Cavalier attitude

Barry Faulkner

The Costa Mesa High football team should have little trouble

flexing its superior muscle when it kicks off tonight at 7 against

nonleague host Santiago at Garden Grove High.

But it’s muscle memory Mustangs Coach Dave Perkins believes may be

the biggest element of the team’s one-game respite from the Golden

West League wars.

“The best thing about Santiago, is that it runs the exact same

offense as Orange,” Perkins said. “They both use the double-tight

double wing, so we should get a chance to prepare for Orange (which

Mesa faces Oct. 18).”

Perkins believes the similarity of schemes between the Cavaliers

and Panthers will also help eliminate any complacency that may crop

up in a nonleague confrontation.

“The way we’ve put it to our kids is that we’re playing Orange two

weeks in a row,” Perkins said. “I think Orange is one of the teams to

beat in our league, so we want to play well this week and play with

the kind of intensity we’ll need against Orange.”

Costa Mesa (2-2, 1-0 in league), ranked No. 9 in CIF Division VII,

would likely need a huge letdown to allow Santiago (2-2, including

one loss reversed by forfeit) the chance to compete in this game.

The Cavaliers, coached by former Orange Coast College star Bart

Recktenwald, have given up an average of just more than 30 points per

game, while scoring just more than 10 points per contest.

Santiago’s lone victory on the field (it’s 49-0 loss to Santiago

of Corona later became a forfeit win) was a 13-9 triumph over a

winless Magnolia squad that has scored the third fewest points in

Orange County this season.

Santiago’s offense has relied heavily on 5-foot-8, 165-pound

junior running back Curtis Martin, who has produced 443 yards and

three touchdowns on 53 carries.

Like most double-wing teams, Santiago has struggled with the pass.

Senior quarterback Richard Perez has just six completions and two

interceptions in 20 attempts and his 50 rushing yards are 10 more

than he has thrown for this fall.

Like the Cavaliers, the Mustangs much prefer the run on offense,

having produced nearly 80% of their 1,236 offensive yards on the

ground. Senior running back Keola Asuega has amassed 696 yards on 86

carries in his third varsity season and his 2,677 career rushing

yards rank him third on the school’s all-time list.

Junior Omar Ruiz has become a productive backfield compliment to

Asuega, posting 245 yards on 52 carries, including 78 and 72 yards,

respectively, the last two games.

Senior quarterback Tim Iller doubled his completions and nearly

doubled his season passing yards with a 7-for-12, 79-yard passing

performance against Ocean View. Iller is expected to play, despite

suffering a thigh bruise against Ocean View.

Senior Nate Hunter leads the Mustangs with seven receptions for 99

yards, while Asuega has caught five passes for 54 yards.

It’s the first meeting since 1987 and Santiago holds a 5-3-1

series lead.