LAS FLORES – It was a big win.
Did it come at a big price?
Tesoro beat San Clemente, 31-22, Friday night at Tesoro High in the final nonleague game for both teams.
Tesoro senior quarterback Devon Modster suffered an injury to his right shoulder – he is right-handed – on an 8-yard run with six minutes left in the third quarter.
The Titans had a 24-19 lead at the time. Tesoro senior receiver Carter Jaenichen, third in Orange County in receptions going into this week, slid over to quarterback. He threw a short sideline pass to receiver Spencer Heinsius that Heinsius turned into a tackle-breaking, 33-yard touchdown play to push the lead to 31-19.
That touchdown finished a drive that started at the Tesoro 1-yard line, where the Titans’ defense stopped San Clemente on a 4th-and-goal at the 1 running play, with Brian Elliott and Andrew Cohen leading the defensive charge.
“The game came down to that one drive there that started at our 1-yard line,” said Tesoro coach Matt Poston, celebrating his 41st birthday one day early.
San Clemente got a field goal on the first play of the fourth quarter to make it 31-22, but that concluded the scoring,
Poston said tests today would reveal the extent of Modster’s injury.
Jaenichen said he was prepared to play quarterback and would be prepared to play it again if needed next week when the Titans open South Coast League play Friday with a home game against El Toro.
“In practice, we go through every scenario possible,” Jaenichen said. “I was ready for whatever they threw at me.”
Modster, a senior committed to Arizona, threw everything he could at San Clemente. He completed 21 of 30 passes for 300 yards and two touchdowns. Both touchdown passes went to Shane Coleman, who finished with nine receptions for 205 yards.
Jaenichen completed 5 of 9 for 65 yards.
Tesoro defensive lineman Chris Evagues had two sacks, giving him 101/2 sacks through six games.
Brandon Reaves was the offensive star for San Clemente. He had eight receptions for 71 yards and two touchdowns, and had a kickoff return of 94 yards.
Tesoro (5-1) is ranked No. 6 in the Orange County Top 10. The Titans are No. 2 in the CIF-Southern Section West Valley Division rankings, behind South Coast League rival Mission Viejo.
San Clemente (4-2) is No. 10 in Orange County and No. 2 in the Southwest Division; La Habra is No. 1 in that division. The Tritons play their Sea View League opener Friday at Capistrano Valley.
Tesoro won last year’s game against San Clemente, 59-38. This one figured to be a wild offensive battle, too, and the scoring started early.
San Clemente took the opening kickoff and drove 71 yards on eight plays. Reaves flashed the moves on the touchdown, taking a bubble screen, sidestepping one Tesoro defender and dodging another on his way to the end zone for a 7-0 Tritons lead. A Tesoro offsides on fourth down kept the drive alive.
Tesoro scored on the ensuing possession, driving 81 yards.
Contact the writer: sfryer@ocregister.com