Solliday’s Four Touchdown Passes Lead Capistrano Valley

Capistrano Valley High School’s 37-13 victory over Servite Friday night came down to a simple game of catch between Cougar quarterback Tony Solliday and wide receiver Dave Poltl.

Solliday completed 12 of 16 passes for 134 yards and four touchdowns, including three to Poltl, as the second-ranked Cougars won at Capistrano Valley. Solliday threw touchdown passes of 4, 23 and 4 yards to Poltl. Solliday’s other touchdown pass was a 27-yard completion to Scott Patton.

Poltl finished with four catches for 36 yards.

“Our game is passing,” Capistrano Valley Coach Eric Patton said. “We just needed some momentum to get it going.”

Jeremy Brion supplied that momentum. The senior free safety intercepted two passes by Servite quarterback Scott Jones.

One Brion interception set up a Solliday touchdown pass to Poltl late in the second quarter. The Cougars intercepted three of Jones’ passes, including two by Brion, who returned his last one 80 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter.

“His interception at the end (of the first half) really sparked us,” Patton said. “And the 80-yard return showed what he is capable of doing.”

Capistrano Valley relied on its defense early while it waited for the offense to get going.

The Cougars took a 3-0 lead when Tomek Mikler kicked a 27-yard field goal with 10 minutes 51 seconds left.

The Cougars struck again later in the quarter after Brion intercepted Jones at the Capistrano Valley 44-yard line and returned it 28 yards to the Servite 28.

Then Solliday went to work, completing four consecutive passes, including a four-yard touchdown completion to Poltl with 15 seconds left in the second quarter. Capistrano Valley led, 10-0, at halftime.

In the first half, Capistrano Valley’s defense held Servite to 44 yards total offense, including one yard passing. The Friars finished with 199 yards total offense.

Another Servite turnover led to Capistrano Valley’s first score of the second half. Cougar linebacker Scott Newell forced a Jones fumble that was recovered by Jon Petke at the Servite 27.

On the next play, Solliday hit Patton in the back of the end zone for a touchdown.

Servite cut the deficit to 17-7 with 3:19 left in the third quarter when Jones capped a five-play, 61-yard drive with an 11-yard touchdown pass to Michael Hill. Jones also threw a 33-yard completion to Ken Mousseau on the drive.

Capistrano Valley didn’t let up as Solliday drove the Cougars 80 yards, finishing with his second touchdown pass to Poltl, a 23-yarder.

A four-yard touchdown run by Servite’s Mike Wallock with 7:36 left in the fourth quarter made the score, 24-13. Solliday’s four-yard touchdown pass to Poltl and Brion’s interception return for a touchdown rounded out the scoring.