Trabuco Hills Jumbles League Race

Trabuco Hills continues to help muddle the Pacific Coast League football championship race, and you can blame Mustang quarterback Pat Barnes for part of the problem.

Barnes completed 19 of 25 passes for 231 yards and three touchdowns as Trabuco Hills defeated Century, 28-16, Friday night at Mission Viejo High School.

The victory moved the Mustangs (4-4-1, 3-1) into a three-way tie for the league lead with Laguna Hills and Estancia. Trabuco Hills plays host to Costa Mesa in the season finale next Friday.

“We’re going to have to win that next one,” Trabuco Hills Coach Jim Barnett said. “Costa Mesa is going to come in here all fired up.”

Barnes, a 6-foot-3, 195-pound junior, threw two touchdown passes in the second half.

Two of his touchdown passes were caught by Cordell Graham, who had eight receptions for 110 yards.

Trabuco Hills running back Jeff Clayton carried 15 times for 102 yards, including a 63-yard run that set up the Mustangs’ clinching touchdown--a 10-yard pass from Barnes to Jason Teno with 2 minutes 28 seconds left in the fourth quarter.

Although his team had 372 yards in total offense, Barnett was raving about his defense after the game. The Mustangs converted two Century (6-3, 2-2) turnovers into second-half touchdowns.

Trabuco Hills was trailing, 10-7, when Tim Blek recovered a fumble by Century’s Paul Tanny at the Century 48-yard line with 3:18 left in the third quarter.

Five plays later, Barnes threw to Graham for a 17-yard touchdown that gave Trabuco Hills the lead for good.

On the ensuing possession, Trabuco Hills’ Nate Urone intercepted a tipped Karlo Balderrama pass at the Mustang 42 and returned it seven yards. Clayton then capped an eight-play, 51-yard drive with a two-yard run with 6:30 left.

Trabuco Hills outgained Century, 200 yards to 63, in the first half, but the Mustangs held only a 7-3 halftime lead. The Mustangs drove inside the Centurion 20-yard line three times, but came up empty-handed after:

--A 45-yard field goal attempt by Teno sailed wide left with 59 seconds remaining in the first quarter.

--A 25-yard field goal attempt by Teno was blocked by Juan Garcia with 10:37 left in the second quarter.

--Lee Palacio’s sack of Barnes at the Century 19 on the last play of the second quarter.

Century took a 10-7 lead on the opening possession of the second half. Balderrama replaced starting quarterback Johnny Martinez and led an 11-play, 67-yard drive that ended on a two-yard touchdown run by Garcia.