Darnold throws 5 TDs as San Clemente cruises

San Clemente's Brandon Reaves continued his scamper for another 10 yards but was ruled out of bounds after being pushed by Foothill's Brett Hoppe. Foothill's Joey Schlemmer moves in for the tackle attempt.
Fans begin to arrive for the San Clemente-vs.-Foothill second-round playoff game Friday night at Tustin High.
San Clemente quarterback Sam Darnold steps out of bounds after scrambling for positive yardage in the first half of Friday's 56-6 victory against Foothill.
The Tustin freshman girls basketball team occupied the field before the San Clemente and Foothill fooball teams arrived for the game Friday.
San Clemente's Cole Fotheringham is upended in the second half of Friday's game against Foothill.
San Clemente quarterback Sam Darnold slips out of the grasp of Foothill's Jack Campbell during the first half. Darnold passed for 286 yards and five touchdowns and rushed for 93 yards and one TD in a 56-6 victory.
San Clemente quarterback Sam Darnold dominated Friday's game against Foothill on offense. Darnold passed for 286 yards and five touchdowns and rushed for 93 yards and one TD in a 56-6 victory.
San Clemente's Jacob Russell looked back to see Foothill's Chad McCune as he went virtually untouched on an 81-yard touchdown reception.
San Clemente players celebrated their first of many touchdowns during their game against Foothill on Friday. San Clemente won, 56-6.

By Tim Burt | Orange County Register

November 21, 2014 at 11:59 p.m.

TUSTIN – San Clemente quarterback Sam Darnold was on target from the start Friday night in the second round of the CIF-SS Southwest Division playoffs against Foothill.

Darnold threw two touchdown passes in the first quarter and five in the game to lead the second-seeded Tritons to a 56-6 victory over Foothill at Tustin High.

Darnold passed for 286 yards and rushed for 93 yards and one TD to help the Tritons move into the semifinals for the first time since 2011. San Clemente (11-1) will face Sea View League rival Capistrano Valley. It will be a home game for the Tritons.

“It was just a great team win,” said Darnold, who has committed to USC. “We really came out with a good game plan. Give it up to Foothill; they put up a good fight. It was good to play against them and we’re on to the semifinals against Capo Valley.

“We’re going to come out strong against them and do what we can.”

Darnold hooked up with Cole Fotheringham on touchdown passes of 20 and 21 yards in the first quarter to help the Tritons take command.

“Our kids came out in the first half and played really well,” said San Clemente coach Jaime Ortiz. “We had a good week of practice; the kids were focused and it showed on the field tonight.

“I told our kids we were going to have to come out and play our game and do what we have to do and I think we had early momentum and kept that through the first half and continued on in the second half.”

Foothill (8-4) cut the lead to 14-3 on a 24-yard field goal by Evan Mickelson early in the second quarter.

But on the next drive, Darnold connected with Jacob Russell on an 81-yard TD pass to make it 21-3.

Foothill trimmed the lead to 21-6 on Mickelson’s 28-yard field goal later in the second quarter. But the Tritons regained control on a 4-yard TD run by Brandon Reaves late in the first half.

San Clemente put the game out of reach in the third quarter when Darnold hit Reaves on a 5-yard touchdown pass and Jack Sears on a 5-yard TD pass to make it 42-6.

“They played a very good football game and they’re a very good football team,” said Foothill coach Doug Case. “We knew we were going to have to play our best to compete here tonight.”

Contact the writer: tburt@ocregister.com