Mission Viejo Is Shaping Up as a Winner

Maybe South Coast League coaches knew something when they made Mission Viejo the preseason favorite. Because after a rough start, the Diablos are beginning to look like a contender for a league title.

Mission Viejo came up with the big plays in the closing minutes--something the Diablos didn’t do in their first four games--and defeated visiting Dana Hills, 19-18, Friday night before a homecoming crowd of about 4,000.

Mission Viejo quarterback Billy Hart set up Robbie Dubois’ game-winning one-yard touchdown run by hitting Justin Shultz along the sideline for 61 yards. Then Mission Viejo’s defense held off Dana Hills’ frantic attempt to win when defensive back Paul Whiting picked off a Mike Bergey pass at his own 30-yard line with 33 seconds left.

“I was just in the right place at the right time,” Whiting said. “Those first four games were pretty disheartening, but I think we’re starting to come together and I think we have a good shot to win the league.”

Dana Hills Coach Scott Orloff might agree, but he didn’t stick around to discuss the Diablos’ chances, or anything else. He left the field immediately without shaking Mission Viejo Coach Bob Johnson’s hand.

“What’s up with that?,” Johnson said. “Have you ever seen me not shake somebody’s hand after a game?”

Before the game, Orloff said his team had extra incentive to beat the Diablos because two of his former players had transferred to Mission Viejo over the summer. One of them, tight end/linebacker Tommy Cullinan was a big factor in Mission Viejo’s victory.

Cullinan caught four passes for 63 yards. He recovered Bergey’s fumble late in the third quarter on the Mission Viejo 10 and he made a touchdown-saving tackle on Dana Hills’ last drive.

Dana Hills (0-6, 0-1) jumped to a 15-6 lead on the legs of Billy Ewing, who ran back the opening kickoff 99 yards and scored on a 50-yard screen pass with 15 seconds left in the half. Mission Viejo scored on a two-yard run by Dubois and appeared to score on a 60-yard wide receiver pass play from Whiting to Shultz, but the officials ruled that Shultz had fumbled the ball before he hit the end zone.

Johnson didn’t agree.

Mission Viejo closed to 15-13 midway through the third quarter when Hart (11 for 17, 166 yards) found Shultz in the back of the end zone on a 10-yard fade. Taylor Kunzi’s 26-yard field goal put Dana Hills up, 18-13, with 5:48 left in the game.

But Mission Viejo came right back and drove 75 yards in seven plays. Dubois (119 yards in 23 carries) capped a big night with his one-yard plunge.