El Toro Holds Off Western

El Toro had just enough offense and used one defensive stand late in the game to defeat Western, 39-38, in a nonleague game Thursday night at Trabuco Hills High School.

Ryan Switzer carried 15 times for 169 yards and two touchdowns for the Chargers (1-1) and quarterback Evan Whitaker threw two touchdown passes to Jeff McCaffrey in the second quarter.

Western (0-2) scored a touchdown with 5:48 left in the fourth quarter and had a chance to tie the score. Coach Toby Howell decided to go for a two-point conversion, but the run failed.

The Pioneers got the ball back once more with 3:06 left, but were able to drive only to the El Toro 46-yard line, where they gave up the ball on downs.

Western started the scoring, driving 64 yards in four plays with quarterback Mike Hicks hitting David Gober with a 42-yard touchdown pass with 10:37 left in the first quarter. The Chargers drove 80 yards in six plays on their first possession with Switzer scoring from four yards out.

Western took the lead, 14-10, on the first play of the second quarter on a one-yard run by Hicks.

El Toro opened the second half by scoring on their first play from scrimmage, a 55-yard run by Switzer, but Western answered with two touchdowns on pass plays from Hicks to wide receiver Jeff LaMendola covering 56 and eight yards, respectively.