Villa Park Gets on Track in Second Half for Victory

Villa Park and Trabuco Hills high schools searched, even groped, for offensive consistency Thursday night. Neither found complete continuity, but Villa Park managed enough to end its nonleague schedule on a positive note with a 28-10 victory at Mission Viejo High School.

The Spartans (3-2) looked, at times, like the top 10 team they were at the beginning of the season. Villa Park was unforgiving on defense and somewhat effective on offense--at least compared to Trabuco Hills.

Villa Park got its running game in gear during the second half. The Spartans finished with 192 yards rushing, most of which came in the 21-point second half.

“We run the ball well, that’s not been our problem,” Villa Park Coach Pat Mahoney said. “We just haven’t hung onto the ball.”

The Spartans had turned the ball over nine times in their last two games, but had no such problems Thursday.

Tailbacks Ryan Tsui and Ellis Williams found large holes to run through and made the most of the opportunities. Tsui had 69 yards rushing, 47 in the second half, and Williams had 50 yards rushing, 34 in the second half.

Even quarterback Jason Martian got into the act, gaining 40 yards rushing--39 in the second half. And it was Martian’s 11-yard scramble for a touchdown that broke open a tight, 7-3 game in the third quarter.

The Spartans added 14 points in the fourth quarter to take a 28-3 lead, which helped them to forget the frustration of the first half. Villa Park had 67 total yards at halftime and its only score--a 12-yard touchdown pass from Martian to Aaron Boone--was set up by a 35-yard kickoff return and a facemask penalty.

Things weren’t much better for the Mustangs (1-3-1), who lost their third consecutive game and are off to the worst start in the school’s brief history.

Trabuco Hills’ most noticeable problems are at quarterback, a position that has been the Mustangs’ backbone the last two seasons. After winning Southern Section Division VIII titles on the throwing ability of David Lowery (San Diego State) in 1988 and the athletic ability of Tim Manning (California) in 1989, the Mustangs have had confusion at quarterback this year.

Senior Shane Weintraut and sophomore Pat Barnes have alternated, sometimes every other play, this season. Neither has been particularly effective, but it appears Barnes has won the job.

The two were alternated during the first three quarters, but it was Barnes who was around at the finish. He completed 11 of 24 passes for 143 yards and a touchdown.

However, Barnes was also intercepted three times, one of which Brad Creagan returned 98 yards for a touchdown.