Viejo

Mission Viejo coach Chad Johnson was surrounded by his players late Friday night after an exhilarating 7-3 victory over Santa Margarita at Trabuco Hills.

“Phenomenal job,” he shouted to his team’s defensive players.

In an opening game that resembled a Southern Section Division 1 playoff game with all the talent, intensity and coaching excellence on display, Mission Viejo placed its trust in perhaps the best quarterback in Southern California, Ohio State commit Luke Fahey, who delivered a 33-yard touchdown pass to Jack Junker late in the third quarter to wipe away a 3-0 deficit.

The Eagles, in the coaching debut of Carson Palmer, could never recover. Junker used to play at Santa Margarita. The touchdown pass came after Mission Viejo punter Isaiah Murgia booted a 54-yard punt that left Santa Margarita on its four-yard line. Then came a short punt giving Mission Viejo the ball at the 33.

As he had been doing all night against Santa Margarita’s big, aggressive defensive line, Fahey rolled out and found Junker open in the end zone.

“It was a deep shot to the corner. See if we could make a play,” Junker said.

Luke Fahey celebrates with his Mission Viejo teammates after 7-3 win over Santa Margarita.

(Craig Weston)

Fahey was making plays, dodging and maneuvering, all night. He completed 16 of 22 passes for 188 yards. He suffered only one sack, which was tribute to his instincts and mobility.

“They had a really good game plan,” Fahey said. “That was a great defensive line, and we had to battle through adversity. It shows what kind of team we have.”

Mission Viejo clinched the win when Santa Margarita could not complete a pass on fourth down from the eight-yard line with 26 seconds left.

The Diablos kept coming up with defensive contributors, from lineman JD Hill to defensive backs Jordan Hicks and Jeron Jones. Their focus was making sure Santa Margarita’s gifted Trent Mosley didn’t break loose for any long touchdowns. It happened once for 67 yards when Mosley showed a memorable burst of speed in the first half, but the play was nullified by a penalty.

There was no scoring until the final play of the second quarter when Santa Margarita’s Tyler Wiegand made a 23-yard field goal. It was two good defenses shutting down offenses with enough pressure on the quarterbacks and fundamental tackling.

The Santa Margarita defensive line made up of transfer students Simote Katoanga, Manoah Faupusa and Isaia Vandermade rose up to stop Mission Viejo twice on goal-line situations from the one-yard line.

The two quarterbacks were doing their best to avoid mistakes. Trace Johnson was 13-of-16 passing in the first half for 138 yards and finished with 208 yards. Fahey, under constant pressure, was nine-of-12 passing for 106 yards in the first half.

It was a night in which teams in the powerful Trinity League showed a chink in their armor. Besides the Eagles losing, JSerra suffered a 35-0 loss to Sierra Canyon with a running clock. Servite was beaten by Corona Centennial 42-14. St. John Bosco went to Bradenton, Fla., and came away with a 31-0 win over Manatee in a game halted at halftime because of lightning. Orange Lutheran and Mater Dei play Saturday in Florida.

In his return to boxing after four years without a fight, Manny Pacquiao says he has more “passion and determination” than ever.

The 46-year-old Filipino star says his disciplined training regimen will help him shine in the ring Saturday and defeat World Boxing Council (WBC) welterweight champion Mario Barrios — a fighter 16 years Pacquiao’s junior — in the main event at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas (5 p.m. PDT, Prime Video).

The 30-year-old champion Barrios is known for his effective counter-punching and is in the prime of his career. But the most important opponent for “Pacman” will be weathering Father Time. The last time Pacquiao was in a competitive fight was when he lost in late 2021 by unanimous decision to Cuba’s Yordenis Ugas, throwing a lot of punches, but connecting on few.

“It’s my passion, and the fire in my heart, in my mind is still there,” Pacquiao (62-8-2, 39 KOs) said in an interview with The Times at the Wild Card Gym in Hollywood. “I can still work hard in training and I can still fight.”

Manny Pacquiao, center, and WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios pose at a news conference in Los Angeles on June 3.

(Greg Beacham / Associated Press)

If he wins, Pacquiao would make history in many categories: he would become the second oldest champion in boxing history, after Bernard Hopkins became the oldest world champion at 46 years and 126 days by beating Jean Pascal in 2011. He would also be the oldest oldest champion in a division below light heavyweight and the only active champion to be part of the Boxing Hall of Fame.

Pacquiao noted that one of his goals in his return to boxing is to become the oldest fighter in boxing alongside trainer Freddie Roach, extending an illustrious career in which he has won titles in eight different divisions. The Filipino is the only boxer to conquer and retain titles during each of the past four decades.

