Dana Hills Still in Playoff Hunt After Victory

Dana Hills kept its playoff hopes alive with a dominating 41-13 victory Friday over Trabuco Hills in a South Coast League game in front of about 3,500 at Dana Hills.

Both teams, winless in league, were in desperate need of a victory. For Trabuco Hills (2-5, 0-2) the loss was devastating.

Not only did the Mustangs lose any reasonable chance of making the playoffs, but they lost their top running back. Daniel Tellez, who had carried the ball 103 times for 705 yards this season, left the game early in the second quarter, after only five carries, with a probable torn knee ligament. Later in the half, backup running back Deante Pate left the game with a sprained ankle.

Dana Hills (2-5, 1-1) was unable to do much in the first half, but came out in the second half and ran at the Mustangs, scoring 34 points, all on the ground. Kyle Kelly and Terrell Vinson ran for a combined 331 yards and five touchdowns, three with less than six minutes remaining.

“We struggled a little in the first half, and we made some mistakes,” Dana Hills Coach Scott Orloff said. “But we didn’t let it get us down and we came out and played really well in the second half.”

Dana Hills broke open a 7-7 halftime score on the first play from scrimmage in the third quarter. Vinson swept right, broke a tackle and sprinted 71 yards for a touchdown and a 13-7 lead.

Trabuco Hills pulled to within three, 13-10, on a 39-yard field goal by Mark Goodwin. Late in the quarter the Mustangs took the ball 70 yards to the Dana Hills nine-yard line, but a sack by Chris Wayland, his third, held the Mustangs to a 36-yard field goal by Goodwin.

Wayland came right back on Trabuco Hills’ next drive and intercepted a pass from Brian White, returning it 35 yards to the Mustangs’ four-yard line. Two plays later Kelly scored his second touchdown, a two-yard run with 5:36 remaining. Three minutes later he capped his night with a 20-yard touchdown run up the middle.

A fumble by Trabuco Hills with less than two minutes remaining gave the Dolphins back the ball and two plays later Vinson scored his second touchdown on a 34-yard run.