Higashi Ignites Mission Viejo Rout

Jim Higashi rushed for 114 yards in 16 carries and scored 3 touchdowns to lead Mission Viejo High School to a 41-0 victory over University Thursday at Mission Viejo.

Mission Viejo’s Erik Ekdahl kicked a school-record 49-yard field goal in the first half.

Higashi, a senior who didn’t play football last year, gained 95 yards in 13 carries and scored 2 touchdowns in the first half to help the Diablos (2-0) build a 27-0 lead. University dropped to 0-2.

He also caught three total passes for 44 yards, including a 20-yard fourth-quarter scoring pass from Troy Kopp.

“He’s been a pleasant surprise for us,” said Mike Rush, Mission Viejo coach. “He has a heart as big as a 280-pounder, and his feet never stop moving when he has the ball.”

Higashi gained 54 yards in his first 5 carries as the Diablos took the opening kickoff, drove 71 yards in 7 plays and took a 7-0 lead on Higashi’s 11-yard run four minutes into the game.

Three minutes later, Mission Viejo cornerback Stoney Corbin took a punt from University’s David Jacobson and returned it 47 yards for a touchdown to make it 14-0.

Ekdahl kicked a 32-yard field goal, the first of two in the second quarter, four minutes into the period. The kick ended a six-play drive that included three Higashi runs for a total of 21 yards and a 11-yard pass from Kopp to Damon Williams.

Five minutes later, Higashi scored his second touchdown from the 9. It capped a 53-yard, 8-play drive that included four passes by Kopp for 39 yards.

Ekdahl completed the Diablos’ first-half scoring with eight seconds left in the half with the school-record kick. It came seven plays after Diablo linebacker Jeff Clark intercepted a pass by Junior Oliver at the Mission Viejo 15 and returned it 13 yards.

Ekdahl had kicked a 47-yarder last year against Hart and shared the record with Don Roberson (1984 against Fountain Valley).