Tellez Carries Mustangs to Victory

Sophomore Dan Tellez rushed for 162 yards in 28 carries and scored the game-winning touchdown midway through the fourth quarter to give Trabuco Hills a 17-14 victory over Aliso Niguel in a nonleague football game Friday night at Trabuco Hills High.

Tellez, in his second start of the season, accounted for 48 of the 68 yards in Trabuco Hills’ final drive, capping it with a 15-yard run with 4 minutes 22 seconds left to play.

Mustang quarterback John Baggerley passed for 84 yards and also gained 50 on the ground for Trabuco Hills (2-2).

Aliso Niguel (2-2) got back in the game when defensive back Jeremiah Williams recovered a Trabuco Hills fumble in the end zone for a touchback. On the next play, quarterback Joel Smith hit running back Chris Bernard on an 80-yard pass play to pull the Wolverines within three at 10-7 with 4:06 left in the third quarter.

Following Tellez’s touchdown, Smith hooked up with Bernard again on a 68-yard pass play with 2:33 left in the game to make the score 17-14.

On the ensuing onside kick, Baggerley recovered at the 40-yard line and Trabuco Hills ran out the clock.

The Mustangs held Aliso Niguel’s running attack to only 15 net yards. Running back Iman Nikzed, who came into the game with 353 yards this season, gained 34.

Trabuco Hills’ other scoring plays came on a two-yard run in the first quarter by Eric Rapley and a 24-yard field goal by Jay Arntson with 33 seconds left in the half.