Prep football: Bravehearts

Barry Faulkner

The message did not self-destruct in 10 seconds. In fact,

instructions for the Estancia High defensive line’s “Mission: Impossible”

just kind of lingered there, initially, unembraced by those who would

eventually carry them out.

“We basically asked them to ‘Stand in front of a tank and let it run

over you,’ ” Estancia Coach Jay Noonan said of his defensive scheme to

submarine the wall of blockers that preceded the ball carrier in Orange’s

double wing offense.

“At first, they didn’t want to do it. But when they started playing

it, they started to have fun with it. It was like sandlot football,

getting dirty and making piles. They wound up looking forward to it,

which means I have a bunch of sick kids.”

Seniors Marco Montez and Chad Sherril, as well as sophomores Gary

Jones and Tim Bates, provided the primary sacrificial front four, the

members of which, Noonan said jokingly, called themselves “bullet

stoppers.”

Junior Roger Poole also rotated into the mix, to help keep the Eagles

in the nonleague contest for three quarters. Estancia was tied, 20-20,

before being outscored in the final 12 minutes to absorb a 41-28

nonleague loss.

Noonan termed the defensive effort his team’s best of the season and

he directed the credit to his unselfish troops in the trenches.

“They were the Marines, the front-line guys,” Noonan said. “Their job

was to let everybody else get the credit. We wanted them to sacrifice

themselves, to get low and make piles, to eliminate the flow of blockers,

so we wouldn’t get outflanked on the perimeter.”

The unsung effort helped contain Orange County’s leading rusher,

Durrell Moss, most of the night. After a 38-yard burst on his first

attempt, Moss’ next 23 attempts included only one run of more than 9

yards (a 13-yard pickup). With the Estancia line doing its dirty work,

Moss gained only 1 yard six times and netted 2 yards five other

occasions.

Moss picked up nearly 100 of his 238 rushing yards with long runs on

two of his final four carries, by which time, the physical toll had begun

to sap the Eagles’ strength.

Though enthusiastic in their duty, the aforementioned heroes are glad

to be getting back to a more traditional defense this week.

“They’re glad to be facing a normal old pro set this week,” Noonan

said.