Capistrano Valley’s Passing Game Fails in Loss

MISSION VIEJO — Capistrano Valley Coach Eric Patton said earlier in the week that he thought the Cougars could pass successfully against Redlands in the first round of the Division I playoffs.

Patton was right. Unfortunately for Capistrano Valley, what the gusting wind didn’t take care of, time did.

Capistrano Valley scored 10 points in the final quarter, but it wasn’t enough as visiting Redlands held off the Cougars for a 13-10 victory.

The game was played pretty much as anticipated with two tough defenses dictating the tempo. Both teams also had strong rushing attacks with Redlands effectively running the Wing-T and Capistrano Valley relying on Dan Geiss, who had rushed for 1,209 yards entering the game.

But Patton had hoped his passing game would be the difference. And it nearly was.

Cougar quarterback Sam Gaines, 0-2 in the first half, was 10 of 15 for 109 yards and a touchdown in the second. Gaines put Capistrano Valley (6-4-1) back into the game when he completed six of seven passes in an eight-play, 73-yard scoring drive. Gaines hit Greg Payne on a 20-yard scoring pass with 3:23 remaining. and Jeff Cellini’s extra point cut Redlands’ lead to 13-10.

Capistrano Valley stopped Redlands (8-3) on three plays and took over at its 47 with 2:05 remaining.

After two incomplete passes, Gaines hit Geiss for 11 yards and Payne for eight to give the Cougars a second and two from the 34. But a blitzing Roberto Betancourt sacked Gaines for a 13-yard loss on the next play. And with 58 seconds remaining, Redlands’ Matt Branstetter intercepted Gaines’ pass, and the Terriers ran out the clock.

“The wind was a big factor in our thinking,” Patton said.