MISSION VIEJO – Rome Innocenzi might as well have been wearing a cape Friday night, because he may have saved Mission Viejo’s season.
After three first-quarter interceptions, the Diablos trailed Great Oak of Temecula by 14 points. Then they started handing the senior running back the ball – and they never stopped.
Innocenzi never seemed to stop running, either. He racked up a season-high 314 yards and five touchdowns on 39 carries to push the Diablos to a 41-36 victory over Great Oak in the CIF-SS West Valley Division semifinals.
Mission Viejo (11-2) will face Vista Murrieta in the championship game next week. It is the Diablos’ first appearance in a section championship since 2010.
“Our game plan was to come in and pass the ball – keep everything even, spread it out,” Innocenzi said. “(After the start), I just got out there, got the ball, stayed behind my big linemen and got what I (could).”
Mission Viejo’s offensive line of Eddie Gonzalez, Zack Aylor, Jake Bland, Fredy Campos and Izrael Castellanos paved the way for Innocenzi and fellow tailback Connor Hill (who added 92 yards and a score on six carries), often allowing the running backs to advance untouched into the Great Oak secondary.
“(They’ve) been really good all year,” Mission Viejo coach Bob Johnson said of his offensive line. “Four of the five are seniors and I’m really proud for them.”
The Mission Viejo defense also kept the Diablos in the game after four first-half turnovers, three on interceptions by quarterback Brock Johnson in the first quarter and another on a fumble by Innocenzi. The Diablos locked down the Wolfpack’s explosive rushing game and held running back Demetric Felton – who came into the game riding three consecutive 200-yard rushing games – to just 16 yards on 11 carries. Even with the turnovers, Mission Viejo only trailed 17-14 at the half.
“We can’t stub our toes more than that,” Bob Johnson said. “Brock has thrown five or six (interceptions) in the whole year and he has three in the first quarter? That’s impossible for him. They were great picks, but he threw into coverage and that’s odd for him.”
But the Wolfpack (10-3) adjusted in a big way. Great Oak quarterback Laquan Williams threw for a season-high 378 yards on 22 of 35 passing and found speedy wide receiver Brandon Presley 12 times for 202 yards, including an 89-yard score that took back the lead for Great Oak, at 24-21, after Innocenzi scored from 62 yards out to give the Diablos their first lead of the game on the second play from scrimmage in the third quarter.
“We knew coming in that their defensive line was really, really good and they did a good job,” Great Oak coach Robbie Robinson said.
Innocenzi was too much to handle in the second half, however, as he ran for all four Mission Viejo scores after halftime, including a 17-yard TD run with 1:30 remaining to all but seal the victory.
“He’s been a stud all year, but in the last few weeks, he’s really carried us,” Bob Johnson said of Innocenzi, who extended his streak to four consecutive games with 100 rushing yards or more.
Felton still made an impact, with a 95-yard return on the ensuing kickoff and scored on a 3-yard run with 1:10 left, but the Wolfpack could not recover the following onside kick for a chance at a game-winning drive.
“We’ve done nothing easy this year. That’s for sure,” Bob Johnson said. “We’ll take it. We’re going to the Big A and that’s a goal of ours. We haven’t been there (since 2010) and that’s been too long.”
Contact the writer: jbalan@ocregister.com
