Eagles’ frustration mounts

Barry Faulkner

At least one Estancia High offensive lineman was not in the mood

for sideline assurances after one of three lost fumbles helped

visiting Westminster secure a 41-7 victory over the Eagles Saturday

in the Golden West League football opener at Newport Harbor High.

“It’s not OK,” shouted the frustrated lineman, who, like his coach

and likely most Eagle fans, has grown impatient with the mistakes

that make grind-it-out scoring drives a virtual impossibility.

“The offensive line played, by far, its best game,” Estancia Coach

Jay Noonan said of tackles Matt Morrell and Ian Morton, center Joseph

Hernandez and guards Gary Strawn and Sergio Arreola. “We were moving

the ball on these guys and they were giving (quarterback Brad Young)

some good time to throw. But the backs have got to step up and hang

onto the ball. These (linemen) get tired of banging and banging in

the trenches when the ball is being dropped in the backfield.

(Fumbling) is not a physical thing, it’s mental. There is a lack of

focus there and we’ve got to hang onto the ball.”

Two fumbles occurred on dive exchanges in the option and three

others occurred when ball carriers were tackled.

Two lost fumbles halted promising Estancia drives and the Lions

converted two into quick scores.

The first fumble recovered by the Lions ended an eight-play

Estancia march that included four first downs. And, one play after

Westminster recovered on its own 26, the Lions executed a 74-yard

scoring pass to take a 21-0 lead with 8:44 left in the second

quarter.

The second lost fumble halted Estancia’s offense at the Westminter

18 and, later, Carlos Brooks returned the Lions’ third fumble

recovery 65 yards for a touchdown for a 34-7 lead with 4:11 left in

the third quarter.

The turnovers, and the quick momentum swings they prompted, helped

shift what Noonan viewed as a potentially close struggle, into a

lopsided loss.

“I think the game was a lot closer than the score would indicate,”

Noonan said.

In addition to the play of his offensive line, Noonan cited strong

defensive work by linebackers Cullen Crom and Mike Cahill, end Bryce

McKendry and safety Louis Valdes Jr.

Noonan acknowledged the Lions’ team speed was problematic, as

Westminster produced 307 yards on its six touchdown plays, while

Estancia netted 224 yards of total offense for the game. Westminster

also had TD passes of 72 and 37 yards negated by penalties on a

possession that ended in a punt.

Senior tailback Bobby Estrada (collarbone) had been expected to

play, but sat out, while senior Lewis Bradshaw (strained shoulder)

saw only spot duty, catching one long pass for 33 yards.