DIVISION VIII FINAL : Trabuco Hills Beats Orange With Defense, 13-7

Brent Roper’s two field goals and unaccustomed defense gave Trabuco Hills High School its second consecutive Southern Section Division VIII championship Friday night in a victory over Orange, 13-7, before 7,200 at Santa Ana Stadium.

In its three previous playoff games, Trabuco Hills had outscored opponents, 118-56, but the Mustangs forced three Orange turnovers Friday and held on a fourth-down play.

Orange faced a fourth-and-three at the Trabuco Hills 13 with 54 seconds left, but Chris Thompson’s pass fell incomplete in the end zone.

The Mustangs then ran out the clock.

“We really needed a good defensive game tonight because we couldn’t move the ball,” quarterback Tim Manning said. “That was the best defensive game we’ve played this year.”

Trabuco Hills (13-1), which also has won consecutive Division VII titles, gained 276 yards but scored only one touchdown.

Roper hit on kicks of 30 and 32 yards.

Trabuco Hills was lucky to be tied, 7-7, at halftime.

Leading 7-0, Orange had the ball on the Trabuco Hills’ 10. But Manning intercepted Chris Thompson’s pass at the one and returned it 15 yards.

Manning then drove the Mustangs 84 yards for the tying score. He completed six of eight passes on the drive, including a nine-yard touchdown pass to Julian Ford with 52 seconds left in the half.

The Mustangs made numerous mistakes throughout most of the first half. They turned the ball over twice and had 47 yards in penalties.

Orange was able to disrupt Trabuco Hills’ passing attack. Manning was under pressure most of the half and was sacked once.

A mistake by Manning gave the Panthers their lone touchdown.

On a second-down play from the Mustang 17, Manning tried to hit Ford with a short pass. However, Jeff Peterson stepped in front of Ford for the interception, which he returned 25 yards for a touchdown.