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San Clemente takes over in second half

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LAGUNA HILLS – Shortly after his teams 28-3 victory over El Toro on Friday night, San Clemente coach Eric Patton's attention was on next week's opponent. (Click here for full game stats.)

"This is the one we've been waiting for," he told his team in its postgame huddle.

With its showdown against La Habra looming, San Clemente players said it was hard to focus on preparing for the winless Chargers (0-5).

It showed with a slow-starting first quarter for the eighth-ranked Tritons (4-0). But they hit their stride in the second quarter and cruised from there at Laguna Hills High.

"It was tough this week," the Tritons' Ben Gomez said. "We came out flat. We had to kick it in gear."

San Clemente took a 7-0 first-quarter lead on a 5-yard touchdown pass from Duke DeLancellotti to Graham Tenney.

The Chargers kept it close by answering with a 43-yard field goal from Vince D'Amato to make it 7-3 with 10:23 to go before halftime.

Later in the quarter DJ Gallegos scored from 2 yards to push San Clemente's lede to 14-3. The Tritons got the ball back on the Chargers' 46 after forcing a punt. DeLancellotti ran for a touchdown on the first play and the Tritons took a 21-3 lead into halftime.

After a scoreless third quarter, DeLancellotti threw his second touchdown pass, connecting on 23-yard toss to Ben Gomez that put the Tritons in front 28-3 in the fourth.

DeLancellotti finished with career highs in passing yards (200) and rushing yards (75). He had six completions greater than 20 yards.

"We were taking what they were giving us," Patton said. "We had some lapses tonight, but we did what we needed to do."

El Toro has a bye week to regroup before starting Sea View League play against Trabuco Hills.

The Chargers, who used to play in the South Coast League, are 0-3 against their former league foes in preseason. El Toro has lost to the Tritons, Capistrano Valley and Dana Hills.

Contact the writer: ctobolski@ocregister.com