LAGUNA HILLS - Two trick plays had vastly different results Friday for Cajon of San Bernardino and El Toro.
 
For Cajon, it was fortuitous.

For El Toro, disastrous, as Cajon won, 26-13, in both teams’ season opener at Laguna Hills High.

While things could have gone better for both teams, El Toro clearly had more room for improvement. 

El Toro’s offense sputtered, gaining only 173 yards — 78 of which came on two plays, a 33-yard pass from Sean Kelly to Jesse Bueno that set up a field goal, and a 45-yard touchdown connection in the fourth quarter.
 
Outside of that, the El Toro offense mostly consisted of Vince D’Amato kicking field goals. 

D’Amato made field goals on El Toro’s first two possessions, one from 48 yards and one from 41. Before the first quarter ended, he also attempted a 50-yarder, but the snap was mishandled.

He got one other shot, in the opening moments of the second quarter, and though his 52-yard attempt had the distance, it was wide.

“We think he’s the best kicker in the nation,” said El Toro Coach Jake Haley. “He’s good from 60 yards.”

The problem for El Toro, though, was it had trouble getting D’Amato close enough.

Cajon scored on the first play of the game, resorting to trickery. A halfback pass from Isaiah Collier to Marlon Pollard covered 80 yards, but the point-after was blocked. Still, the Cowboys were up just 13 seconds into the game.

“Marlon’s going to Notre Dame,” said Cajon Coach Kim Battin. “We’re going to find a way to get him the ball. We’re not going to be bashful.”

After D’Amato’s two field goals, Andrew Anderson scored on a 29-yard run in the second quarter and Nicholas Juarez’s point-after kick gave Cajon a 13-6 halftime lead.

Then came El Toro’s attempt at gimmickry. The Chargers attempted a reverse on the kickoff to open the second half, but dropped the ball during the exchange. It was recovered by Cajon’s Joseph Godsy at the 14-yard line, and Cajon promptly scored.

 

Contact the writer: preps@ocregister.com