LAKE FOREST – El Toro found itself on the wrong end of too little, too late Friday night.
After a forgettable first half, El Toro stormed back late, but couldn’t overcome the deficit in a 34-28 loss to Eastlake of Chula Vista in a nonleague game at El Toro High.
“We made too many mistakes in the first half and let them off the hook too many times,” El Toro coach Mike Mayoral said.
Down 28-0 early in the third quarter, El Toro (0-2) finally found its offensive legs. Quarterback Dawit Wilson ran down the far sideline and cut across the field, breaking several tackles on his way to a 61-yard touchdown run. The score was El Toro’s first offensive touchdown of the season.
The Chargers’ comeback was delayed as Eastlake (1-1) stopped El Toro on fourth down five times in the game.
Eastlake’s offense was also slowed after Traylon Reed suffered an injury in the third quarter. Reed finished with 124 yards on 18 carries with three touchdowns.
In the fourth, however, El Toro was electric as Wilson hit Nick Furnari for a 6-yard TD pass, and Issac Furnari broke a 51-yard screen pass for a score and a 28-21 deficit with 2:37 left.
Wilson ran for 102 yards and threw for 261 yards with four total touchdowns.
Eastlake recovered the onside kick and scored again for a 34-21 lead.
But El Toro did not quit. Wilson threw a 27-yard TD pass to Colin Kentros with 1:22 remaining.
Eastlake recovered the onside kick, however, and ran out the clock.
Eastlake capitalized on turnovers in the first half.
After recovering a fumble, Eastlake put together a 65-yard drive finished by Reed with a 1-yard run.
Eastlake intercepted El Toro on its next two drives and scored after each one. Izzack Morales scored on a 6-yard run and completed a two-point conversion pass for a 14-0 lead. Reed powered in a touchdown from 14 yards out for a 21-0 lead in the second quarter.
Reed ran in his third touchdown of the night on Eastlake’s first possession of the second half for a 28-0 lead.
