El Toro Makes Progress in Victory Over Villa Park

Mike Milner is not one to be easily lured into superlatives.

And even after El Toro defeated Villa Park, 48-18, Friday night at Trabuco Hills High, Milner was characteristically diplomatic.

“I’m really pleased with our progress this far,” he said of the Chargers (2-0).

Milner would not elaborate much after that.

So we’re left to wonder. Does pleased mean pleasantly surprised? Or, does pleased mean pleased that we’re right on track to repeat as Division V champions?

He smiled.

“I make it a habit not to compare teams,” he said.

But Milner doesn’t have to do too much explaining. His team is doing it for him on the field.

Brandon Wilde stepped in this season for Steve Krupp, who graduated after last season, and has shown he is capable of handling the quarterback spot well.

Against Villa Park, he completed 10 of 18 passes for 189 yards and three touchdowns.

“I was really encouraged last week in the fact that we played a real sound first football game [against San Clemente], probably the best first football game I have ever been involved with,” Milner said. “Our plan for the week was to not lose anything and come out fast at the beginning of the game and I think we did that.”

Michael Smith returned the opening kickoff 28 yards to the El Toro 38. Wilde threw two incomplete passes before he connected with Brian Koupal for a 62-yard touchdown pass play and Chad Johnson made the extra point.

Villa Park (0-2) scored on their next possession, after Brian Buckland turned a short screen pass from Ryan Wann into a 73-yard touchdown play. The Spartans’ two-point conversion attempt failed.

Murle Sango broke into open field for a 38-yard run on the Chargers’ next possession, bringing El Toro to the Villa Park 39. After Wilde completed a 13-yard pass to Koupal, Richard Oates had runs of 18 yards and one yard to set up the Chargers at the Spartan seven-yard line, where Wilde threw a touchdown pass to Adam Foellmi. Johnson’s kick was blocked, making the score 13-6.

The El Toro defense held Villa Park to just three yards on its next possession and Smith returned the Spartans’ punt five yards to the Villa Park 48. Foellmi gained 19 yards on a pass-play from Wilde before Oates scored on a 29-yard run with five minutes, 25 seconds remaining in the first quarter.

Sango scored on a five-yard run with eight minutes remaining in the second quarter to give the Chargers a 27-6 lead at halftime.

The Chargers emerged from the locker room and marched 36 yards on six plays before Sango scored again on a 10-yard with 7:16 remaining in the third quarter and then caught a 21-yard touchdown pass from Wilde about four minutes later to put the game out of reach, 41-6.