Villa Park’s Pearsall Gets Hot in Defeat of Corona del Mar : DIVISION IV

It was after Brian Hogan’s spectacular 100-yard kickoff return and after J.R. Walz’s nifty 69-yard touchdown run, and after Walz had collected the last of his 209 yards rushing, that Corona del Mar Coach Dave Holland shook his head and talked about a guy on the other team.

“No. 22 was the difference,” Holland said sadly. “He’s a hell of a football player. We had trouble stopping him all night.”

On most nights, Corona del Mar would have had plenty of firepower. Friday night, Villa Park had Grant Pearsall.

In a Division IV playoff game that could play anytime, anyplace, Villa Park defeated Corona del Mar, 30-28, as Pearsall, a 6-foot-2, 180-pound senior, rushed for 230 yards and two touchdowns, returned an interception 52 yards for another touchdown and caught one pass for seven yards.

“Grant is a great athlete,” Villa Park Coach Pat Mahoney said. “That’s why we don’t take him off of the field.”

Walz, a 5-10, 185-pound senior, has more meat on his bones than the wiry Pearsall and can be every bit as explosive.

Both gained well over 1,000 yards this season. Together, on the same field, they were stunning.

It started out as a slugfest, turned into keep-away and finished with a chase as players took turns stepping in and then out of the spotlight in front of an enthusiastic crowd at Saddleback Community College.

Pearsall opened the scoring by picking off a deflected pass in mid-stride and breaking loose for a 52-yard touchdown but, determined not to be upstaged, Hogan took the ensuing kickoff and headed for glory.

He caught the ball at the goal-line, broke left through the wedge and then cut back up the middle. He spun away from one would-be tackler, regained his balance and had an unobstructed view of the end zone 55 yards away to make the score 7-7.

“Great run by that kid,” Pearsall said. “Great individual effort.”

Pearsall could afford to be gracious. On the second play from scrimmage after the long kickoff return, he broke loose again, running 67 yards to the Corona del Mar 3. Two plays later, Pearsall went over from the 1.

Undaunted, the Sea Kings (7-4) unleashed another solid punch. On the third play from scrimmage after Villa Park’s kick, Walz scooted through an opening in the left side of the line and sprinted 69 yards for a touchdown.

It was 14-14--and there was still 4:50 left in the first quarter.

Villa Park will play Sherman Oaks Notre Dame game in the second round of the playoffs.