Tustin’s Foster Scores 3 Times

The Tustin High offense set an Orange County single-season scoring record last year. After a 47-6 victory over crosstown rival Foothill Friday at Tustin High, it appears this year’s squad has picked up where the 1996 team left off.

That’s because running back DeShaun Foster, the team’s leading rusher and most potent player in 1996, is back for his senior year.

Friday, Foster looked more dominant as he rushed 20 times for 214 yards and scored three touchdowns to lead the Tillers. He also intercepted a pass by Foothill quarterback Robby Koster and returned it 23 yards to give Tustin a 21-0 lead with 3 minutes 47 seconds left in the first quarter.

Tustin increased its lead to 27-0 when Foster scored from five yards late in the first half.

Foster scored his third rushing touchdown eight seconds into the fourth quarter to give Tustin a commanding 34-0 lead.

Foothill, which leads the overall series with Tustin, 18-11-2, avoided being shut out when Koster completed a 35-yard touchdown pass to Chad Concolino on fourth and 10.

But as well as the offense played for Tustin, the team’s defense, which struggled at times last season, showed that it, too, might be stronger.

The Tillers recorded seven quarterback sacks and limited the Knights to 63 yards rushing. Koster completed 11 of 18 passes for 102 yards, but when he wasn’t sacked, Tustin’s defense provided plenty of pressure.

“We were able to put pressure on them early and it set the tone for the rest of the game,” Tustin defensive coordinator Wally Grant said.

“Our main focus was not to step up offensively this year because we already knew what to do,” Tustin linebacker Josh Schaer said. “We focused more on defense in practices and it worked. Instead of us falling apart, we stuck together the whole game. It felt great.”