Coronado’s Robby Weissenfels booted a 29-yard field goal with no time remaining to give the Islanders a 16-13 victory over host St. Margaret’s on Saturday night in the season opener for both teams.

“It was a great high school football game and the team that won deserved to win,” second-year St. Margaret’s coach Rod Baltau said.

Islander senior quarterback Austin Denson led his team to the winning field goal as time expired on the clock.

The Islander’s defense held the Tartans on several red-zone possessions to keep the score close throughout the game.

On the game’s last series, the Islanders drove the length of the field in 27 seconds, with the key play being a 40-yard reception to senior wide receiver Hunter Corpus with three seconds remaining. 

“They (Coronado defense) were aggressive, pinned their ears back and smacked us in the mouth. We didn’t do a good job adjusting to that,” Baltau said.

The Islanders host Ross Sheppard H.S. from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada this Friday, Sept. 9, 2011.

It's unlikely that Tony Isabella will forget his first game as head coach of the Coronado High football team.

Robby Weissenfels kicked a 29-yard field goal with no time remaining Saturday night to give the visiting Islanders a 16-13 victory over St. Margaret’s in San Juan Capistrano.

Isabella, who made his debut as successor to longtime football coach Bud Mayfield, appears to know how to run the two-minute drill, and in only half a minute.

After a St. Margaret's field goal from 27 yards out tied the game at 13-13 with 30 seconds remaining, Coronado was able to drive down the field quickly to set up the winning field goal, aided in part by a late-hit call.

The key play came when senior quarterback Austin Denson hit wide receiver Hunter Corpus on a 40-yard completion inside the Tartans 15 with three seconds to play, setting up Weissenfels' game-winner.

Coronado took a 6-0 lead in the opening quarter after recovering a St. Margaret's fumble and going 25 yards in three plays, capped by Denson's 1-yard quarterback sneak for the score. The Tartans scored in the second period for a 7-6 halftime lead and extended it to 10-6 in the third quarter before the Islanders moved ahead 13-10 on a 13-yard scoring run by Charles Westbrook later in the period.

The last-minute field goals by both teams were the only points in the final quarter.

Denson connected on 14 of 26 passes for 170 yards, with Corpus accounting for 115 of those yards. Westbrook also surpassed the century mark, rushing for 106 yards.

Sophomore quarterback Mason Mills, a Coronado High School graduate, passed for 402 yards and four touchdowns in leading the USD Toreros to an exciting 42-40 victory over the Azusa Pacific Cougars Saturday. 

For his outstanding play he was honored as this week’s Pioneer Football League offensive player of the week.

Heading into the final period the Toreros found themselves trailing 19-15, but went on to outscore the Cougars 27 to 21. 

Mills threw three TD passes in the fourth quarter — a 59-yard pass to running back Kenny James; a 6-yarder to split end Sam Hoekstra (on fourth-and-goal); and a 35-yarder to tight end Kyle Lokanc.

The fourth Toreros score came on a 15-yard interception return by USD senior defensive end Mario Kurn.  For the final quarter Mills was 8-of-13 for 173 yards and 3 scores.

“Mason did a nice job of managing our offense,” said head coach Ron Caragher. “He took his shots when they were there.”

For the game Mills completed 27-of-42 passes for 402 yards.  The 402 yards passing yards ranks sixth all-time among Torero quarterbacks. 

He was just one of two FCS quarterbacks to pass for more than 400 yards over the opening week of play.  In the first quarter he connected with senior wide receiver John McGough for a 59-yard TD and eventual 12-0 early lead.

This week the Toreros (1-0) have their home opener at 6 p.m. Saturday when they host Western New Mexico University (1-0).