Mission Viejo Goes to Air to Defeat Dana Hills

Displaying on effective passing attack that had been dormant in the first half, Mission Viejo High School rebounded from a 10-7 deficit to rout Dana Hills, 24-10, in South Coast League action at Mission Viejo Stadium.

The Diablos (2-0 in league, 5-0 overall) went ahead to stay on Darrin Sweazy’s 15-yard touchdown run early in the third quarter.

Don Roberson’s extra point made the score 14-7, but the big play of the 80-yard drive was a 38-yard pass from quarterback Brendan Murphy to receiver Bob Doran on a third-and-17 play.

Murphy and Doran combined again in the quarter on the touchdown pass covering 38 yards. Roberson’s PAT made the score 21-10. Roberson’s 35-yard field goal late in the fourth quarter sealed the win for Mission Viejo, the third-ranked team in Orange County.

“Basically we committed ourselves to the pass,” Diablo Coach Bill Crow said of the second-half comeback. “They are a physical team and slowed down our running game. So we tried to loosen them up by going over the top.”

Mission Viejo took a 7-0 lead on Sweazy’s 37-yard touchdown run. He finished with 117 yards on 14 carries.

But Dana Hills (0-1, 2-3) came back on the 44-yard field goal by J.B. Hollis and a 57-yard punt return by Matt Raith and led 10-7 at the half.