MISSION VIEJO – Plenty of opposing quarterbacks have met Trabuco Hills’ edge pass rusher, Colin Schooler, during the course of this season.
None of them ever like him. But why would they?
A typical encounter with the sophomore often ends with the QB laid out on his back, pleading with his linemen to block No. 6 as they help him up.
“(Colin) plays out of his mind on the defensive line,” said Brenden Schooler, Colin’s older brother and Trabuco Hills’ starting free safety.
“It definitely has its perks playing behind him.”
As much as quarterbacks detest playing against the unrelenting linebacker, he’s equally as admired by his defensive mates, the secondary players specifically.
“He’s always forcing quarterbacks to throw bad balls,” Brenden said. “And that gives me a good chance to make some plays on the ball.”
With one brother wreaking havoc in the opposing backfield, and the other making plays on the back end of the field, the Schooler boys make up one of the most dangerous defensive tandems in Orange County.
“They both have a knack for making the big play, especially on the defensive side of the ball,” Mustangs coach Tony Henney explained. “And offensively, they’re threats too.”
Colin – a first-year varsity player – leads Trabuco Hills in total tackles (111) and sacks (71/2), and he’s tied for second in tackles for a loss (7). As the team’s change-of-pace running back, the 6-foot, 190-pound bruiser has added three touchdown runs and 221 yards rushing this season, second best on the team.
Not to be outdone by baby brother, Brenden has proved to be one of the county’s most dangerous players with the football in his hands. A first-year starter, Brenden has found the end zone 12 times, scoring in all three facets of the game.
The 6-foot-2 junior has picked off a county-high seven passes, two of which were returned for scores. He has taken two kickoffs back for touchdowns as well as two punt returns. And when the elder of the two brothers lines up on offense, he has evolved into quarterback Jimmy Jacobs’ second-leading receiver, hauling in six touchdown passes to go with 457 yards receiving.
With so much success in such a short amount of time, there’s surely a sibling rivalry brewing in the Schooler household, right?
“No, no,” both refuted, chuckling.
“It’s just been a lot of fun,” Colin said of the team’s success. “I love playing with (Brenden) and all these guys. I wouldn’t trade it for anything else.”
Despite being so close in age, the Schooler boys shared the gridiron just once before prior this year. As sixth and seventh graders, both started for the Saddleback Valley Chargers Pop Warner team.
“You know, we never really talked about starting together after that,” Brenden recalled. “We just talked about wanting to play at the highest level, competing and seeing where it took us from there.”
For now, it’s taken the brothers and their teammates to Friday night’s CIF-SS Southwest Division championship game, where the Mustangs will take on a familiar foe in San Clemente.
The Tritons knocked off Trabuco Hills, 42-35, on Oct. 30 to seize the Sea View League crown. San Clemente’s 42 points is the most the Mustangs’ defense has surrendered this season, as is the 300-plus rushing yards the Tritons racked up on the ground.
Trabuco’s defensive unit has rebounded in the postseason, holding opponents to an average of 15 points a game, while also limiting each – Troy, Corona del Mar and Buena Park – to less than 50 net rushing yards.
“It’s going to be challenging,” Colin said of playing Sam Darnold and the San Clemente offense again in the finals. “We just got to stay disciplined and make sure (Darnold) doesn’t do too much damage.”
After an 0-2 start to the season, the Mustangs have bounced back and are playing their best football of the season.
Brenden, Colin and the entire Trabuco roster is focusing on ending the season as CIF champions. If they’re successful, Henney will have two brothers he can try to defend a title with next season.
“They’re just going to continue to get better for us,” the Mustangs coach said. “I think that’s a scary thought for other teams out there.”
Contact the writer: kconnolly@ocregister.com