“He’s having very good combinations, his power is still there,” said Roach, who first met Pacquiao in 2001.

“My goal is to be the oldest champion and retire as champion,” said Pacquiao, who expects to participate in two or three more fights, including some exhibition bouts. Prior to this fight against Barrios, Pacquiao held two exhibition fights against South Korean DK Yoo in 2022 and kickboxer Rukiya Anpo in 2024.

Pacquiao said that despite going four years without fighting competitively, he maintained a strict training regimen for this contest.

“Sometimes my trainers ask me to stop,” Pacquiao acknowledged. “They don’t want me to overtrain. They want me to give my body time to rest, give me time to recover.”

Pacquiao received a lot of criticism for being a direct contender for a world title after such a long break and being given a shot at the world championship without any recent bouts.

“All I can say is, like, I’m different than fighters to prepare for a fight. When I prepare for a fight like this, I’m seriously 100% disciplined and I work hard,” Pacquiao noted.

Barrios, known as “El Azteca,” is not only 16 years younger than Pacquiao, he also has a seven-inch height advantage. The Mexican-American won his title by defeating Ugas by unanimous decision in 2023 after knocking him down twice. He defended his crown twice in 2024 by beating Fabian Maidana and recently had a draw with Abel Ramos on the same bill as the Jake Paul-Mike Tyson showdown in November.

WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios poses on the scale at a ceremonial weigh in on Friday in Las Vegas.

(John Locher / Associated Press)

“I’ve been working with the mindset that I’m facing a legend. At the end of the day, it’s another man trying to take my title. I respect what he’s done in the sport and the person he is, but come fight night, that respect won’t be there,” Barrios said at his camp in Las Vegas. “When they proposed the fight to me, I didn’t know whether to take it as disrespect or respect because he wanted me. But it doesn’t matter, I’m the champion for a reason and I’m going to show why I have the WBC belt.”

Also on the bill, Pacquiao’s eldest son, Emmanuel, 24, will be making his professional debut, despite having limited amateur experience. According to Pacquiao, Emmanuel’s arrival in professional boxing by sharing an evening with him is a “blessing from God.”

“My advice to him is to work hard, look at my training, the way I prepare, the way I punish myself, the way I focus on training,” Pacquiao said.

The Las Vegas card will also feature WBC super welterweight world champion Sebastian “The Towering Inferno” Fundora taking on Australian Tim Tszyu in a rematch of the 2024 bout won by Fundora. Former world champion Isaac Cruz will now square off against Omar Salcido Gamez in a 12-round super lightweight bout after Angel Fierro withdrew from the event on Friday due to health concerns. Also, former two-division world champion Brandon Figueroa will battle Joet Gonzalez in a 10-round featherweight showdown.

This article was first published in Spanish via L.A. Times en Español.

Luke Fahey looked right, then passed left. He looked left, then passed right. Defensive backs told to read a quarterback’s eyes might have trouble with Fahey, Mission Viejo High’s senior quarterback and Ohio State commit whose instincts, strong arm and decision-making are separating him from others in the class of 2026.

Then there’s something called character. For the last two years, he agreed to share playing time with Draiden Trudeau. Others might have bailed. Not Fahey.

“I feel God has a plan for everybody,” he said. “That was my journey. Of course, everyone wants to be a full-time starter, but that was a good thing for me. There was a lot of adversity during those two years. I learned so much from Drai, and he pushed me to be an even better quarterback and better leader.”

Anyone watching Fahey on Saturday at Edison’s Battle of the Beach seven-on-seven passing tournament were getting a glimpse of a 6-foot-1 quarterback in an obvious comfort zone calling his own plays and showing chemistry with a new group of receivers (returner Vance Spafford was missing because of illness). It’s no wonder that Ohio State and coach Ryan Day identified him as a recruiting priority.

“It was a big decision,” Fahey said. “For me, it was a no-brainer. It was a dream of mine to be at a place like that since I was a little kid. I told myself when I got the opportunity I’d take full advantage of it and maximize my opportunity. The coaches are amazing, the people there are even better. One thing that stood out they showed me a picture of their practice. I think 18 of 22 were in the NFL or got drafted. It speaks volumes to their program and my goal is to be a draft pick one day and make it to the NFL.”

Despite missing Spafford and star defensive back Jeron Jones, the Diablos went 7-0 and defeated Mission Hills in the final. The toughest game was a 26-25 win over Cathedral in the semifinals on a winning touchdown catch by Davonte Curtis. It’s been quite a summer for Mission Viejo, which also won its own passing tournament by beating Mater Dei in the final.

