SOUTH COAST LEAGUE : San Clemente Earns Right to Think About Playoff Spot

About that San Clemente defense, the one that stopped Mission Viejo twice on fourth down in the final quarter of a 14-3 Triton victory Friday night . . .

“Which they haven’t been doing too much of this year,” San Clemente Coach Mark McElroy said.

Oh, no?

“That’s pretty much what our defense is known for,” said Steve Sutherland, who had three sacks.

Ah, so San Clemente turns into a winner and there are already disagreements between the coach and his players?

“We knew we had to pick it up,” Sutherland finally admitted, smiling sheepishly.

Excuse the No. 7 Tritons (8-1, 3-1) for their giddiness. The victory allowed them to essentially clinch a Southern Section playoff spot, which happens about as often as a mango produces wine. They need practice at this sort of thing. Several players attempted to douse McElroy with a tub full of ice water afterward and missed completely.

“Get the hair!” one player shouted.

And then the water hit nothing but grass.

“Too quick, man,” McElroy sassed back at them, smiling.

San Clemente in the playoffs?

“I don’t know what happened between El Toro and Capo Valley,” McElroy said. “That’s the determining factor. But I told the kids that if we win, we’re in, and I think we’re in.”

For the Tritons to miss now, it would take a combination about as complicated as a Newton theory to occur.

Their march continued in the right direction Friday by stuffing Mission Viejo quarterback Austin Moherman, a freshman playing in only his second varsity game, several times.

Mike Myers had 55 yards on nine carries, but that was it. John Higashi managed only five yards on nine carries and Moherman was clocked for a minus 25 yards on four sacks and two desperation carries.

But the San Clemente offense didn’t move much, either, and what turned the game around for the Tritons was a punt and a fake field-goal attempt.

With San Clemente ahead, 7-3, late in the third quarter, Allen Vaughan, who also doubles as the Tritons’ punter, booted one from the Triton 38. Higashi couldn’t find the handle and San Clemente’s Robert Frith recovered the fumble at the Mission Viejo 23.

Four plays later, San Clemente lined up in field-goal formation on fourth and two from the Mission Viejo 15. Vaughan, who finished with 126 yards on 23 carries, rose from his holder’s position and scampered around left end for a first down.

One play later, Geoff Buffum passed 10 yards to Dylan Newman for a touchdown. That made it 14-3, and that’s where it stayed.