Mustangs ensure beat goes on

Barry Faulkner

The Costa Mesa High football team did not skip a beat in its

scheduled one-week break from Golden West League play. What’s more,

Mustangs Coach Dave Perkins believes his team has found a groove in

extending its winning streak to two with a 26-6 nonleague triumph

over Santiago Thursday night at Garden Grove High.

“I think we had a good rhythm last week on offense and defense,”

Perkins said of the victory over the Cavaliers, which also allowed

Mesa to rest injured standouts Keola Asuega, Tim Iller, Andrew Carich

and Paul Martin. “The kids are tuned in and I think we’re getting

better every week, which is a real positive.”

There were plenty of positives against Santiago, including a

continuing trend of reserves stepping up while filling in for some

sidelined regulars.

“The best part about the injuries is that it has allowed some of

our kids to get battle tested for three or four games,” Perkins said.

“We were able to come out of the last two games with wins, even

though we didn’t play a few guys.”

Perkins said Asuega, a senior fullback who leads the team with 696

rushing yards and six touchdowns, was rested against Santiago due to

a tender hamstring, an injury Asuega has battled since the first week

of practice.

Iller, a senior quarterback who had started the first four games,

was held out to rest a deep thigh bruise. Senior receiver Nate

Hunter, deemed an emergency quarterback by Perkins, started in

Iller’s place, while junior Brian Knox came off the bench to complete

4 of 8 passes for 60 yards.

Carich and Martin, both two-way linemen, rested knee ailments for

the second straight week.

Perkins said all four should be ready to go Friday, when the

Mustangs (3-2), ranked No. 9 in CIF Southern Section Division VII,

host Orange (3-2).

“It was really neat to have backup kids stepping in and playing

very well,” said Perkins, who singled out the play of reserve junior

defensive end Marc Daniels, junior offensive guard David Vernotico

and senior offensive tackle James Paulsen as big reasons the

aforementioned starters weren’t badly missed.

“Now, we have these guys ready to rotate into the game to keep the

other guys fresh,” Perkins said. “We know we have good players who

will be fresh, eager and ready to go.”

Perkins also continues to praise the work of junior running back

Omar Ruiz, who carried 19 times for a game-high 90 yards, including

touchdown runs of 7 and 4 yards. Ruiz now has 335 rushing yards and

three TDs this fall and will continue to give opposing defenses

intent on keying upon Asuega something to think about.”

Perkins also praised his players’ unwillingness to let down

against Santiago.

“I was very pleased with the way we came out and played,” he said.

“I was worried about playing a nonleague opponent and how the kids

would respond. I think we were a little flat before the game, so I

got the kids together and reminded them we still had some guys out,

so we were going to have to deal with some adversity.”

As predicted, the ability to defend a Santiago offense identical

to the one Orange runs, could pay off this week.

“I think our guys learned some things and, fortunately for us, we

didn’t have to use some of the defensive looks we’ll have for Orange

against Santiago,” Perkins said.

Perkins also utilized a simplified offensive plan against the

Cavaliers.

“We were able to run three basic plays out of our wing-T over and

over and I think the kids enjoyed it,” he said. “Being able to run

something over and over helped establish that rhythm I was talking

about.”