Football: MUSTANGS ROLL

Tony Altobelli

COSTA MESA - It was only a matter of time before Costa Mesa High’s

football team pushed Brethren Christian’s gas tank towards empty; it just

took longer than expected.

After a surprisingly close second half, the favored Mustangs ran all

over the Warriors, 49-13, Friday night at Orange Coast College.

“That was a solid football team over there,” Coach Jerry Howell said,

referring to the Warriors. “We knew it was going to be a tough football

game and it was. I think they were the second-toughest team we’ve played

this year, behind Western.”

Despite a valiant effort from the Olympic League foe, the Warriors,

just didn’t have the horses, so to speak, to match up with the Mustangs.

Quarterback Dave Weir and running back C.J. Zuniga were the Mustangs’

two-headed monster on offense.

Zuniga rushed for 256 yards on 25 carries and one touchdown, while

Weir added 62 yards on the ground with four touchdowns for Costa Mesa

(4-1), ranked fifth in the CIF-Southern Section, Division IX.

“We actually wanted to throw the ball more tonight, but we couldn’t

because Brethren was so tough,” Howell admitted. “I was proud of our

guys’ efforts out there.”

Zuniga contributed more than just 256 yards and a touchdown. He also

had 79 additional all-purpose yards, including a 42-yard interception

return for a touchdown.

“He has a lot of natural ability,” Howell said. “Not just the strength

and the speed, but lots of God-given talent.”

Costa Mesa scored on its first possession on a 14-yard touchdown run

from Weir. After avoiding the oncoming rush to the outside, Weir cut back

to the inside to the end zone. The extra-point was missed.

Brethren Christian found early success on the ground on the following

drive, as the Warriors went 68 yards (all on the ground) on nine plays to

take a 7-6 lead.

“Their specialty players matched up well with ours,” Howell said. “I

think we had a little more to offer up front and they couldn’t match up

with us.”

The Mustangs regained the lead on Weir’s second touchdown, this one

from 29 yards out. Weir found Zuniga in the end zone for the two-point

conversion to extend Costa Mesa’s lead to 14-7.

The Warriors kept it close and cut the lead to 14-13 on an 11-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Kyle Painter to Dave Workman with 3:57

remaining in the first half.

Painter was 9 for 29 for 131, with a touchdown and two interceptions.

“Their quarterback was one of the best, if not the best we’ve faced

all season,” Howell said. “That kid could really throw the ball for

them.”

Patrick Hulliger blocked the extra point and that was as close as the

Warriors got to even all night.

Zuniga made sure of Brethren Christian’s fortune with his interception

return for a touchdown just before halftime, giving the Mustangs the

momentum for good.

From there, it was all Costa Mesa as they outscored the Warriors,

28-0, in the second half to blow the game open.

“We made some adjustments at halftime to try to slow down their

runners,” Howell said. “We did a good job of taking them out of their

game.”

On Mesa’s first play of the second half, Zuniga had a 59-yard burst

down the sideline and scored one play later on a 3-yard touchdown run.

Weir scored twice more on runs of 1 and 4 yards and Todd Duddridge

capped off the scoring with a 3-yard scamper with just over three minutes

remaining.

With a solid attack on the ground, the Mustangs were limited in the

air, with Weir completing four passes for 67 yards, the biggest, coming

on a 40-yard strike to Shaun Ferryman.

Willie Franco was a big factor on the Mustangs’ defensive shutdown of

the Warriors.

The senior free safety, picked off a Painter pass and returned it 30

yards and also recovered a Warriors’ botched punt reception.

“The papers didn’t think it would be a tough game, but we knew we were

going to have our hands full tonight and we did.”

Next up for the Mustangs is their annual “Battle of the Bell” against

archrival Estancia Friday night at 7 at OCC.

“Our guys are looking forward to that one,” Howell said.

“We don’t need to talk about Estancia to get fired up for them.”