Capistrano Valley Is Just Special Enough : Big Plays Make the Difference as Cougars Edge Oceanside, 9-6

It was a game dominated by two running backs, but won by Capistrano Valley High School’s special teams.

Terry Vaughn of Oceanside made a shambles of the Cougar defense, gaining 177 yards in 35 carries. Not to be outdone, Capistrano Valley’s Paul Shaheen gained 153 yards in 23 carries.

But it was the play of the special teams, particularly Motor Mosebrook, that allowed the Cougars (3-0) to take a 9-6 victory at Capistrano Valley Friday night.

Mosebrook, a 5-foot-11, 180-pound defensive back, blocked two kicks to take four points away from the Pirates.

“It doesn’t take a mathematical genius to figure out how much those two blocks meant to us,” Capistrano Valley Coach Eric Patton said. “Just look at the scoreboard.”

With the Cougars leading, 6-0, in the second quarter, Mosebrook blocked a 27-yard field goal attempt by Caesar Garcia. Garcia also missed on a 37-yard attempt in the first quarter.

Mosebrook struck again in the fourth quarter, blocking a conversion attempt after the Pirates (1-2) had scored to cut the Capistrano Valley lead to 9-6.

“Motor is very quick off the ball and he seems to know just where to put his hands,” Patton said.

While Mosebrook was taking points away from Oceanside, the punt and kickoff return teams were supplying the Cougars with scoring opportunities.

In the first quarter, Dave Poltl returned a punt 32 yards to give the Cougars the ball on the Oceanside 39-yard line. On the first play, Shaheen burst through a big hole up the middle, then cut to the outside and went untouched into end zone.

The Cougars, who scored 37 points last week against Edison, led 6-0 at the half. However, they had little opportunity to score more points.

Oceanside, behind Vaughn, dominated the first half with a ball-control offense. Vaughn had 106 yards at halftime and carried the ball 23 of the Pirates’ 31 plays.

“I hope we never see another guy like him again,” Patton said. “The guy is like a loaded gun. You don’t know when he’s going to go off.”

Meanwhile, the Cougars ran only 11 offensive plays in the first half and three of them were for losses totaling 26 yards. Capistrano Valley had the ball only 3 minutes 32 seconds in the first half.

Capistrano Valley used a bit of razzle-dazzle to start the second half.

Jeremy Brion fielded the kickoff on the seven and headed up the right sideline. At the 15, he handed off to Poltl, who went back to the left. Garcia finally brought Poltl down on the Oceanside 31.

The Cougars didn’t get as much out of the play as they might have, though. A rash of penalties left Capistrano Valley with a second-and-39 situation.

Shaheen carried twice for 21 yards and Scott Patton kicked a 30-yard field goal for a 9-0 lead.

Vaughn was held to 12 yards rushing in the third quarter, but broke loose in the fourth quarter. On the Pirates’ first drive of the quarter, he had two runs of more than 20 yards, including a 27-yard touchdown run.