Without Bret Johnson, El Toro Has to Rely on Defense to Win, 10-3

Some how, some way, it just wasn’t the same El Toro High School football team Friday night that the Chargers’ followers are accustomed to seeing.

Sure the Chargers won their game, 10-3, over Villa Park in front of 4,000 fans in Mission Viejo Stadium. Winning has become standard fare for the Chargers. El Toro’s 17th consecutive victory gives it the second-longest streak in the Southern Section. Muir of Pasadena has 27.

What was unusual was the manner in which the Chargers (3-0) won.

There was none of the usual high-powered offense--punctuated by quick scores--normally associated with El Toro. In fact, there was very little passing.

With Bret Johnson, considered one of the five best quarterbacks in the country, was out with damaged knee ligaments, and the Chargers were shaky offensively.

Defense won this game.

El Toro intercepted Villa Park quarterback Rob Davey four times. Adam Brass picked off a pair for the Chargers. The last interception killed a Spartan drive at the El Toro 34 with 4:15 left.

El Toro defensive tackle Cory Wayland tackled running back John Genova in the end zone for a safety and an early 2-0 lead.

The best offensive display Villa Park could show were a pair of reverses that gained 52 and 33 yards. The first, from Davey to Genova to Doug Brynes, gave the Spartans the ball at the El Toro three.

However, the Chargers put up a successful goal-line stand. On fourth and goal from less than a foot away, Ryan Hayes kicked a 17-yard field goal to give Villa Park (2-1) a short-lived, 3-2 lead.

“Collectively, the defense played their hearts out,” said Bob Johnson, El Toro coach. “The defense and the kicking game are the kinds of things that have to come through when you’ve lost the No. 1 quarterback (Johnson) in the county. It makes a pretty big impact when you lose a quarterback like that.”

Indeed, El Toro had averaged over 200 yards a game passing in its first two contests. But Friday night, the Chargers--alternating quarterbacks--gained only 79 yards passing against Villa Park.

“It was exactly the kind of game we expected,” Johnson said.

John Blackburn started but did not play in the second half, completing one pass for minus two yards. Jason Vivonia fared better, completing 7 of 13 for 81 yards. Neither has seen much action in their prep careers. Blackburn is a tight end and Vivonia a wide receiver.

Vivonia guided the Chargers on a 54-yard touchdown drive in the second quarter that resulted in the winning points.

David Nemeth, who rushed for 50 yards in 16 carries, scored the touchdown on a 15-yard burst straight up the middle. Nemeth’s two-point conversion run gave the Chargers a 10-3 lead with 2:03 left in the half.

So, given the circumstances, was Johnson disappointed in the Chargers’ offense?

“No,” he said. “Just really happy with our defense. Adam Brass in particular. Next week, we’ll score a couple of touchdowns on defense. We’ll turn into the Chicago Bears. We’ll win games, 3-2.”