game for both teams.
Northwood extended its winning streak to three games, scoring all of its points in the first half.
The Timberwolves (4-1) forced four turnovers, including interceptions by Trevor Lawrence and Chase Walmsley, which were returned for touchdowns in the second quarter.
On the Timberwolves’ first possession of the game, Brian Abel connected with Sam Aguilar for a 15-yard touchdown pass. Less than four minutes later, Northwood tacked on another score with Josh Liu’s 12-yard TD run.
Abel added to the outburst on the first play of the second quarter when he found a wide-open Lawrence off a reverse flea flicker for a 44-yard TD.
Abel finished 7 of 14 for 118 yards and two touchdowns.
Laguna Beach (1-4) found the end zone twice in the second half – on Bruce Knill’s 2-yard TD run in the third quarter and Jack Simon’s 29-yard pass to Brett Tracy in the fourth.
