Once again, Lindbergh’s playmakers were just too much for an opposing defense to handle.

The Eagles got four touchdowns from Derek Herley and three from Frank Cange in a 52-21 win against Ferndale in the first round of the 3A state tournament.

“Our kids came out and played hard right from the get-go,” Lindbergh coach Pat O’Grady said. “We’re finally starting to put things together on both sides of the ball.”

The Eagles (10-1) have outscored their two playoff opponents 96-27.

Lindbergh coasted through the first half, building a 27-7 lead through two quarters. Herley scored on a four-yard run and seven-yard pass from Matt Stuart in the first quarter.

Cange scored on a 10-yard pass and an 80-yard run in the second quarter.

Ferndale pulled back to within 12 points, trailing 33-21, in the second half but Cange returned an interception 70 yards for a score to widen the gap again.

Herley scored on runs of 20 and 15 yards in the second half. Bakari Davis scored on a four-yard rush in the fourth quarter. Davis carried the ball 13 times for 101 yards.

Cange totaled 101 yards on five carries. Stuart completed 11 of 18 passes for 223 yards and two scores.

While Lindbergh’s offense gains the most attention, the Eagles defense is just as mighty. Ferndale is just the second team to score more than 14 points this season.

Lindbergh has played in three state tournament games (2005, 2008, 2009) and the Ferndale game is the school’s first tournament win.

It was just the latest highlight in a season full of them for the Eagles. Lindbergh won the Seamount this season, the team’s first league title since 1984.

“We’ve just been very fortunate to be blessed with some real game-breaking athletes,” O’Grady said. “It’s been fun… we’re all riding the wave.”

While O’Grady wouldn’t say if this is the best Lindbergh team ever, he did say this group is special.

“You can’t deny that our kids have reached a milestone that no one else has reached at this school.”