Big Plays Send Diablos Into Big Game : Prep football: Mission Viejo beats second-ranked Capistrano Valley, 28-13, to set up showdown with No. 1 El Toro.

Mission Viejo High School Coach Mike Rush worried all week about Capistrano Valley’s big-play offense. The Cougars, he knew, not only scored a lot of points, but they had the ability to score them quickly.

But Rush’s concerns were put to rest Friday night. When all was played an done, it was the Diablos who had made the big plays.

Mission Viejo turned Cougar mistakes into points in the second half and came away with a 28-13 victory in front of 6,000 at Mission Viejo High School. The victory sets up a showdown for first place in South Coast League next week when Mission Viejo (7-1, 3-0) faces El Toro, the No. 1-ranked team in Orange County.

“That’s how tough this league is,” said Rush, whose team is ranked sixth. “We got El Toro next week, so we have to start planning tomorrow. We don’t have much time to celebrate this one.”

Rush might find a moment to acknowledge the performance of quarterback Tim Snowden, who overcame early mistakes to throw two touchdown passes. Or maybe Rush will stop to admire the Diablo defense, which controlled a potent Capistrano Valley offense and forced two key turnovers.

But undoubtedly Rush will find time to relish the running of Marcellus Chrishon, his senior tailback.

Chrishon gained 165 yards rushing in 26 carries. Although hounded by the Cougar defense, he got stronger as the game progressed, gaining 99 yards in the second half.

Chrishon also scored on runs of 39 and 23 yards in the fourth quarter to help the Diablos break open a close game.

“We felt we could wear Capo down,” Rush said. “In the second half, our kids could see it in their eyes.”

That was a fact that not even Capistrano Valley Coach Eric Patton could deny.

“Plain and simple, they kicked our butts,” he said.

The score was tied, 7-7, at halftime, but the Diablo defense turned things around early in the third quarter.

The Cougars drove to the Mission Viejo eight-yard line on their second possession of the third quarter. However, on a second-and-two play, Jeremy Brion fumbled and Beau LeBreton recovered. Three plays later, Snowden, who finished 10 of 17 for 176 yards, hit Anthony Ramirez for an 87-yard touchdown pass to break the tie.

“The fumble was the play that really hurt us,” Patton said. “I think that had a bad psychological effect on our team.”

A blocked field goal attempt by Kurt Neuhausen only deepened the depression. The Cougars had driven to the Mission Viejo 25, but on fourth down, Neuhausen broke through the middle of the line to block Tomek Mikler’s 42-yard field goal try.

Neuhausen recovered the ball at the Capistrano Valley 39. On the next play, Chrishon burst through the line and sprinted untouched for a 39-yard touchdown run.

Capistrano Valley, ranked second in the county, did cut the deficit to 21-13 midway through the fourth quarter. Quarterback Tony Solliday, who had 291 yards passing, threw a swing pass to Brion, who weaved his way through the Diablo secondary for a 65-yard touchdown. The Cougars went for two, but Brion was stopped short of the goal.

Mission Viejo clinched the game with a 75-yard drive, which ended with Chrishon going 23 yards to score his second touchdown.