Trabuco Hills 17 - Eagles 12
Hocking's 99-yard kickoff return helps the Mustangs beat Santa Margarita, 17-12, in a battle of Top 10 teams.
MISSION VIEJO, CA., September 8, 1994 – Trabuco Hills doesn't practice special-teams play much.
But given the opponent this week was Santa Margarita, noted for its strong special teams, Trabuco Hills coach Jim Barnett figured a bit more work on special teams was in order in getting ready for the opening game of the season.
Barnett's instincts were accurate. Trabuco Hills' Keith Hocking returned the opening kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown, giving the Mustangs an early lead they did not relinquish in a 17-12 victory over Santa Margarita at Trabuco Hills on Thursday night, the opening night of the high school football season.
Hocking's return, which tied a CIF Southern Section and Orange County record held by several players, was the biggest play in a game dominated by turnovers, penalties and defense.
Santa Margarita, fourth in Orange County in the Register's preseason rankings, trailed 17-0 early in the second quarter but got close when Matt Nickels returned an interception 71 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter to make it 17-12.
Trabuco Hills, fifth in the county in the Register's preseason rankings and last year's CIF Southern Section Division VIII champion, shut down Santa Margarita on three fourth-quarter possessions. The Eagles' final drive got them to the Mustangs 24, but ended when Hocking made a leaping interception at Trabuco Hills' 10-yard line with 11 seconds remaining.
Santa Margarita, playing without starting junior quarterback Chris Collins (dislocated knee), was held to 52 yards rushing on 27 carries and 49 yards passing.
"Our plan was to cut off their veer offense," said Trabuco Hills senior defensive lineman Zane Champion, who had 2 1/2 sacks. "We've got some quick guys on our defense."
Trabuco Hills' offense was slowed by the loss this week of Chris Congo, whom Barnett had tabbed as the Mustangs' top receiver but suffered a torn knee ligament in practice Tuesday. Senior quarterback J.C. Pintsak completed 10 of 16 passes for 119 yards and a touchdown.
| Trabuco Hills | 14 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 17 |
| Santa Margarita | 0 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 12 |
TH – Hocking 99 kickoff return (Junge kick)
TH – Fobbs 26 pass from Pintsak (Jungo kick)
TH – Junge 30 FG
SM – Nickels 11 pass from Garrigan (kick failed)
SM – Nickels 71 interception return (pass failed)
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
Rushing: SM - Garrigan 18-31, Aylor 2-17; TH - Runnels 3-22, Johnson 6-29
Passing: SM - Garrigan 5-15-1-49, Thompson 1-3-0-1; TH - Pintsak 10-16-0-118, Collins 1-4-1-4
Receiving: SM - Nickels 3-35, Clark 1-10; TH - Collins 3-38, Anderson 3-29
By Steve Fryer
Friday, September 9, 1994
The Orange County Register - D1
Reluctant Hocking Leads Trabuco Hills to Victory
MISSION VIEJO, CA., September 8, 1994 – Keith Hocking was done with football after last season. Nothing was going to force him back into a Trabuco Hills uniform.
He’d had quite enough.
Yet there he was Thursday night. Instead of walking, he was talking.
Hocking led the Mustangs to a 17-12 victory over Santa Margarita at Trabuco Hills. He began the game with a 99-yard kickoff return and finished it with a leaping interception at the 10-yard line to preserve the victory.
Not bad for a “quitter.”
“I was really frustrated last season,” said Hocking, a senior defensive back. “It wasn’t fun.”
Never mind that the Mustangs were blessed with Geoff Beckham and Matt Rechner, two top-flight defensive backs. Hocking wasn’t playing and it was too painful to sit.
“I wasn’t coming back,” Hocking said. “But something changed my mind. I guess it was my drive.”
Whatever the reason, the Mustangs (1-0) were glad to have him Thursday.
Hocking fielded the opening kickoff on a bounce. He cut through a hole on the right and out-ran Santa Margarita’s Steve Gribben to the end zone.
But it was his finale that proved to be more important.
The Santa Margarita offense, which had died under emergency quarterback Brian Garrigan, wheezed to the Mustang 24 with 22 seconds left. But Garrigan’s pass to Brian Griffin was snagged by Hocking, who stepped out of bounds.
Then, he got greedy.
“I was gone on that play too,” Hocking said. “I didn’t step out of bounds. I guess the refs felt sorry for them.”
It was easy to pity the Eagle offense. Quarterback Chris Collins injured a knee two weeks ago, leaving sophomore Mike Thompson in charge. He didn’t last long Thursday.
The offense was turned over to Garrigan, a running back, who finished five of 13 for 48 yards. He did throw a 10-yard touchdown pass to Matt Nickels, but it was a drive that was aided by two 15-yard penalties.
Things were going so bad for the Eagles (0-1) that Ryan Korinke missed the extra point. He was 43 of 43 last season.
Nickels had a 71-yard interception return for the Eagles’ other score. But most of the night Garrigan was buried under defensive lineman Zane Champion and linebacker Jeremy Taylor.
Hocking did the rest.
By Chris Foster
Friday, September 9, 1994
The Los Angeles Times
