Pearsall Leaves Another Opponent Feeling Sick

Grant Pearsall, Villa Park’s all-purpose back, went through his pregame ritual. The nerves, the tension and the nausea.

Afterward, it was also the same old routine. The pats on the back, the congratulations, the praise, all the things that make it worth the anxiety.

The Spartans picked up a 19-14 victory over Mission Viejo on Thursday at El Modena High School and it was hard to miss the man responsible.

Pearsall, a three-year starter, made the plays on offense, defense and special teams. He gained 107 yards rushing, intercepted two passes, had a key sack and returned a kickoff for a touchdown. Then, he got a chance to relax.

“Grant gets so worked up before games, that he almost gets sick,” Villa Park Coach Coach Pat Mahoney said. “Every week he goes through that, for three years. It’s the competitor in him.”

On the field, Pearsall makes his opponents queasy. Villa Park (3-2) fell behind, 14-13, with 8 minutes 15 seconds left, but then Pearsall got his hands on the ball.

Mission Viejo’s two previous kickoffs had gone away from Pearsall. The third fell right into his hands and he went 97 yards for the go-ahead touchdown.

“We hadn’t been trying to kick the ball away from him,” Mission Viejo Coach Marty Spalding said. “We have trouble keeping our kickoffs inbounds.”

Out of bounds might have been a better option. Pearsall weaved, untouched, for the score. He returned a punt and a kickoff for touchdowns last week. Thursday’s return gave him 11 touchdowns in five games.

“He’s fun to watch,” Spalding said.

Spalding got to see a lot of him.

Mission Viejo (3-2) got as far as the Spartan 40 late in the fourth quarter, but Pearsall squelched the drive with a sack on third down. The Diablos punted with 4:42 left and didn’t get the ball again until seven seconds were left.

Pearsall carried the ball nine times for 60 yards on the drive, which ended at the Mission Viejo 19.

“I feel I should have the ball at the end of the game,” Pearsall said. “I want it that way.”

The Spartans’ defense made sure Pearsall could be a factor at the end. Defensive ends Justin McCully and Brett Marvosh dominated the front. They combined on two sacks of quarterback Brad Weekes.

“They did a good job of containing him,” Mahoney said. “He’s the type of player that can hurt you when he starts running around.”

Weekes proved that. Twice he scrambled out of the pocket for 18-yard runs and both set up touchdowns. John Higashi (92 yards rushing), scored on runs of one and two yards, which gave the Diablos the lead. Briefly.

Pearsall took it from there.