Burns Injured as Mission Viejo Defeats San Clemente, 34-7

Mission Viejo High School overcame a slow start to gain its fourth victory in a row with a 34-7 victory over San Clemente in a South Coast League football game Friday night.

Running back Eric Ekdahl had three touchdowns and wide receiver Steve Miller scored twice to lead the Diablos in front of 2,500 fans at San Clemente’s homecoming game. But Mission Viejo, ranked fourth in the Southern Conference and sixth in the county, may have lost its leading rusher for the rest of the season.

Senior tailback John Burns was injured on the third play of the game and did not return to the Mission Viejo lineup. Mission Viejo Coach Bill Crow said the injury still has to be diagnosed, but Burns may have suffered a broken collarbone. He came into the game with 674 yards rushing this season.

“If it’s broken, he’s out for the year,” Crow said.

Mission Viejo is 7-1 overall and 3-0 in league play. San Clemente fell to 0-3, 2-6.

San Clemente took an early lead over the Diablos in the first quarter. The Tritons went 54 yards in 9 plays with senior running back Kevin Harrison scoring on a 5-yard run. Tino Perone’s extra-point kick gave San Clemente a 7-0 lead.

Mission Viejo cut the lead to 7-6 on an eight-yard pass from junior quarterback Troy Kopp to Miller. The Diablos still trailed when the extra-point kick failed.

Ekdahl gave Mission Viejo the lead in the second quarter on an 80-yard pass play from Kopp. The Diablos led, 12-6, at the half after they failed on a two-point conversion try.

Ekdahl added a nine-yard touchdown run in the third quarter. Reserve quarterback Robbie Adams hit Ekdahl with a 23-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter. Adams added the final Diablo touchdown on a 41-yard pass to Miller late in the game.