Mesa edged by Western, 35-34

Barry Faulkner

ANAHEIM - The same instinct which compelled Western High football

coach Toby Howell to go for the winning two-point conversion with 89

seconds left, denied Costa Mesa Coach Jerry Howell the luxury of taking

any solace from the Mustangs’ 35-34 nonleague loss Thursday on the

Pioneers’ field.

“We should have beaten them,” said a calm, but disappointed Mesa coach

after a seesaw affair which included four lead changes and four ties.

“I’m disappointed for the kids, because they played hard. We wanted to

win. We wanted to go 4-0.”

The Mustangs (3-1 and ranked No. 3 in CIF southern Section Division IX)

nearly did just that, hammering away with junior tailback C.J. Zuniga,

mixing in opportunistic passes, collecting the game’s only turnover and

blocking a punt to set up a touchdown.

The visitors, whose defense bled big plays in a 48-6 trouncing at the

hands of the Pioneers last fall, had the longest run of the night

Thursday.

But Western, paced by senior wingback Jamiah Williamson’s 222 rushing

yards on 22 carries, earned a 459-324 edge in total offense.

The Pioneers (2-2 and ranked No. 8 in CIF Division IX) also played

defense when it mattered most, stifling Mesa’s last-gasp possession,

which advanced 4 yards past midfield.

Western went 64 yards on nine plays to trim Mesa’s 34-27 lead to one

point, then, after a timeout, gave the ball to Williamson off right

tackle on the two-point attempt.

Williamson, who powered to paydirt with his second touchdown just a

moment before, was met by a pair of Mustang tacklers just outside the 1.

But he would not be denied.

Toby Howell, whose two losses were nip-and-tuck affairs against Loara,

35-28, and to El Toro, 39-38, just shook his head when asked if he

hesitated about going for two.

“We always say let’s beat the other team, not let’s tie them,” he said.

“We didn’t wrap up,” Jerry Howell said of the decisive play, which gave

Western its first lead since the first minute of the second quarter.

Mesa Quarterback Dave Weir sprinted 80 yards with an option keep on

Mesa’s third play to open the scoring and stun the home crowd.

Western answered back, however, with a 65-yard, five-play touchdown

drive. Then, after Mesa went three-and-out -- the first of only two times

the Western defense was this efficient -- Williamson broke 51 yards to

give the hosts a 13-7 lead with 2:52 left in the first quarter.

A low snap on the would-be conversion kick, however, forced a failed pass

attempt.

Todd Duddridge blocked a Western punt on the fourth snap of the second

quarter and Weir caught it in the air and returned it 29 yards to the

Western 1.

Zuniga, who finished with 158 yards on 35 carries, scored the first of

his three TDs one play later, but the conversion kick sailed wide left to

keep things deadlocked.

Jason Rankin recovered a fumble at Mesa’s 35 to stop Western’s first

second-half possession and the trio of Zuniga, Weir and tight end Willy

Franco took eight plays to cash in the turnover.

Zuniga carried five times for 24 yards on the march and Weir connected

with Franco on passes of 27, 6 and a 3-yard capper, the 3-yarder a

play-action flip into the end zone on third and goal.

The two teams traded touchdowns their next five possessions, before Mesa

took over at its own 35 with one last chance.

On first down, Weir hit Zuniga, whose one-handed catch helped him get 8

more of his 256 all-purpose yards. After a Weir scramble produced

nothing, two Zuniga carries gained 5 and picked up the first down. They

also drained the clock to less than 30 seconds and, after a 7-yard strike

from Weir to Franco put the Mustangs in Pioneer territory, Weir had to

spike the ball on second down with 15 ticks remaining.

Weir was sacked from behind by Jason Iosefa for an 8-yard loss and time

expired before the visitors could get off another snap.

“I felt like we had a little stronger team, coming in,” Toby Howell said.

“But our defense killed us tonight.”

Will Ruffin added 94 rushing yards for the winners, while tight end Jeff

LaMendola amassed 90 yards on three receptions, including a 25-yard

crossing pattern on fourth-and-15 with 9:04 left.

Franco who also hit double figures in tackles, as the last nine of

defense at safety, finished with five receptions for 54 yards.