Football: What's not to like in a 35-point victory? Plenty

Bob Johnson wasn't about to proclaim his top-ranked Mission Viejo Diablos the finest team he's ever coached, even after they rolled to a 42-7 victory over Los Angeles Loyola at L.A. Valley College on Friday night.

The Diablos committed three turnovers and had plenty of silly penalties during a game that could have been considerably more lopsided.

"I like that score and I like the outcome and all that, but we've got a long way to go," Johnson said. "We're very young offensively. We made a lot of mistakes, lots of penalties, and I'm not just trying to be a coach about it. It's true.

"On the other side, I really like this team. I didn't like them in the first half too much [when the Diablos committed a pair of turnovers and led only 14-0 at halftime], but I really like them. I like their character, I like practice every day.

"For some reason I like this team a lot and I've had lots of teams. I don't compare any of them, but I like this team. But we've got a long way to go. Each week I hope we get better and better, and I think we will."

Two quarterbacks clearly are better than one for the Diablos, who rode the arm of Alex Bridgford and the legs of Tre Madden to a second consecutive blowout victory. Bridgford completed 11 of 17 passes for 260 yards and three touchdowns and Madden ran for 90 yards and a touchdown in only five carries.

"We have two of them," Johnson said of his quarterbacks, "and I like them both."

--Ben Bolch