Mustangs vs. Eagles

Joseph Boo

COSTA MESA - Costa Mesa High freshmen football coach John Carney

ran the same system in his 31 years of coaching, the last six at Costa

Mesa.

“Three yards and a cloud of dust,” he describes his team.

With a team that thrives on physical football, Carney is excited about

the fact that this year’s Mustang team is one of the biggest he has ever

coached.

Entering Thursday’s game against cross-town rival Estancia, you can

expect Costa Mesa to try to outmuscle the Eagles.

“We don’t have a lot of experienced kids,” Carney said. “But we have some

pretty big kids. Pretty good ones.”

In fact, Costa Mesa is so serious about running, it’s two star players

are linemen. Tackle Andrew Carich is considered the linchpin in the line.

“He’s a big, strong kid,” assistant coach Kirk Bauermeister said. “He

dominates on the offensive and defensive line.”

Pairing with Carich is guard Benny Wong, another big, strong kid.

“That’s the strength of our team,” Bauermeister said. “We have these big

kids on our offensive and defensive lines.”

With such protection, it makes things easier for Costa Mesa’s skill

players, who are working hard, but somewhat inexperienced.

Fullback Jason Hurley, considered the hardest worker on the team, will

get the majority of the carries on the team. Tailback Nathan “Curly”

Hunter will also see duty in the backfield.

“If we had to name a most improved player,” Nathan would be it,”

Bauermeister said. “Coming in with no football experience, he has

improved a lot.”

Costa Mesa will also gain another valuable piece of experience on

Thursday, when it plays at Estancia. Last year’s Costa Mesa team won big,

but nothing is a given in this rivalry.

“(Costa Mesa and Estancia’s) kids played together for years,” Carney

said. “These kids look forward to it.”

Estancia’s team is built on potential. Even though it is only 1-4, there

are a lot of talented players emerging, which is the key for any freshman

football team.

The two star players for the Eagles are quarterback Bobby Estrada and

running back Victor Carmona. Estrada has thrown for three touchdown

passes on a running team. Carmona is the team’s leading rusher and has

two touchdowns.

But the Eagles have few players that played organized football, even by

freshman football standards.

“We only have two or three guys with any football experience,” Estancia

Coach Tim Parsel said.

There are talented players emerging though. Brothers Brian and Alan

Rayner looked good on the line, with Alan playing tight end. Joseph

Hernandez and Chris Miranda are also part of an improving line.

“We try to run the ball, but we need our line to play well,” Parsel said.

Defensively, there’s a bigger question. Defensive back Javier Ramirez and

linebacker Kyle Casillas have done well so far, and Carmona is the team’s

iron man, doing a nice job at linebacker, as well as running back. But

the unit as a whole still needs to overcome its inexperience.

Parsel feels his team has yet to play its best game. If there is a time

for the Eagles to come together, it’s against cross-town rival Costa

Mesa.

“If we can’t get excited abut our rival,” Parsel said, “you can’t get

excited for anyone.”

If there’s one thing the Eagles knew coming in, it’s that Estancia-Costa

Mesa is a big deal.