MISSION VIEJO – Numbers don’t paint the whole picture in a football game, and Mission Viejo’s performance Friday night was a classic example.
The Diablos’ 68-0 win over Trabuco Hills in a South Coast League game at home was a work of art, filled with impressive statistics, but also some pretty athletic plays.
Take Colin Schooler‘s 69-yard touchdown run on the second play of the game. The senior running back got textbook blocking along the way, then slipped tackle attempts by the last two defenders with slight hesitation steps in the last 20 yards. He made a similar move on the last defender on a 51-yard touchdown catch early in the second quarter.
Then there was quarterback Matt McDonald, threading a pass down the middle to Austin Osborne for a 32-yard touchdown pass on the Diablos’ second possession, and later dropping a 50-yard touchdown bomb gently into the hands of his top receiver late in the first half. Osborne also made a diving catch just inbounds to set up another score.
McDonald finished nine of 10 passing for 199 yards and four touchdowns, and Osborne had five receptions for 106 yards and two scores – all in the first half – as the Diablos (9-0, 3-0) took a 56-0 halftime lead on the Mustangs (2-6, 0-2). The second half was played with a running clock.
Jamari Ferrell turned in his own highlight-reel touchdown, breaking a tackle in the secondary and winning a footrace with the last defender on a 48-yard run.
The Mission Viejo defense painted its own masterpiece, sacking Trabuco Hills quarterback Tommy Germain six times and holding the Mustangs to zero or negative yardage on 10 plays in the first half alone. Five times they gave their offense with the ball in Mustangs territory.
Schooler wound up with 86 yards rushing and 51 yards receiving on just five plays. Ferrell finished with 55 yards rushing and two touchdowns on three plays. Eleven Diablos got to run the ball during the game.
Jake Cuero led Trabuco Hills with 36 yards rushing on 15 attempts. Germain, under pressure all night, was held to 16 yards passing on 3-of-12 accuracy.
