Trabuco Hills Finds Webber Unstoppable

Somewhere underneath a mass of Laguna Hills’ players was David Webber.

Although he deserved a good, long rest, his teammates wanted to get a piece of their standout running back, which was more then Trabuco Hills was able to do Friday night.

“I’m a little tired, but I could go for this stuff all night,” Webber said. “It’s time to celebrate.”

Webber had earned the right.

All he had done was take the Hawk offense onto his shoulders and carry it to the Southern Section Division VII championship. He gained 278 yards in 42 carries and scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns in a 35-28 victory at Mission Viejo High School.

“We knew we just had to give the ball to David,” quarterback Justin Vedder said. “He’s done it all year--10 yard runs, 20 yard runs, breaking tackles, running over people. He’s an animal.”

Webber, a 5-foot-10, 195-pound senior, has averaged more than 200 yards per game during the playoffs, but saved his best performance for last. He had gained 78 yards by halftime, then turned it up a notch in the second half. “We’ve been getting big games from David all season, so this wasn’t a surprise,” Coach Steve Bresnahan said.

Bresnahan was content to let Webber carry the load in the second half. Of the 32 plays Laguna Hills ran, 26 were carries by Webber.

“I just kept running and the line was opening some insane holes,” Webber said.

The fourth quarter belonged to Webber. First, he capped a 64-yard drive, in which he carried the ball five of the six plays, with a three-yard touchdown run with 7 minutes 47 seconds left to break a 21-21 tie.

After the Mustangs again tied the score, Webber took the Hawks on one more sod-chewing drive.

He carried the ball seven times, gaining 39 yards. On first-and-goal from the seven, Webber cut off left tackle, then blew past linebacker Cory Miller and defensive back Cordell Graham, both of whom failed to stop him, for the touchdown with 1:53 left.

Miller and Graham laid on the ground, pounding their fists, which spoke for the entire Mustang team.

“I don’t even remember the play, except that it was a touchdown,” Webber said. “Seemed like I had the ball all night. They couldn’t stop us.”

The Mustangs are not alone in that area. Webber finished the season with 22 touchdowns and 2,048 yards, the fifth best total in Orange County history.

“The 2,000 yards is a nice bonus,” Webber said. “But the championship was the goal.”

And when it was finally his, he was mobbed by everyone.

“I was suffocating, but I could have laid there all night,” Webber said.