LAKE FOREST Bob Johnson’s tenure as Mission Viejo football coach has been nothing short of a dynasty.
The second-ranked Diablos rattled off their 33rd consecutive South Coast League victory Friday night, completing an undefeated regular season.
Brock Johnson threw for 234 yards and three touchdowns as Mission Viejo defeated El Toro, 39-20, at El Toro High.
It is the seventh time since 2004 that the Diablos (10-0, 4-0) have completed their regular season without a loss. Brothers Brenden and Colin Schooler have been a major part of this campaign, and they were equal to the task in the season finale.
Colin Schooler opened the scoring when he picked up the ball following a blocked punt on the Chargers’ first series.
“It was a great three-and-out to start the game,” Schooler said. “My teammate Olaijah Griffin made a good block. I just saw the ball, scooped it up, and ran.”
The rest of the half belonged to two hot wide receivers. Johnson played pitch and catch with Austin Osborne for 74 yards and two touchdowns. Both scores tied the score.
El Toro’s J’Shoun Wolfe had a pair of touchdown catches on passes from Dawit Wilson. The first came with the receiver in full sprint to the back of the end zone on a 26-yard score. The second was a toe-tapper at the left pylon that gave the Chargers (4-5, 0-3) a 20-14 lead.
Wolfe also got things started for El Toro on defense. His 56-yard interception return set up the Chargers’ first score, a 13-yard reception by Colin Kentros.
El Toro, which lost its first two league games by a combined seven points, was tied at the half with Mission Viejo.
But the Diablos gained the edge coming out of the locker room. Isaiah Miller had a 25-yard rushing touchdown, and Schooler had a 66-yard catch-and-run for another score.
The Chargers had two trips deep into Mission Viejo territory in the fourth quarter, but the Diablos defense stood tall. The Diablos stopped four plays from their 1-yard line with the score 33-20. early in the fourth.
Brenden Schooler capped the victory with an 80-yard interception return for a score.
“Our defense played with their heart on their sleeve tonight,” he said. “I have to give it to us as a unit because we came together and stuck it out until the end.”
Ryan Dove had two sacks, and knocked down two passes at the line of scrimmage. Peyton Marshall, Cade Covarrubias and Carter Hartmann added a sack each.
El Toro coach Mike Mayoral was optimistic before the game that the South Coast League could draw two at-large berths (and four teams) into the West Valley Division playoffs, as it did last year. Still, Mayoral admitted that coming out strong in the second half has been an issue for the Chargers.
“It was a great effort by our kids, but we just made too many mistakes in the second half,” he said, calling it a pattern in league. “Here we are again. The second half for us has just been a nasty thing.”
