SAN CLEMENTE – Jimmy Jacobs watched Sam Darnold break a spectacular touchdown run and answered with one of his own.
He endured a hard tackle from linebacker Riley Whimpey and responded with a go-ahead touchdown pass on fourth down.
The Trabuco Hills senior entered Friday’s CIF Southwest Division final as the “other quarterback,” but he delivered a gutsy and precise effort to help the visiting Mustangs beat San Clemente, 44-37, in a back-and-forth game before an estimated 6,500.
Jacobs highlighted his duel against the USC-committed Darnold by scrambling and throwing a 5-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Noah Thompson on fourth-and-4 for the go-ahead score with 7:51 left in the fourth quarter.
Jacobs’ third touchdown pass of the night gave Trabuco Hills (10-4) a 36-34 lead. Blake Cuzzupoli added the extra point and the Mustangs never trailed again. Trabuco Hills avenged a 42-35 loss against San Clemente in the Sea View League, and Jacobs showed his determination.
“This is the best feeling ever,” he said. “It doesn’t matter who is highly rated or not. You just come out here and play football.
“My whole team played so hard tonight. I got to give up the offense. (Running back) Chad Crosbie started it off. The offensive line blocking their butt off. And Coach (Tony) Henney with the play calls. It’s a team effort.”
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Jacobs, a first-year starter, needed to be sharp to match Darnold, who also was on top of his game. Jacobs completed 16 of 20 passes for 135 yards and also rushed for 90 yards on 13 carries.
Darnold, a senior who left with an injury with 5:05 left in the fourth, completed 12 of 15 passes for 204 yards and also rushed for 181 yards on 18 carries. He broke an impressive 71-yard TD run on fourth-and-1 late in the first quarter as the Tritons opened a 14-10 lead.
But Jacobs responded by scoring on a 24-yard TD run on the next possession.
And with an assist to a punt block by Scott Kruger, Jacobs lofted touchdown passes of 12 and 24 yards before halftime to wide receiver Jacob Breeland, an Oregon commit. The Mustangs led, 30-21, at halftime but the challenges were far from over for Jacobs, who competed in the spring with eventual Los Alamitos transfer quarterback Jack Telenko.
Whimpey delivered a hard tackle in the third quarter to force a punt and the Tritons took a 34-30 lead early in the fourth.
On his next series afetr the hit from Whimpey, Jacobs drove Trabuco Hills from its 34 for the go-ahead strike to Thompson.
Jacobs said he was motivated to show that he belonged on the field with Darnold.
“Who cares that he is going to USC – that doesn’t mean he’s any better,” Jacobs said. “He’s got size. He’s a good athlete. You just have to come out here and play good.”
Jacobs also wasn’t fazed by the hit from Whimpey, who recently was offered by Boise State.
“Getting hit in football, that’s the game,” he said. “You get used to it.”
But winning a championship was one feeling that Jacobs cherished Friday.
Contact the writer: dalbano@ocregister.com
