Hart Able to Gets Its Rematch

For 13 weeks, the desire for a rematch with Mission Viejo has festered within the Newhall Hart football team, and in Week 14 the opportunity finally will present itself.

Hart earned the honor when it overcame a sluggish first half and held off San Clemente, 35-21, in a hard-fought Southern Section Division II semifinal Saturday night at College of the Canyons.

Hart lost to Mission Viejo, 10-6, in the Division II final last season and has lived with that disappointment.

Next Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at the Home Depot Center in Carson the highly anticipated rematch will commence.

Daniel Howell, picking up for a passing attack missing some of its usual luster, rushed for 138 yards and four touchdowns to pace Hart (10-3), which scored four times in the second half and stopped San Clemente on fourth down and goal from the one-yard line with 1 minute 22 seconds left.

It will be the sixth consecutive appearance in a championship game for Hart, which won four consecutive Division III titles before losing to Mission Viejo last year.

“The way I look at it, they took it to us last year and now we get another chance,” Howell said of playing Mission Viejo. “I’m looking forward to playing them again and this time I’m looking forward to coming away with a ring.”

Hart will have its hands full with The Times’ top-ranked Southland team. Mission Viejo has won 41 consecutive games and two consecutive Division II titles.

Hart Coach Mike Herrington said his team might have been looking ahead during the first half Saturday when the Indians had two turnovers, failed to score twice on drives that penetrated the San Clemente 15 and came away tied, 7-7, at halftime.

“We’ve been pretty focused all season, but tonight we weren’t and it showed in the first half,” Herrington said. “We did not play very well, but we got the job done.”

Hart quarterback Sean Norton, who passed Kyle Matter as the school’s all-time leader in yards passing, struggled early and threw three interceptions. He finished with 20 completions in 29 attempts for 288 yards and a touchdown. Kevin Ciccone had 11 catches for 149 yards and a touchdown for the Indians.

San Clemente quarterback Cole Berquist completed 13 of 28 passes for 135 yards and a touchdown.

Triton receiver Steve Melton caught nine passes for 100 yards.

But the underrated Hart running game shined Saturday.

“I just get the ball and run,” Howell said. “I don’t worry about being underrated. As long as we’re getting the job done, then that’s all that concerns me.”

That, and Mission Viejo, of course.