No. 1 Team Rolls as Linebacker Scores Twice

Mission Viejo High School’s football team discovered almost every route to the end zone Friday night in a 35-0 nonleague victory over Laguna Hills.

The top-ranked Diablos (4-0) overpowered unranked Laguna Hills with defense, including returns of a fumble and a blocked punt for touchdowns by senior outside linebacker Mark Howerton.

The damage by the Diablos:

--An 87-yard fumble return by Howerton.

--A three-yard dive by running back Deron Drake.

--A 54-yard touchdown pass from Payson LeMeilleur to Anthony Ramirez.

--A blocked punt by Howerton, who recovered it in the end zone with 1 minute 48 seconds left in the third quarter to push the lead to 28-0.

--An 11-yard touchdown run on a keeper by reserve quarterback Jeff Carr with 2:34 left in the game.

Howerton’s first-quarter fumble return set the tone for the game. Laguna Hills drove to the Mission Viejo seven-yard line, but Geoff Garner knocked the ball loose from Hawks quarterback Mike Maceranka. Howerton scooped up the ball and ran untouched to the end zone.

“That might be the first time in school history that one (defensive) guy has put two in the end zone for us,” Mission Viejo Coach Mike Rush said.

LeMeilleur, a 6-foot-1, 205-pound senior, sparked the offense, completing eight of 15 passes for 191 yards. His favorite target was Ramirez, a 6-foot, 165-pound senior who had four catches for 122 yards.

Laguna Hills (2-2) managed only 137 yards total offense, including 80 rushing by tailback Dave Webber.

Maceranka, the Hawks’ starting quarterback, injured his collarbone early in the second quarter and was out the rest of the game. Maceranka’s replacement, Justin Vedder, completed three of 12 passes for 22 yards.

Mission Viejo’s only trouble was with penalties. The Diablos were flagged 12 times for 125 yards, including a holding call that wiped out a 36-yard touchdown pass from LeMeilleur to Ramirez with 3:21 left in the third quarter.

Howerton’s second touchdown came late in the third quarter, after the Hawks’ Ryan Miller lined up to punt. Howerton went in untouched and blocked it, falling on the ball in the end zone.

Rush said the victory was good preparation for Mission Viejo’s game next Thursday against third-ranked Mater Dei.