El Toro’s Sanders Runs Own Show : Prep football: In a game that matched two of Orange County’s best passers, running back rushes for 133 yards.

The game featured the two top high school quarterbacks in Orange County, and both play for coaches who love to throw the ball. So, naturally, it was a running back who came to the forefront in Friday night’s game between El Toro and Capistrano Valley.

Bret Sanders, a 5-foot-9, 170-pound tailback, carried most of the offensive load in El Toro’s 23-19 victory at Mission Viejo High School. He ran inside, outside and over the Cougars for 133 yards in 31 carries.

Sanders kept the Chargers close in the first half by scoring two touchdowns. Capistrano Valley led, 19-17, at halftime.

“I knew we were going to run at them tonight, but I never expected to get the ball 31 times,” said Sanders, a senior. “I’m usually back there blocking.”

Sanders is the Chargers’ leading rusher, but he had only 259 yards rushing through the first five games. With a quarterback like Rob Johnson, the county’s leading passer, El Toro has concentrated on throwing the ball.

However, it was obvious from the start that Sanders’ workload was going to be increased Friday. On the Chargers’ first drive, he carried the ball 11 times for 53 yards.

Sanders capped the drive by breaking two tackles and spinning from a third defender, on a five-yard touchdown run.

“Their three linebackers over-pursued (the play). I just stopped, split the tackle and hit the end zone,” Sanders said.

Sanders also scored on a one-yard run in the second quarter. By halftime, he had carried the ball 22 times for 107 yards.

“(Capistrano Valley) was doing a real good job at defending the pass,” said Johnson, who threw for 142 yards and one touchdown. “I even had to change some pass plays at the line of scrimmage. But it worked well, because Bret took some of the pressure off me.”

Sanders also bought the Chargers some time.

Capistrano Valley quarterback Tony Solliday lived up to his billing, throwing for 293 yards and two touchdowns. He had 200 yards passing by halftime, including four completions for 20 or more yards.

Solliday, the county’s third-leading passer, might have had an even bigger first half, but the Chargers were able to take considerable time off the clock by keeping their offense grounded. El Toro twice held onto the ball for more than six minutes in the first half.

“We ran more in the first half to keep the ball out of Capo’s hands,” El Toro Coach Bob Johnson said. “They were finding seams everywhere in our defense. It was a joke. We needed to take some time off the clock to get to halftime.”

And with Sanders, it was a productive way to kill some time.