For a team that has received every good break imaginable - the great teams find a way - Rocklin High School is collectively wincing at the news of Jimmy Laughrea.
The impressive junior quarterback suffered a broken arm on his left, non-throwing arm in the fourth quarter of Rocklin's 21-14 win over rival Del Oro on Friday in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division II title game at UC Davis.
He will have surgery, and the cast will cover his wrist and hand enough to prevent him from playing in a CIF bowl game.
That's the bad news as Laughrea has had a fine season.
The good news is Rocklin has tremendous depth at the position. Now taking over is Tiger Sorenson, who was the Rocklin starter last season before he went down with an injury against Nevada Union, thus the promotion of Laughrea from the junior varsity team.
Sorenson has been a steady receiver all seaon, and his 29-yard touchdown catch from Laughrea made it 21-14.
In an act of brotherhood and sportsmanship, Sorenson and Laughrea traded texts and ideas well into Friday night.
Rocklin (14-0) finds out Sunday afternoon, at around 4, what bowl game it will be in. It is likely in the D-II bowl, perhaps against Crenshaw, a Grant-like team in terms of speed, strength and ferocity. Don't expect Rocklin to be even the least bit concerned.
Rocklin beat defending state Open champion Grant 21-19 in negating a lot of that speed, strength and ferocity, outside of some amazing runs by Devontae Butler.
Rocklin's defense was stellar against Grant and it was again in the second half against Del Oro, led by B.J. Roberts, Sean Moore, Andrew McEwan, Scott Polaske, Chris Clowdus, the gutty Daniel Lessard and a host of others. Lessard played with a sore knee that he feared was blown to bits in an earlier playoff game against Atwater (he missed the Grant game).
"Our defense has been great all year," Rocklin coach Greg Benzel said. "They keep stepping up."