As the summer passing season nears conclusion and official football practice begins at the end of this month, Saturday’s Battle at the Beach is always a good opportunity to see teams and players making progress.

First-year Santa Margarita head coach Carson Palmer.

(Craig Weston)

Santa Margarita, under new coach Carson Palmer and new quarterback Trace Johnson, a transfer from Florida, will have lots of weapons this fall. The Eagles defeated Long Beach Millikan in the championship game of the Silver Division.

Brothers Trent and Grant Mosley will be key receivers for Santa Margarita.

(Craig Weston)

USC commit Trent Mosley, who didn’t play because of an injury, said of the new coaching staff, “It’s real good. I’m excited for the season.” His brother Grant, is an impressive sophomore receiver. The best opening game of the 11-man season will be Mission Viejo playing Santa Margarita on Aug. 22.

St. John Bosco junior safety Isala Wily-Ava is part of a secondary filled with talent.

(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)

St. John Bosco clearly is one of most talented teams in regard to skill-position players, sending in wave after wave of top defensive backs and receivers. The Braves were young at those positions last season, so all it’s going to take is strong line play to combine with the skill-position talent to make another run at Trinity League rival Mater Dei. After going 4-0 in the morning session, the Braves lost to Mission Hills in the quarterfinals.

Dylan Brown (left) celebrates an interception with quarterback Koa Smith-Mayall of JSerra.

(Craig Weston)

JSerra, which lost starting quarterback Ryan Hopkins to Mater Dei, has a capable replacement in junior Koa Smith-Mayall, who missed all of last season recovering from a knee injury. He’s only 5 feet 10 but has a powerful arm and considers himself a dual threat quarterback.

“I guess everyone outside of JSerra thought we’d be in trouble, but I knew I’d be ready,” he said.

Cathedral made it to the semifinals behind quarterback Jaden Jefferson, who will be aided by an improved offensive line this fall.

One of the most impressive quarterbacks was Troy Huhn of Mission Hills, a Penn State commit who got his team in the final with a win over Corona del Mar, which was a surprise team behind quarterback Brady Annett and receiver Dorsett Stecker.

Finally, let’s not end the summer without knowing the answer to the question: Why did Fahey stay for four years at Mission Viejo?

“It speaks to what my dad and mom have preached to me since I was a little kid,” he said. “That you can’t up and leave. Loyalty is one of the biggest things in my family. I’m going to stay true to those who stay true to me.”

Says Mission Viejo coach Chad Johnson of Fahey’s fortitude: “Amazing.”

In other tournaments on Saturday, Tustin defeated Bishop Amat in the final of the Clash in the Canyons tournament in Azusa. Mira Costa won the Culver City tournament. San Juan Hills won the Ocean View tournament over Downey. Quarterback Timmy Herr didn’t throw an interception in two games and relied on receivers Luke Frith, Ryan Matheson and Dean Kolasinski.

Mission Viejo High’s offense is Luke Fahey’s now — and it might be one that’s hard to stop if Saturday was a sneak peak of what’s to come.

A drive into Mission Viejo’s first pool game of the 30th edition of its seven-on-seven passing tournament, the senior quarterback wasn’t satisfied. Mission Viejo failed to score against Oceanside, a drop causing Fahey, wearing a relaxed-fit shirt and shorts, to yell toward his team.

“Offense, over here,” Fahey called out to his teammates as he hustled off to the sidelines.

The next five drives ended in the same way, the budding college football prospect — holding offers from Ohio State, Stanford and Indiana — dotting passes to his younger wide receivers on the regular, a trend that would continue throughout Saturday on Mission Viejo’s way to a 35-23 tournament final victory over Mater Dei.

Fahey is ready to take the next step. He split reps with Drai Trudeau two seasons in a row, and learned how to become a leader sitting behind Kadin Semonza as a freshman. Mission Viejo coach Chad Johnson said playcalling was up to Fahey, who picked up on his successes and helped his teammates through their mistakes.

“It’s his turn to take over,” Johnson said. “He’s the leader of our team. Every single break we have is led by him. He’s another coach on the field.”

Fahey pulled over a freshman teammate to the side midway through a game Saturday, helping explain to him the intricacies of routes so that he’d better understand what to do in a game. With standout wide receiver Vance Spafford unavailable, Johnson said, it was Fahey’s turn to teach.

