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TUSTIN – San Juan Hills had trouble shaking off Beckman for 2 1/2 quarters Thursday night. The Stallions finally found their footing behind the strong arm of Patrick O’Brien and the sure hands of Jacob Huff, leading them to a 61-24 victory in a nonleague game at Tustin High.

Huff caught 12 passes for 249 yards and three touchdowns for No. 8 San Juan Hills, the last score giving the Stallions some breathing room with 1:14 left in the third quarter. O’Brien, a Nebraska-bound quarterback, completed 19 of 26 passes for 346 yards and four touchdowns. He also ran for a 23-yard score just prior to his final touchdown throw to Huff, which kickstarted the 26-0 run to finish off the game.

The Stallions (6-0) appeared ready to blow the game open late in the first half after taking a 28-7 lead on Huff’s second touchdown catch, a 40-yarder that O’Brien delivered just before he was hit on his blind side.

The Patriots (2-3) booted a field goal and sophomore Matt McLain then intercepted O’Brien for the second time and returned it 55 yards for a touchdown, cutting the deficit to 28-17 with 35 seconds left in the half.

The teams traded touchdowns in the first seven minutes of the third quarter. O’Brien then faked a handoff, kept the ball on his first running play of the game and continued 23 yards to the end zone, stretching the lead to 41-24 with 3:49 left in the third.

A three-and-out gave the ball right back to the Stallions and O’Brien didn’t waste any time hooking up with Huff again, hitting him for a 31-yard touchdown that put San Juan Hills up by 23 points with 1:14 still remaining in the third.