Capistrano Valley Rallies to Tie Mission Viejo, 29-29

Quarterback Scott Stark of Capistrano Valley High School teamed with receiver Brent Parker on a 45-yard touchdown pass play with seven seconds left, but Mission Viejo blocked the extra-point attempt, and Friday night’s game, played before a crowd of 3,000 at Capistrano Valley, ended in a 29-29 tie.

Capistrano Valley was fortunate to even be in a position to win the South Coast League game. Mission Viejo had taken a 29-23 lead with 42 seconds left on a six-yard touchdown run by tailback Todd Yert.

Following the kickoff and a penalty, Capistrano Valley started its last drive from its own 13-yard line with 29 seconds to play and managed to go 87 yards in three plays.

On the first play, Stark passed to wide receiver Nathan Call, who pitched it to flanker Todd Beightol, who carried it to Mission Viejo’s 45-yard line with 16 seconds left. The play covered 42 yards.

“It’s called a hook-and-lateral,” Stark said. “It’s sort of a desperation, gimmick play.”

Whatever, it fooled the defense and ignited the Cougars.

Stark, the son of the late Ray Stark, long-time coach at Chaffey High, then threw the ball out of bounds to stop the clock with 13 seconds to play.

On second down, Stark took the snap from the shotgun formation, waited for his receivers to get downfield, and then threw a bomb down the left hashmark. Parker ran under it at the eight, just out of the grasp of two defenders, and continued into the end zone.

“I just look at the safety and throw it where he’s not,” Stark said. “The safety went with Call (to the right side of the field), so I just threw left to Parker.”

The Diablos trailed, 10-0, in the first half but capitalized on two turnovers to take a 14-10 halftime lead.

The first Mission Viejo touchdown came on a blocked punt off the foot of the Cougars’ Stark. Craig Whitley blocked the punt and Ben Morgan picked up the ball and returned it 30 yards for the touchdown, making it 10-7.

On the play, Whitley not only blocked the kick but wisely tackled Stark, who was the only Capistrano Valley player near the ball.

Mission Viejo’s Jeff Peace then intercepted a Stark pass, and the Diablos had the ball on the Capistrano Valley 30-yard line with 32 seconds to play in the half. It took the Diablos only three plays to score with the touchdown coming on an 11-yard pass from Brendon Murphy to Bob Doran with 17 seconds left to play.

In the second half, Mission Viejo took leads of 22-16 and 29-23 before Capistrano Valley rallied for the tie.