Barnes Comes Through for Trabuco Hills

MISSION VIEJO —  Imagine what Pat Barnes might have done if one of his fingers wasn’t broken and the wind wasn’t whipping.

As it was, the Trabuco Hills quarterback completed 12 of 23 passes for 236 yards and a touchdown Friday night to lead the Mustangs to a 21-0 victory over visiting Riverside Notre Dame in the first round of the Division VIII playoffs.

Trabuco Hills (10-1) plays La Mirada (7-4) in the second round next week.

Because of the weather and the injury to Barnes’ non-throwing hand, Trabuco Hills Coach Jim Barnett had devised a game plan that called for less passing and more running. But when running back Serge Gudowski pulled a hamstring in pregame warm-ups, the pass was put back in the game plan.

Also back, was the Mustangs’ punishing defense, which stuffed Notre Dame’s wishbone offense and held the Titons to 114 total yards.

Said Barnes: “They were our spark plug, our life.”

Rechner, who played defensive back and receiver, put Trabuco Hills on top, 7-0, in the second quarter when he caught a 35-yard touchdown pass from Barnes.

Notre Dame (6-5) threatened to tie the score midway through the third quarter, driving to first and goal on the Mustangs’ eight-yard line.

But the Titons’ next three plays sent them two yards in the wrong direction, and Rechner broke up a pass in the end zone on fourth and goal from the 10.

Rechner gave the Mustangs a cushion with 8:58 to play when he took a halfback option pass from Jake Galasso and went 68 yards for a touchdown.