PREP FOOTBALL : Pacific Coast League : Costa Mesa Wins Berth in Playoffs, 28-0

Costa Mesa High School won its first spot in the Southern Section playoffs since 1980 with a 28-0 Pacific Coast League victory over Laguna Beach Thursday night at Laguna Beach’s Guyer Field.

Leading the way for the Mustangs (5-4-1 overall, 3-2 in league play) was runing back Manny Bonilla, who carried the ball 16 times for 153 yards and 3 touchdowns. The 5-foot 7-inch, 165-pound senior, who entered the game as the county’s fifth-leading rusher, pushed his season rushing total to 1,149 yards.

Bonilla’s first touchdown came on a 22-yard run with 57 seconds left in the first quarter, climaxing a 51-yard drive. Jim Hastie’s extra-point kick gave Costa Mesa a 7-0 lead.

Bonilla got 2 more touchdowns in the second quarter. The first, a 15-yard-run, came with 7:10 left in the half and completed a 6-play, 60-yard drive.

His final touchdown came on a 14-yard run with 4:42 left in the half.

The last Mustang touchdown came with 14 seconds left in the third quarter. Senior quarterback Rich Schones sneaked in from 1 yard out to complete a 11-play, 73-yard drive.

Artists quarterback Aaron Scheid completed 12 of 25 passes for 84 yards. Laguna Beach, the defending Pacific Coast League champion, finished the year 2-7 overall, 2-3 in league play.