Husan Longstreet leads Corona Centennial to victory over Mission Viejo in D1 quarterfinal

Husan Longstreet threw for 236 yards and a touchdown in the Huskies’ big road win Friday night.

Corona Centennial QB Husan Longstreet guided the Huskies to a big Division 1 playoff victory Friday night over Mission Viejo. / Tarek Fattal

MISSION VIEJO, CALIFORNIA - Corona Centennial coach Matt Logan is known for his uptempo offense. Lots of points. Lots of yards. But it was his defense that made the game-winning play with the Huskies’ season on the line.

Mission Viejo was facing fourth down on the Centennial 2-yard line before Jonathan McKinley II came off the edge and applied pressure to Mission Viejo quarterback Drai Trudeau, who scampered into a panic and threw an interception to Fifita Tauteoli-Moore.

On the ensuing possession, Centennial running back Malachi Roby broke for a big run and could’ve scored a touchdown, but instead slid to a knee to keep the ball and run the clock out for Centennial’s 25-20 victory over Mission Viejo on the road in the CIF Southern Section Division 1 quarterfinals Friday night.

HUGE PLAY.

Mission Viejo on 4th down from Centennial 2-yard line.

Interception.

Huskies hanging onto a 25-20 lead with 4:51 to play. pic.twitter.com/QBBNGc7NNU

— Tarek Fattal (@Tarek_Fattal) November 16, 2024

Centennial (9-2) will advance to the Division 1 semifinals to take on No. 1 Mater Dei (10-0) at home. It will be the second time the two teams face this year. Mater Dei beat Centennial in Week 0, 42-25.

“Anytime you get a chance to play the No. 1 in the country again, we’ll take it,” Centennial coach Matt Logan said.

Corona Centennial quarterback Husan Longstreet threw for 236 yards and a touchdown, and also ran for a touchdown. Junior running back Malachi Roby rushed for 188 yards and two touchdowns. Roby’s slide at the end of the game was a microchosm of the pedigree Centennial carried into this game.

“I slid on purpose to make sure we could win the game. I didn’t want to give them the ball back,” Roby said.

Centennial wideout Cory Butler Jr. was Longstreet's top target, tallying nine catches for 157 yards.

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Mission Viejo came into the game 10-0 and suffered its first loss of the season Friday night. Mission Viejo coach Chad Johnson was candid about his play all on fourth down that led to the game-sealing turnover.

“I should have left it in our seniors’ hands and ran the ball one more time,” Johnson told the OC Register. “I feel pretty bad about that play call. … We lost some really good seniors but a great year. We’re still going to go down as one of the top teams in the country.”

Recent Georgia commit Vance Spafford, a junior wide receiver, was a bright spot for the Diablos, hauling in nine catches for 177 yards. Centennial's run defense held Mission Viejo to just 40 yards, according to the OC Register.

Postgame interview with Corona Centennial coach Matt Logan after the Huskies beat previously-unbeaten Mission Viejo 25-20.

Next up: another shot at Mater Dei

“Another chance to play the No. 1 team in the country — we’ll take it.” pic.twitter.com/FhM47F0ygK

— Tarek Fattal (@Tarek_Fattal) November 16, 2024

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