El Toro Keeps Focus in Victory

The timing seemed perfect for San Clemente High School’s football team Thursday night against El Toro.

El Toro, the No. 1 ranked team in Orange County, defeated Mission Viejo last week. Next Friday, the Chargers take on No. 2 Capistrano Valley, in a game that likely will decide the South Coast League championship.

So the Chargers could have been excused for looking at Thursday night’s game against San Clemente, winless in league play, as a respite.

But not this time. Showing no signs of looking ahead, El Toro (9-0 overall, 4-0 in league) took a 28-0 lead at the half and held on to win, 34-7, at Mission Viejo High School.

El Toro Coach Bob Johnson said his team realized that despite the last-place standing of San Clemente (3-6, 0-4), it wasn’t a team to be overlooked. Johnson admitted, however, that his players probably had some thoughts about next week’s game.

“It had to be in the back of their minds,” Johnson said. “I’m just glad that’s where it stayed.”

El Toro quarterback Steve Stenstrom was steady as always, completing eight of 10 passes for 116 yards and two touchdowns before leaving the game late in the second quarter. By that time the Chargers were ahead, 21-0, and Stenstrom’s replacement at quarterback, Rob Johnson, had caught six passes for 91 yards and a touchdown. The Chargers soon made it 28-0 on a 36-yard touchdown run by Jerome Oakman, who finished with 108 yards in 10 carries and also scored on a 20-yard run on the third play of the game.

San Clemente gained a semblance of respect in the second half by outscoring the Chargers, 7-6. The Tritons, who only had 29 yards in total offense and two first downs in the first half, moved the ball much better in the second. Juan Maldonado broke through the El Toro line and scored on a 61-yard run in the third quarter.