After passing for 17 touchdowns and 1,638 yards as a junior, Fahey could be set for a big senior year for the Diablos.

“When we come out here, we want to be the best,” Fahey said. “We want to do everything right, 100%, no matter what it is, no matter who we play.”

Saturday, Fahey and Mission Viejo were the best — but he was not the only quarterback to showcase his skill in seven-on-seven action.

Mater Dei, with Dash Beierly out of the picture, primarily split the series between JSerra senior transfer Ryan Hopkins and junior Furian Inferrera (Beierly’s backup in 2024).

Hopkins, more of a prototypical pocket passer, seemed to have a strong connection with star tight end Mark Bowman — a passing display between the duo that was featured early in Mater Dei’s contests. Mater Dei coach Raul Lara said that Hopkins, a Wisconsin commit, and Inferrera, a Minnesota commit, are battling for the starting position.

“The two kids that are battling out for the first spot at quarterback, I just love their competitiveness,” Lara said. “They’re both buddies. It’s neat to see.”

Crean Lutheran quarterback Lucas Wong.

(Benjamin Royer / Los Angeles Times)

Among younger quarterbacks, Crean Lutheran freshman Lucas Wong emerged poised and controlled in the pocket — enjoying a standout moment Saturday when he tossed a 30-plus yard touchdown pass on the last play of regulation to defeat Huntington Beach 21-19 in one of its five games.

“We saw a lot of confidence in him,” Crean Lutheran coach Rick Curtis said, adding that expected starting quarterback Caden Jones was out for the tournament. “We said, ‘Hey, let’s put his feet for the fire, and we’ll see what he can do.’ He’s doing a great job today.”

Huntington Beach quarterback Brady Edmunds, listed at 6-foot-5 and 215 pounds despite being two years from fulfilling his current Ohio State commitment, was far and away the most physically imposing quarterback in the tournament.

Edmunds’ touch on his passes was hit or miss Saturday — Huntington Beach scoring the third-fewest points in pool play — but his power behind every throw kept the Oilers in every contest.

La Habra quarterback DJ Mitchell.

(Benjamin Royer / Los Angeles Times)

One of the sneakier standout back-and-forth games ended in a tie — thanks to La Habra junior DJ Mitchell and Oaks Christian sophomore Treyvone Towns Jr. matching each other blow for blow.

Mitchell ended the dueling programs’ pool-play game with a touchdown pass and two-point conversion as the time limit expired to secure a split.

“We practice it every day,” Mitchell said. “Two-minute drill — I know how to execute, make my reads and just hit it. Hit a touchdown.”

Both Mitchell and Towns appear primed for breakout years as they grow into their respective frames.

Etc.

Corona Centennial primarily used Dominick Catalano as its quarterback in Mission Viejo. Catalano backed up Husan Longstreet — now at USC — last year. …

Corona Centennial quarterback Dominick Catalano at the Mission Viejo passing tournament on Saturday.

(Benjamin Royer / Los Angeles Times)

San Juan Hills senior quarterback Timmy Herr, one of a couple southpaws at Mission Viejo, was accurate and controlled, much like he was last year for the Stallions and coach Rob Frith. Mater Dei third-string quarterback Trevor Scott is a left-hander standing 6–foot-4, whose skill set showed rawness as well as potential. Lara said the seven-on-seven tournament was a perfect place for Scott to get his feet wet against Southern Section competition. …

San Clemente won the St. John Bosco passing tournament, defeating the hosts in the final. … Junior quarterback Deshawn Laporte led Burbank to the title at the Simi Valley tournament, defeating the hosts in the final and taking down Sierra Canyon and Chaminade along the way.

Saturday is one of those busy days in summer passing competitions for fans to get a sneak peek of the high school football season.

Mission Viejo is hosting a seven-on-seven passing tournament that includes Mater Dei, which will then take its mandatory two-week dead period immediately after the tournament. A matchup of Mission Viejo and quarterback Luke Fahey against Mater Dei’s outstanding defensive backs will be something that’s likely to take place.

Santa Margarita has pulled out from participating in the Mission Viejo tournament and will be replaced by Schurr, which won a tournament earlier this month.

There’s also an eight-team passing tournament at St. John Bosco featuring the Braves, Servite and Gardena Serra, among others. Salinas pulled out and has been replaced by La Sierra in Riverside.

Simi Valley, Redondo Union and Baldwin Park are also hosting tournaments this weekend.

After Saturday, the next big day for passing tournaments is July 12, featuring Huntington Beach Edison’s Battle at the Beach, along with tournaments at Ocean View and Huntington Beach.