ANAHEIM – He already had led his team to victory, already received his Gatorade bath, already accepted the plaque commemorating the championship.
Bob Johnson paused now, on the field at Angel Stadium, between the hugs and hoots and handshakes, trying to process it all – as a coach, a dad and, this time, as a grandfather.
“I guess I’m supposed to be in that picture, huh?” he said, looking over at his sweaty Mission Viejo players and smiling assistant coaches gathering nearby for the cameras. “Maybe they can Photoshop me in.”
No way. Not on this day. Not after this title. Especially not after this title.
Not on an afternoon that proved to be absurdly photogenic.
The Diablos’ 21-10 CIF-SS West Valley Division triumph over Vista Murrieta absolutely had to be captured in time.
So, after the team photo was secured, the team within the team assembled for another shot. Team Johnson – Bob; his sons and associate head coaches, Bret and Rob; his quarterback and grandson, Brock; and all the rest of the family.
Picture perfect. Perfect picture.
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“Hey,” someone shouted, “there’s the Christmas card right there.”
Why not? Grandpa already had unwrapped his gift.
“It’s probably the most meaningful one for him, having his grandson out here,” Rob said. “And it’s been awhile, too. I can tell he’s thrilled. Look at him. This means a lot to him.”
Bob Johnson has won more than 300 games. This is his first fourth CIF championship at Mission Viejo and first since 2004. He won three CIF titles at El Toro in what must feel like another lifetime.
But, before Saturday, he never had won with his grandson – afterward, Bob playfully called him “Pencil Neck” – executing his offense.
“He’s bright,” Bob said of Brock, who is a junior and Bret’s son. “He’s got a very good future. He’s going to be special next year. He’s special this year.”
Brock completed 9 of 11 passes for 134 yards and two touchdowns. He was hit on one of the incompletions. On the other, it appeared his receiver was the victim of pass interference.
A week after throwing three interceptions, Brock looked impossibly unfazed, decidedly sure of himself.
In the fourth quarter, he extended a key, clock-draining drive by stepping away from a sack and scrambling to convert a third-and-7.
“He played very well,” Bret Johnson said. “He kept on coming up huge. He did everything you could have asked. He’s laser sharp all the time. He’s a hard kid to crack.”
Yeah, Brock was special Saturday, almost as special as this game was for Team Johnson, three generations linked by much more than gameplans, play calls and sideline chats.
Think about it. Bob just won a CIF title with his sons at his side and his grandson on the reins. Pretty cool.
Football teams always talk about being families. It’s one of the biggest clichés in a sport full of them. With the Diablos, however, it’s a family that can talk about being a football team.
“I can’t even imagine what this is like for him,” Bret said of his father. “I’m sure he’s real proud, seeing all those generations out there. I know he was proud of me and Rob when we played. And I’m proud of my son today.”
Brock passed twice to Connor Hill for touchdowns. Teammate Rome Innocenzi rushed for 134 yards and another score.
Mission Viejo limited Vista Murrieta to three first downs until halfway through the fourth quarter, a team that had scored at least 24 points in eight consecutive games not reaching the end zone until the closing minutes.
The Broncos, especially on offense, had little luck, which had to be frustrating for a group wearing helmets that featured horseshoes. By the end, the Broncos had been sufficiently busted.
Soon enough, the Diablos would be dousing Grandpa Johnson and celebrating on the same field where another local team – the Angels – had their postseason run derailed.
“It’s like Christmas,” Bob said “It still excites the heck out of me, as you can tell. I just wanted it for the kids and the staff. I’m just thrilled. If I had two sons again, I’d want them coached by our staff. Not me, our staff, those guys.
“This is a special group. I know everybody always says that, but it really is true. These kids, these assistant coaches, they’re special. I love ’em all, man. It’s sick.”
The postgame plan Saturday was to meet at Bret’s house for a party, a reunion of Team Johnson, a celebration of Team Diablo.
So they’d gather one more time and, almost certainly, there would be more pictures. But that’s what happens on special occasions, when an opportunity becomes a memory, one worthy of being frozen and framed. Just like a family portrait.
Contact the writer: jmiller@ocregister.com
