El Toro’s Offense Strikes Again : Chargers Reach 4-0 by Rolling Over Tustin, 44-25

El Toro High School’s football team continues to move ahead with great speed, rolling over all comers with apparent ease.

Tustin, the latest victims of El Toro’s offensive showcase, fell by the wayside, 44-25, Friday as the Chargers (4-0) won handily for the third time in four games this season.

It was similar to El Toro’s 42-13 victory over Torrey Pines last week and a 49-2 victory over El Dorado in the season opener.

Only Fountain Valley, which was beaten, 27-19, has stayed with El Toro this season.

Friday, a crowd of 4,500 at Tustin watched El Toro gain 315 yards passing and 122 rushing. The Chargers were forced to punt just twice and did not have a turnover.

Tustin tried desperately to keep pace, but, in the end, the Tillers were no match for the Chargers.

Steve Stenstrom, a senior quarterback, led the onslaught by completing 13 of 20 passes for 276 yards and three touchdowns. He also ran for a fourth score. Rob Johnson, a junior, was his favorite target, catching seven passes for 131 yards and two touchdowns.

Johnson, who also is Stenstrom’s backup, completed three of four passes for 39 yards and a fourth-quarter touchdown.

Though he carried just 12 times, Jerome Oakman, a senior tailback, gained 91 yards to add another dimension to the Chargers’ offense.

“I felt good about things tonight,” said Bob Johnson, El Toro coach. “I’m looking forward to (South Coast) league play. We’re coming along, I think.”

Indeed. The Chargers’ offense is certainly going places. They scored touchdowns on their first four possessions and left a fired-up Tustin players wondering what hit them.

Stenstrom threw to Johnson for a 40-yard scoring pass on the Chargers’ first series. Tustin countered with a 31-yard field goal by David Basurto.

Stenstrom found Johnson again, this time for nine yards and a touchdown. Stenstrom sneaked over from the one for a score, and threw four yards to Bo Haley for another.

Suddenly, El Toro had a 27-3 lead with 5:37 left in the half and Tustin was down and out.

It was, 30-10, by halftime and, though Tustin never gave up, it was too far behind to pose a threat.

Ron Goods, a junior running back, provided most of the Tiller highlights, rushing for 96 yards in nine carries. His 47-yard touchdown run in the first half brought the Tustin fans to their feet.

But the big plays were too few in number for the Tillers, who were outgained, 437-255.