Tritons Shuffle Quarterbacks, Win

Danny Coviello’s knee is returning to form, but the San Clemente quarterback is still trying to find his arm.

Coviello, who missed the first seven games with a knee injury, completed only eight of 19 passes for 80 yards in a 29-6 victory over Trabuco Hills Friday.

Coviello was pulled from the game for a series late in the third quarter and his backup, sophomore Beau Budde, led San Clemente on its only lengthy scoring drive of the game.

“I was a little disappointed that we weren’t in better sync,” San Clemente Coach Eric Patton said. “I think having [Coviello] out for so long is starting to catch up with us a little bit.”

Coviello wasn’t thrilled about getting the hook, but admitted he needs some polishing.

“I was obviously doing bad,” Coviello said. “But I don’t know if that’s the right thing to do, take your starting quarterback out in the middle of the game. But I can’t complain because I wasn’t performing the way I should have.”

Coviello had completed five of 15 passes for 42 yards when he was replaced with just over two minutes remaining in the third quarter. Patton said he wasn’t happy with the Tritons’ first two possessions of the second half, when they failed to get a first down.

Budde, who started the first four games of the season before missing two games with a broken bone in his ankle, completed three of five passes for 57 yards, including a 24-yard touchdown pass to Chris Smith for a 22-0 lead.

Smith led the Tritons with 105 yards in 17 carries and also caught five passes for 73 yards.

Smith gave the Tritons a 7-0 lead on their first possession of the game, scoring his eighth touchdown of the season on a two-yard run. The drive began at the Mustang 38 following a seven-yard punt by Mario Ramirez.

San Clemente (8-1, 4-0) took advantage of another miscue by Trabuco Hills to move ahead, 13-0. After Tim Burnette recovered a fumble at the Mustang 17, the Tritons scored five plays later when Coviello hit Burnette with a seven-yard pass.

San Clemente’s Nick Gardner intercepted a Brian White pass late in the second half and returned it 20 yards to the Mustang 39. Ten plays later, Taylor Kunzi kicked a 32-yard field goal.

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SOUTH COAST

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League Overall School W L T W L T San Clemente 4 0 0 8 1 0 Mission Viejo 4 0 0 7 2 0 Dana Hills 2 2 0 3 6 0 El Toro 1 3 0 3 6 0 Capistrano Valley 1 3 0 2 7 0 Trabuco Hills 0 4 0 2 7 0

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WEEK 9

Friday’s results

* Dana Hills 35, Capistrano Valley 21

* Mission Viejo 26, El Toro 3

* San Clemente 29, Trabuco Hills 6

WEEK 10

Thursday, Nov. 9

Capistrano Valley at Trabuco Hills

Friday, Nov. 10

El Toro at Dana Hills

San Clemente at Mission Viejo