SOUTH COAST LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Fight Mars Victory by Capistrano Valley

Capistrano Valley High School defeated Mission Viejo, 77-63, in a South Coast League boys’ basketball game Friday night that included a fourth-quarter brawl between fans and players from both teams.

The Cougars, ranked fourth in Orange County, were leading, 67-53, with 3:49 left when a scuffle broke out underneath the Mission Viejo basket between Capistrano Valley’s Scott McCorkle and Mission Viejo’s Eric Cramer, the teams’ leading scorers.

The players began shoving each other while battling for a loose ball and Brett McCorkle, Scott’s brother, joined the fray. Fans ran out of the bleachers and joined in several fights that started on the court at the Mission Viejo gym.

Scott McCorkle said the brawl started when Cramer hit him in the face going for the ball.

“At first he was going for the ball and then he was going for my face,� Scott McCorkle said. “I was poked in the eye against Irvine (earlier this season), so I’m kind of touchy about that.�

Cramer said the foul was not intentional.

“It was just a scuffle,� said Cramer, who had ice on a swollen left eye after the game. “We were just playing hard.�

Officials stopped play for five minutes and at least two fans were ejected. Cramer, who had 20 points, was called for an intentional foul and a technical foul and was ejected. Brett McCorkle also was ejected and called for a flagrant foul.

When play resumed, Scott McCorkle, who finished with a game-high 25 points, made three of four free throws that Capistrano Valley was awarded.

Mission Viejo’s Greg Amaya then made one of two free throws to cut the deficit to 70-54.

Mission Viejo Coach Bob Minier said he wasn’t sure who to blame for the brawl.

“It’s not (Capistrano Valley’s) fault any more than the fact that (Scott) McCorkle is a hot dog,� Minier said. “My kid (Cramer) started it when they were scrambling for the ball, but (McCorkle) should have backed off.

“If the referees would have had better control, this might not have happened.�

Capistrano Valley Coach Mark Thornton said the fans should have stayed in the stands.

“It’s a rivalry and we haven’t had any problems the last two or three years,� Thornton said. “The fans coming out on the court caused the problem. Otherwise we would have had this broken up in 20 seconds.

“Everyone did a good job--the coaches, the officials and both principals. Everyone did a good job but the fans. The parents and student body have to stay in the stands and let the officials and coaches take control.�

Capistrano Valley also was involved in a brawl in an 87-53 victory over San Clemente on Wednesday night.

“We’re getting a bad-boy image that we don’t deserve,� Scott McCorkle said. “Teams are out to get us. I think this was frustration.�

Scott McCorkle caused plenty of frustration for Mission Viejo. Capistrano Valley was clinging to a 44-41 lead with 3:35 left in the third quarter when McCorkle hit three consecutive three-pointers to spark a 12-6 run. Chris Kostoff added 21 points for the Cougars.

Capistrano Valley (15-7) won its fifth consecutive game and took sole possession of first place in the league at 6-1. Mission Viejo, ranked third in Orange County, dropped to 15-6 and 5-2.