Laguna Hills Deploys Every Weapon to Beat Trabuco Hills

Laguna Hills ran through and passed over Trabuco Hills on its way to an impressive 35-7 victory in a nonleague football game Friday at Trabuco Hills High.

Laguna Hills running back Mike Jones scored three touchdowns, rushing for 133 yards in 27 carries. He scored second-half touchdowns on runs of six and one yards and also caught a 42-yard scoring pass from quarterback Tommy Banning.

Banning made Trabuco Hills pay when it overplayed Jones, tossing three touchdown passes and completing seven of 13 passes for 183 yards.

Trabuco Hills did a good job stuffing Jones in the first half, limiting him to 52 yards in 14 carries. Jones had only one run of more than six yards in the half.

But with the Mustangs (0-2) overcommitted to the run, the Hawks (2-0) made them pay.

Banning tossed his three scoring passes in a 10 1/2-minute span to give the Hawks control of the game late in the first half.

And after Trabuco Hills linebacker Chase Schaeffer was taken from the field on a stretcher during Laguna Hills’ opening drive of the third quarter, the Mustangs appeared to lose their emotional edge.

Schaeffer was motionless on the field after he helped tackle Banning after a nine-yard gain. The game was delayed 25 minutes while paramedics attended to Schaeffer.

“He was unconscious,” Trabuco Hills Coach Bill Crow said. Schaeffer was taken to Mission Community Trauma Center, where he remained overnight.

After the delay, Jones added to Trabuco Hills’ deficit, scoring on a six-yard run.

But Laguna Hills took the lead through the air.

After Trabuco Hills capped a 97-yard scoring drive with a five-yard touchdown run by quarterback Joseph Edwards to take a 7-0 lead with three minutes remaining in the first quarter, Laguna Hills only needed one play to tie it.

Jeff Fischer, who had two touchdown receptions, turned a short slant pattern into a 78-yard touchdown play after he broke a tackle.

On Laguna Hills’ next possession, after 10 running plays, Fischer ran another slant for a 23-yard touchdown pass play. On the Hawks’ next drive, Jones caught a 42-yard touchdown pass from Banning after circling out of the backfield.