Prep football: Positive notes

Barry Faulkner

COSTA MESA - Though victory continues to elude the Estancia High

football team, the Eagles refuse to be defined by mounting losses.

So, in the aftermath of Thursday’s 40-13 defeat at the hands of

postseason-bound Pacific Coast League rival University, the Eagles needed

little time to put their hard-fought struggle with the Trojans in

perspective.

“Driving back to school from Uni, the whole team was singing on the

bus, just as if we’d won,” said first-year coach Jay Noonan, who is not

about to discourage his players’ desire to savor the experience high

school football can provide, scoreboard notwithstanding.

“All we can really ask is for them to give a good effort and they did

that,” Noonan said. “That’s where you become winners in losing.”

Noonan said his team (0-8, 0-3 in the PCL) has not resigned itself to

losing. But the Eagles have learned to relish positives where they can

find them.

“Like anybody else, our kids are still competitive and they want to

win and be successful,” Noonan said. “But they also understand the

situation they’re in. The seniors have been frustrated, but the younger

guys know the losing is going to stop. Hopefully, we can close out the

season (Thursday against Laguna Beach) by winning, but, for us, the focus

is on getting better every play.”

Noonan said there was plenty of progress against Uni.

“We improved on our performance against Costa Mesa (in Week 8),” he

said. “I thought we were a little more crisp in our running game.

“But we played a very good football team, which was a little more

physical and stronger up front than we were.”

Noonan was gratified by the praise University Coach Mark Cunningham

relayed from his players regarding the Eagles’ conduct on the field.

Cunningham said his players were impressed by the Eagles’ sportsmanship.

“That was a great compliment and I know our principal was very very

happy to hear that about our team from another coach,” Noonan said. “Our

guys said the same thing about University and I’d expect nothing less

from Mark’s team.”