El Toro Easily Defeats Yorba Linda, 58-20, to Advance to Semifinals

El Toro’s football team dominated the 1980s, crested in the 1990s and then fell into disarray to start the 2000s. But the second decade of the new century looks like happy days are here again for the Chargers.

The Sea View League champions advanced to a CIF Southern Section semifinal game for the first time in 17 years after another convincing victory, this time over a shell-shocked Yorba Linda, 58-20, on Friday night in the quarterfinals of the Southwest Division playoffs at Trabuco Hills High.

The Chargers (11-1), winners of 11 in a row, have scored 109 points in two playoff games. They will travel to North Orange County on Friday to face second-seeded La Habra (9-3). The division's defending champions scored a 28-21 victory over Brea Olinda in another quarterfinal.

“I’m just happy for our kids, this school, and the community," Chargers third-year coach Rob Firth said. "I’m happy for my coaching staff. You put a lot of work into this. To get to the semifinals and play La Habra, it’s all we could ask for. They are a giant in this division.”

El Toro played well in all phases of the game against the Mustangs (10-2), who finished second in the Century League this season.

Offensively, the Chargers were unrelenting. Three times they came back to score after a Yorba Linda touchdown, each time within minutes -- 3:30, 1:10 and 1:26.

With their no-huddle attack, the Chargers surpassed their season average of 41 points per game by 17. They scored in every quarter, including on four straight possessions in the second half, led by junior running back Jacob Furnari, who scored three touchdowns and made an interception to thwart a Mustangs’ first-half drive.

Junior quarterback Conner Manning, who led Orange County in nearly every passing category coming into the game, continued his hot hand in the playoffs. He connected on his first nine passes and finished 25 of 31 for 285 yards (his season average) and four touchdowns with no interceptions.

Manning, who has completed 79 percent of his passes in his last two games, threw touchdown passes of two and 20 yards to Cody White (eight catches, 98 yards), and 13-yard scoring passes to Alec Shoffeitt (eight catches, 80 yards) and Blake Murphy.

“We had a great season, but in CIF we are playing even better,” Manning said. “We are moving the ball and not turning the ball over. We have so much confidence now.”

Defensively, the Chargers were unbreakable. They surrendered 287 yards in the first half (72 on the first four plays of the game) and allowed 20 points over the first 20 minutes to lead by only seven at halftime. But in the second half, El Toro turned up the heat and held the Mustangs to only 80 yards total offense and no points.

Mustangs quarterback Alex Bernstein was nine of 18 for 110 yards and rushed nine times for 40 yards; however, he was only one of three for three yards in the second half.

Yorba Linda turned the ball over twice on fumbles on its first five snaps of the second half to turn a close game into another rout by the Chargers, who have scored in the 40s five times, in the 50s twice and in the 60s twice this season while shutting out another opponent over an entire half.

“In the second half, our defense stepped up big time,” Manning said.

And on special teams, the Chargers were dynamic. Furnari took the opening kickoff, fumbled the ball at the 13, picked it up at the 18, and then ran past defenders for the touchdown and a quick 7-0 lead. Then, in the third quarter, Evan Acker returned a punt 50 yards down the sidelines for a touchdown to give the Chargers a 41-20 lead.

Furnari accounted for nearly 150 return yards and El Toro had more than 270 return yards for the game. Kicker Roger Howard made seven of eight extra points and booted a 38-yard field goal with 4:27 left in the game.

While the Chargers’ players were clicking on all cylinders, Firth was quick to give credit to his coaching staff for the victory.

“I’ve got guys who work their tails off seven days a week. We don’t take any days off,” Firth said. “My hat’s off to my coaching staff for getting these guys prepared to play the way they did on offense, defense and special teams. I am so blessed to have the coaching staff that I have.

“We’re going to enjoy this one for 24 hours and get back to work to put together a game plan for next week.”

Don’t be fooled. You can bet that, an hour after the game, Firth and his coaches were breaking down film and beginning to strategize over the biggest game for El Toro in nearly two decades.


GAME STATISTICS

                          1        2     3        4   --   T

Yorba Linda        14       6      0       0   --   20

El Toro               20       7    21    10    --   58


                                 YL           ET

First Downs                11          16
Rushing Yards           217          62
Passing Yards            150        285
Total Net Yards          367        347
Turnovers                     2            1
Penalties-Yards         6-82       5-65


SCORING

1st Quarter

ET – Furnari 82 kickoff return (Howard kick), 11:44
YL – Bernstein 36 pass to Roberts (Barr kick) 10:36
ET – Furnari 1 run (Howard kick), 7:03
YL – Bernstein 9 pass to Dawson (Barr kick), 2:57
ET – Manning 4 pass to White (kick failed), 1:40                                                                                                                   

2nd Quarter

YL – Bernstein 4 run (kick failed), 4:30
ET – Manning 13 pass to Shoffeitt (Howard kick), 3:04

3rd Quarter

ET – Furnari 1 run (Howard kick), 6:33
ET – Acker 50 punt return (Howard kick), 5:36
ET – Manning 13 pass to Murphy (Howard kick), 2:17                                                                                                                                  

4th Quarter

ET – Manning 20 pass to White (Howard kick), 10:32
ET – FG 38 Howard, 4:27