LAKE FOREST – The talented exploits of La Habra quarterback Eric Barriere were on full display Friday night.
The 2014 Freeway League most valuable player ran around and threw over a youthful Chargers team in leading the No. 7-ranked Highlanders to a 41-7 triumph over El Toro in a nonleague game at El Toro High.
Barriere completed 9 of 16 passes for 204 yards and four touchdowns, and also added 32 yards rushing, accounting for 236 of the Highlanders 388 yards.
“He’s such a special player,” said Highlanders coach Frank Mazotta. “I really love the kid. He makes everything happen on the field.”
It wasn’t all roses for Barriere.
Late in the first quarter, he was late delivering a throw to the near sideline, allowing El Toro defensive back River Simmons to cut in front of the receiver for a 39-yard interception for a touchdown. That proved to be the lone highlight of the night for the Chargers (0-1) as La Habra tallied the game’s next 41 points.
The scoring barrage began in the second quarter when Barriere threw three touchdown passes on three consecutive throws.
The first came on 41-yard reception by Justin Sun. After a fumble recovery, Barriere capped off a 5-play, 21-yard drive with a 9-yard scoring pass to a wide open Amon Fellows in the back of the end zone. And after a quick 3-and-out by El Toro, Berriere found Eric Lancaster-Garcia for a 90-yard bomb to give the Highlanders a 21-7 lead with 2:34 left in the first half.
“We had him bottled up at times, but we allowed him to go over the top too much,” said Chargers coach Mike Mayoral.
La Habra extended its lead when Eli Anderson stepped in front of an El Toro wide receiver on the second play of the third quarter and ran to the end zone for a 41-yard touchdown.
The Highlanders capped off the scoring in the third quarter with a 5-yard touchdown reception by Fellows and a 20-yard run by Prince Ross.
La Habra’s defense was stellar, limiting the Chargers to just 152 yards and seven first downs.
“That was La Habra defense tonight,” said Mazzotta.
The loss ruined Mayoral’s coaching debut, as well as the debut of junior quarterback Dawit Wilson, who completed 11 of 26 passes for 102 yards.
Contact the writer: magarcia@ocregister.com