LAKE FOREST – Kaleb Fossum returned two punts for touchdowns, Trey Tinsley tossed three touchdown passes, and El Toro held off a furious fourth-quarter rally by Capistrano Valley to defeat the Cougars, 34-28, Friday in a nonleague game at El Toro High.
The Chargers (2-0) built a seemingly comfortable lead in the second half following touchdown receptions of 54 and 60 yards by Taylor Dodds, the last coming with 2:28 remaining in the third quarter. But El Toro’s vaunted offense went silent the rest of the night as Capistrano Valley held the Chargers scoreless in its final five possessions.
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VIDEO: Cox Post Game Show: El Toro vs. Capistrano Valley
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The Cougars (1-1) began their comeback attempt when Jordan Bocko scored on a 1-yard run on the second play of the fourth quarter. With 6:13 left in the game, Cougars quarterback Gavin Pruett hit Trevor Wise for a 68-yard touchdown pass to cut El Toro’s lead to 34-28.
After both team’s exchanged 3-and-outs, El Toro marched to the Cougars’ 16. But a 33-yard field goal attempt by Tyler Butcher sailed wide left, giving Capistrano Valley hope.
But that hope quickly dwindled as the Cougars failed to convert a fourth-and-2 at their own 23. El Toro took over on downs with 1:28 left in the game, but Cougars linebacker Matt MacDonald recovered a fumble with 38 seconds remaining.
Pruett then connected with Wise on three consecutive passes, and combined with a roughing the passer penalty, the Cougars were in business at the El Toro 22 with five seconds remaining. Pruett hit junior running back Tyler Waggoner in the flat, but despite breaking two tackles, Waggoner was pushed out of bounds at the 3 as time expired.
Tinsley finished 27-of-43 for 290 yards, with all three touchdown passes going to Dodds, who had seven receptions for 170 yards.
Capistrano Valley took a 7-0 lead when Billy Biehn intercepted a Tinsley pass and ran it back for a 25-yard touchdown on El Toro’s first possession of the game. Biehn would later add another interception and a 12-yard touchdown run in the first half.
The loss ruined a solid performance by Pruett, who completed 22-of-41 passes for 275 yards and a touchdown.
Contact the writer: magarcia@ocregister.com
