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Sports

Mission Viejo Holds Off San Clemente Rally for 29-21 Victory

Though Tritons were ranked above the Diablos heading into their South Coast League showdown, they still haven't defeated Mission Viejo on the football field since 1999.

"Overrated."

Following Mission Viejo's surge-ahead-and-hang-on, 29-21 victory over San Clemente Friday night at Diablo Stadium, the word sprang out of Bob Johnson's mouth, and his team, huddled nearby and waiting for the coach to finish with the media, roared their approval.

Apparently Mission Viejo, which hasn't lost to the Tritons since 1999, isn't used to looking up at their division rival on paper. Coming into the showdown between South Coast League favorites, San Clemente (8-1 overall, 2-1 in league) was ranked No. 2 in the CIF Southern Section Pac-5 Division coaches' poll -- one spot ahead of the Diablos.

That will be changing very soon, however, because on Friday night, things stayed pretty much the same. Goliath stomped David, yet again.

Until Nick Pasquale stepped in front of an Alex Bridgford roll-out pass early in the second half and took it all the way back for a 48-yard pick-six, the possibility of a Mission Viejo rout in front of a raucous home crowd that included New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez, was very real.

San Clemente, a team that had worn down eight straight opponents with an electric running game, managed only 35 yards rushing in the first half, and didn't pick up a first down until after Pasquale made it 23-7 at the 9:42 mark of the third quarter.

Meanwhile, the Diablos' ground game picked up yardage in chunks, especially in the first half behind tailback Buzzy Yokoyama (12 carries, 94 yards), who ran in touchdowns scores of 15 and five yards in the first quarter to give Mission Viejo (6-2, 3-0) an early 14-0 lead.

"Buzzy did great," Bridgford said. "He did everything we could ask him for. I wasn't really thinking that he was going to go the whole game, but he did really well. I'm really proud of him, coming back from that injury like that."

Bridgford (9-of-13, 109 yards) and his offense stalled at the end of a seven-play march midway through the second quarter, but Zach Christensen nailed a 41-yard field goal to make it 17-0. Then, three plays later, Doug Ruggles scooped up a Travis Wilson fumble at the end of a quarterback keeper and raced it 49 yards to the house for a 23-0 advantage at the break.

With Yokoyama still nursing his leg injury, senior wideout Austin Reuland took over the running duties for Mission Viejo in the second half and was outstanding, running for 92 yards on 15 carries, including a five-yard burst that made it 29-7 with four minutes left in the third.

"Austin's my best friend, and I knew he was going to stick it out like that," Bridgford said. "Especially against San Clemente. He did the same thing [last year]. He came in in the second half for an injury and tore it up. I'm proud of him."

Mike Elespuru, San Clemente's bruising tailback, found the sledding incredibly difficult Friday night, as time and time again Mission Viejo's defensive front came up stout and stopped him at or near the line of scrimmage.

Elespuru rushed for 48 yards in 18 carries (2.6 yards per carry), and besides one rush for nine and another for eight, never carried for more than four yards.

"They were physical," San Clemente coach Jon Hamro said. "We hadn't faced a team that was up to us at that point, but our kids picked themselves up off the mat and gave themselves a chance to get back into it late.

"We're going to learn from this, and we're going to come back and be a better football team for it."

Wilson was sacked three times and coughed up the ball twice, including an interception snagged by middle linebacker Ryan Harris, and turned in only 139 yards through the air on 13-of-25 passing.

Regardless, San Clemente did manage to find a spark after the Pasquale interception, and Wilson, who showed a great deal of intestinal fortitude rushing the ball 18 times for 48 yards, led a gritty fourth-quarter comeback effort.

Wilson found Christian Bailey from six yards out for a score with eight minutes left, and Elespuru from four with a little under three, then, after Bret Miller booted a perfect onside-kick attempt that Bailey recovered with 2:28 left to play and the Tritons down 29-21, a miracle finish seemed a heartbeat away.

But with San Clemente facing fourth-and-seven at the Diablos' 47, Mission Viejo junior defensive end Garrett Marino swooped in for his second sack of the night, delivering with it the Tritons' first loss.

"We're feeling really good," Bridgford said. "That's our biggest rivalry of the year and we're just excited to come out on top. We played well and blew them out in the first half. They made it interesting in the second half, but it's still a win over guys that we love to play against."

Next Friday, Nov. 4, Mission Viejo will look to remain unbeaten in South Coast League play when it hosts Tesoro (6-2, 2-0). San Clemente will rest up next week with a bye, before wrapping up the regular season with a Nov. 10 home game against Tesoro.

GAME STATISTICS

                                  1     2     3     4   --   T

San Clemente           0     0     7    14   --   21

Mission Viejo            14    9     6     0   --   29        


                                 SC               MV

First Downs               15               17
Rushing Yards           93              172
Passing Yards           139             109
Total Net Yards         232             281
Turnovers                   2                 1
Penalties-Yards       10-95          10-69


SCORING

1st Quarter


MV -- Buzzy Yokoyama 5 run; Zach Christensen kick, 6:50
MV -- Yokoyama 15 run; Christensen kick, 4:14

2nd Quarter

MV -- Christensen 41 field goal, 5:33
MV -- Doug Ruggles 49 fumble return; kick failed, 4:00

3rd Quarter

SC -- Nick Pasquale 48 interception return; Bret Miller kick, 9:42
MV -- Austin Reuland 5 run; kick failed, 3:58

4th Quarter

SC -- Christian Bailey 4 pass from Travis Wilson; Miller kick, 8:12
SC -- Mike Elespuru 6 pass from Wilson; Miller kick, 2:33

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