Johner Shows He’s Worthy of All-Star Status Despite His Team’s Loss

During the fourth quarter of Friday night’s 14-3 loss to the North team in the 34th annual Orange County All-Star football game, quarterback Matt Johner walked over to South Coach Jeff Brinkley and delivered a message.

“I’ve been here before.”

Behind, that is.

Johner, the former Estancia quarterback headed to Kansas in the fall, said he directed his team to “10 or 11 comebacks” during his three-year varsity career. And he likes crunch time.

“The fourth quarter is comeback time,” Johner said. “I live for the fourth quarter.”

And he showed that passion, moving a South offense that had been dormant to that point.

On a night when the best pass of the game was thrown by a wide receiver--the North’s Jeff Malone (Servite) on a trick play--Johner finally brought some dignity to the position.

He completed eight of 16 passes for 87 yards over the final 9 minutes 25 seconds, and was only three yards short of bringing the South its only touchdown--on the final four plays of the game.

He finished 10 of 22 for 125 yards.

The other three quarterbacks fared much worse. South teammate Sean O’Brien (Santa Margarita) was one of seven for three yards with one interception. The North’s Eric Hannah (Servite) was three of 13 for 16 yards with an interception and an eight-yard touchdown pass; Phil Covarrubius (Anaheim) was one of three for three yards.

Johner gave some credit to the North’s defense, which sacked him three times.

“They were sending everybody and they knew how to pressure,” he said. “When you’re sending everybody, you can’t stop everybody.”

That happened in the second quarter when, after Brian Barajas’ 30-yard interception return gave the South the possession at the North 26.

Johner was sacked by A.J. Gass (Servite). Tony Parrish (Marina) rushed for five yards. Leon Vickers (Rancho Alamitos) deflected Johner’s pass. The South settled for a 27-yard field goal by Doug Stuckey (Newport Harbor).

Said Brinkley: “We ran pretty much the same stuff in the fourth quarter as we did early on. When you only get nine days to practice, the offensive line is the toughest thing to deal with.”

Play action and two-man routes gave Johner time to connect with his favorite target, Todd Thomas (Irvine), who caught five passes for 76 yards.

“I got to know him over practice,” Johner said. “He’s got great movers, he’s quick and he has good hands. He became my favorite target. Him and Bryan Gail.”

Gail (Fountain Valley) caught one pass for six yards.

It was a tough night for favorite receivers, much less everyone else.