El Toro Ends Fountain Valley Winning Streak

Visions of grave misfortune swirled through Bob Johnson’s mind as he stared at the field midway through the fourth quarter of El Toro High School’s nonleague game against Fountain Valley.

The El Toro coach was busily preparing a two-point conversion defense. In his mind’s eye, he could see Fountain Valley scoring on first and goal from the El Toro two.

Later, he foresaw a repeat of last season’s last-minute touchdown drive that gave Fountain Valley a victory.

Neither premonition became reality Friday night. Instead, El Toro held on for a 27-19 victory that stopped Fountain Valley’s two-season, 10-game winning streak. A crowd of 4,000 watched at Westminster High.

El Toro stopped Frank Wada, Fountain Valley fullback, four times inside the two, the last on a fourth and goal at the six-inch line with 6:14 to play.

Fountain Valley had one more chance to score, but Mike Miller’s interception at the Fountain Valley 41 snuffed out the Barons’ last hopes.

“I felt the most important play was not going to be the fourth down play, but the next play, the two-pointer,” Johnson said. “(Then later) I looked up at the scoreboard and said, ‘Damn, if this isn’t just like last year.’ They had the ball with about a minute left and went and scored and won.

“I’m not a negative person. Usually I don’t think that way.”

Last year, quarterback David Henigan drove Fountain Valley 70 yards in the final minute for a touchdown and a 35-31 victory.

Thanks to Miller, that didn’t happen this time.

The Barons’ final play was a fluky one. With the ball on the Fountain Valley 25, quarterback Willy Puga tried to connect with wide receiver Doug Weaver. But Weaver tripped over a defender’s leg as he tried to cut toward the middle of the field and went sprawling.

Miller, who was the only player in the vicinity, dove and caught the ball.

The Barons had rallied from a 27-13 deficit on a three-yard touchdown pass from Puga to Weaver with 11:55 left.

Miller then fumbled the ensuing kickoff and the Barons recovered. They drove to the two, aided by a face mask penalty and short gains by Wada and Brian Williams.

But four runs by Wada left Fountain Valley short of the end zone.

“I thought we had it,” said Mike Milner, Fountain Valley coach. “You gotta be able to score from the half-foot line.

“We decided when we started the drive we were going to go for two. The two-point play was on.”

But El Toro stopped Fountain Valley twice and laid Johnson’s worst fears to rest.