Mission Viejo Shows It Stands Alone

Ed Orgeron, USC’s football recruiting coordinator, seemed mesmerized Friday night watching the talent on display as Mission Viejo, ranked No. 1 in the state, took on No. 2 Long Beach Poly.

“This is a recruiter’s dream to be out here,” he said.

The recruiters from UCLA, Oregon and Arizona who joined him wouldn’t have disagreed. There were future Pacific 10 and Big Ten players, and no one was better than Mission Viejo’s Chane Moline, who’s still a year away from making a college decision.

At 6 feet 1 and 230 pounds, Moline is big enough to play fullback and fast enough to be a tailback. Last year as a sophomore, he ran 88 yards for a touchdown against Poly, something no running back is supposed to do against a defensive team that prides itself on being one of the fastest in Southern California.

Demonstrating that his 2003 effort was no fluke, Moline broke off a 57-yard run Friday, had 200 yards rushing in 20 carries and scored two touchdowns in Mission Viejo’s 41-14 victory over the Jackrabbits.

Poly Coach Raul Lara needs no reminder of what Moline is capable of doing.

“His whole high school career, there’s always a big play from Moline,” Lara said. “He’s unbelievable.”

On his 57-yard run, Moline straight-armed a Poly defender five yards past the line of scrimmage, then wasn’t brought down until cornerback Vincent Joseph caught him on the Poly seven-yard line. Later, on a 38-yard run in the fourth quarter, he dragged at least five defenders to the Poly two-yard line.

How’s this for convincing college recruiters of your ability: Against three of the best Division I teams in Southern California this season, Moline has rushed for 276 yards against Los Alamitos, 135 yards against Santa Ana Mater Dei and 200 yards against Poly.

Mission Viejo (4-0) could be a contender for a No. 1 national ranking in part because the Diablos’ defensive line knows how to manhandle opponents. In shutting out the Jackrabbits in the first half, Mission Viejo recorded seven tackles for losses, led by Oregon-bound defensive end Nick Reed, who had two of his team’s three sacks.

“This is the best defensive line we’ve seen in a long time,” Lara said.

The game, televised by FSN West and played in front of 7,000 at Long Beach Cabrillo, was made possible because Lara and Mission Viejo Coach Bob Johnson are not afraid to play nonleague games against top teams

Too many coaches worry more about their won-loss records than allowing their teams to test themselves against quality opponents, so give Lara and Johnson credit for taking the risk of defeat in scheduling the game.

Of course, neither school ever expects to lose, and when it happens, there’s huge disappointment.

Poly, a Division I finalist six of the last seven years, could never run the ball effectively, making it difficult for quarterback Theo Scott to move the ball exclusively through the air despite the presence of All-American receiver DeSean Jackson, who caught touchdown passes of 24 and eight yards.

USC offensive coordinator Norm Chow was at the game to watch future Trojan quarterback Mark Sanchez, who threw two touchdown passes in the second half and demonstrated excellent scrambling skills for the Diablos.

Another player who might have caught Chow’s attention was junior tight end Konrad Reuland, 6-6 and 233 pounds. He caught an eight-yard touchdown pass and continues to develop into a top prospect.

There were plenty of college prospects making their case Friday, but Mission Viejo clearly demonstrated that it’s the team to beat in Southern California and maybe the nation this season.

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Final Say

Long Beach Poly and Mission Viejo each lost in a section final last season. Here’s a look at their history in championship games:

LONG BEACH POLY

*--* Year Opponent Result 2003 Loyola L 21-17 2001 Edison W 42-28 2000 Loyola W 16-13 1999 Mater Dei T 21-21 1998 Mater Dei L 33-26 1997 Mater Dei W 28-25 1985 Edison T 14-14 1982 Servite L 31-7 1981 Santa Monica L 21-8 1980 Santa Barbara W 35-7 1959 Hawthorne W 42-20 1958 Santa Monica W 31-19 1936 Glendale W 21-0 1934 Chaffey W 14-0 1930 Redondo W 20-3 1929 Santa Barbara W 14-6 1923 Glendale W 15-8 1919 Fullerton W 47-0

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MISSION VIEJO

*--* Year Opponent Result 2003 Hart L 25-7 2002 Hart W 10-6 2001 Chino W 18-9 1985 Santa Ana L 31-21 1981 Los Amigos W 35-0 1978 El Dorado W 21-6

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