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YORBA LINDA — Mission Viejo’s football team won an important Alpha League game Thursday. Yorba Linda won respect after a controversial nine days.
Mission Viejo’s Jack Junker broke a tie in the fourth quarter with a 73-yard touchdown run with 8:29 left and the Diablos stopped a 2-point conversion attempt with 1:31 remaining to hold on for a 27-26 victory at Yorba Linda High.
Players from Mission Viejo (6-1, 2-0), ranked No. 4 in Orange County, were quick to acknowledge the effort by the No. 14 Mustangs (0-7, 0-2).
Yorba Linda forfeited four wins last week for CIF-SS rule violations. Two days later, the Mustangs suffered their first shutout since 2015 in a 28-0 loss against No. 6 San Clemente.
Yorba Linda shifted the narrative onto the field Thursday.
“The Yorba Linda coaching staff did a phenomenal job. Hats off to them,” Mission Viejo coach Chad Johnson said. “I thought the offensive lines on both sides were dominating. On to San Clemente.”
Mission Viejo plays at San Clemente (6-0, 1-0) next week on Friday, Oct. 16.
“We’re just got to buckle down as a team and go watch the film,” said Junker, who scored on a 77-yard TD run in the first quarter. “Our whole offensive line had our backs this game.”
Yorba Linda’s Isaiah Trujillo scored on a 5-yard touchdown run with 1:31 left in the fourth quarter to cut Mission Viejo’s lead 27-26. The Mustangs quickly signaled their intention to attempt the 2-point conversion to take the lead but the Diablos stuffed a run up the middle.
Yorba Linda sophomore Connor Mackay make a spectacular diving catch for a 42-yard gain to the Diablos 5 to set up Trujillo’s third touchdown run. Sophomore Andrew Churney lofted the pass.
“The power of family is a very big deal to us,” first-year Yorba Linda coach John Domen said. “We were going for (the win) no matter what.”
“The kids fought all game,” he added. “The message was don’t listen to external factors. Focus at practice.”
Both team ran the ball well.
Junker, a San Jose State commit, rushed for a season-high 187 yards on 11 carries.
The senior moved to primarily running back this fall after earning All-County honors at wide receiver in 2025.
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He carried the load Thursday in the absence of leading rusher Carson Vandermade. Johnson said Vandermade, another converted running back, would return for the Tritons.
Junker praised left tackle Amaziah Siale and left guard Dylan Felli for clearing him a path on his long scoring runs on zone read plays.
Yorba Linda’s duo of Aiden Gutierrez and Trujillo racked up the yards. Gutierrez rushed for 113 yards and one TD on 22 carries. Trujillo added 82 yards and three scores on 15 carries.
Special teams and extra-points loomed significant.
Mission Viejo’s Kiingbaraka Kizzee blocked an extra-point in the first half.
Caleb Sylvia kicked two field goals, including a 40-yarder early in the second half that opened a 20-12 lead.
After Trujillo scored on a 6-yard touchdown run on fourth-and-1 early in the fourth quarter, offensive lineman Colt Pace jumped on a fumble on the 2-point conversion to tie the score 20-20.
Junker scored on the next play from scrimmage but Yorba Linda kept charging.
“We fought our hearts out against one of the best teams in California,” said Pace, a sophomore. “Continue doing this, we’ll be set.”
Mission Viejo led 17-12 at halftime thanks to a 24-yard field goal by Sylvia on the final play.
The Diablos needed the late kick to cool off Yorba Linda.
Trujillo scored on a 3-yard touchdown run with 1:01 left in second quarter as the Mustangs trimmed Mission Viejo’s lead to 14-12.
The 2-point conversion failed.
Trujillo’s run capped a 50-yard scoring drive after the Mustangs’ defense forced its first punt.
Yorba Linda’s best drive of the first half came earlier in the second quarter. Gutierrez scored on a 7-yard run to punctuate an eight-play, 80-yard scoring march.
The Mustangs ran the ball with Gutierrez and Trujillo on all eight plays.
Mission Viejo blocked the extra-point after the scoring run by Gutierrez.
The Diablos achieved the fast start Johnson wanted.
Junker broke a 77-yard TD run on the second series. Sophomore QB Brett Burnor added a 35-yard touchdown run on a draw play late in the first period for a 14-0 lead.
Next week on Thursday, Oct. 15, Yorba Linda plays host to San Juan Hills (5-1, 1-0) on its Senior Night.
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