For Openers, Mission Viejo Handles Bakersfield Centennial, 35-6

Mission Viejo football fans showed up in full force and they weren’t disappointed Friday night as the Diablos scored a 36-6 victory over Bakersfield Centennial.

It was the marquee game of the first day of the inaugural Mission Viejo Classic, and for the local fans, it didn’t let them down.

It was the season-opener for both teams.  

Mission Viejo never trailed, and when the game was close — Centennial scored a long touchdown but missed the point-after to trail, 7-6 — the Diablos answered quickly.

Alex Bridgford connected for a 58-yard touchdown pass to Austin Reuland for a 14-6 lead with 4:38 left in the first half. The long score came just 2:03 after Centennial had scored on a 57-yard scoring pass from Joe Bresson to Thomas Grimes.

Mission Viejo wasn’t finished in the first half. The Diablos added another score with 1:48 left on a seven-yard pass from Bridgford to Reuland.

It was the third of four touchdown passes by Bridgford, who completed 10 of 21 passes for 260 yards with one interception. He also threw scoring passes of 15 yards to Jahleel Pinner and 26 yards to Max Redfield.

Pinner ran 13 times for 257 yards, including a six-yard score with 6:31 left in the third quarter. Buzzy Yokoyama, in his debut with Mission after transferring from Newport Harbor in July, carried five times for 35 yards but went to the hospital with a possible foot or ankle injury.

Next Saturday, Sept. 10, Mission Viejo travels to Ramsey, N.J. to play the No. 1 team in the country, Don Bosco Prep. The game will be broadcast live by Cox3 beginning at 4 p.m.