Campana leads Capo Valley to victory

ALISO VIEJO - Capistrano Valley running back Michael Campana led the visiting Cougars to a 34-21 South Coast League victory Friday over Aliso Niguel.

Campana bludgeoned the Wolverines (1-9, 0-5) for 196 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 34 carries. Aliso Niguel simply could not stop Campana, who toted the ball for Capo Valley (5-5, 1-4) on 14 of its final 16 plays from scrimmage as the Cougars ground time off the clock in the fourth quarter.

Midway through the fourth quarter and trailing 27-21, the Wolverines appeared on the cusp of scoring what would have been a go-ahead touchdown.

Running back Joey Mouleart, who racked up 182 yards on the ground for Aliso Niguel, ran for 15 yards and a first down at the Cougars 28-yard line.

However, Mouleart left the game with what appeared to be leg cramps, and with their workhorse on the sideline, the Wolverines watched their drive stall.

Aliso Niguel's Mike Bowlin missed a 39-yard field-goal attempt, and the Wolverines did not threaten again.

When Campana was bleeding time off the clock with inside run after inside run, Aliso Niguel stacked nine defenders in the box out of desperation to try to stop him.

With two minutes left in the game, Parker Finley play-faked to Campana and threw a bomb down the right sideline to Eric Skillern, who beat man-to-man coverage and hauled in the pass for a 55-yard touchdown.

Finley finished with 130 yards and two touchdowns on 4-for-14 passing. He also scored on a 2-yard quarterback sneak late in the second quarter.

Contact the writer: preps@ocregister.com