Eagles try to slow high-scoring Saints

Barry Faulkner

Estancia High football coach Jay Noonan likes to point out that

Santa Ana Coach Jesse Gomez is a fellow USC alumnus. But the coaches’

alma mater may be the only thing in common between the two Golden

West League programs, which collide Friday at 7 p.m. at the Santa Ana

Bowl.

The Saints (4-1, 1-0 in league) are off to their best start in at

least 11 years and have scored the most points in Orange County this

season (191).

Estancia (1-4, 0-2), has lost four straight, 14 of its last 15,

and its 47 points are the sixth-fewest in the county this fall.

“They’re a senior-dominated team that Jesse has waited for three

years to mature,” Noonan said. “They’re playing like they want to win

the league title. We have our work cut out for us, but if we don’t

make mistakes, we have a chance to be successful.”

Mistakes, specifically turnovers, have plagued the Eagles this

season, even more so than during last year’s 0-9 campaign. Estancia

has lost 13 of its 22 fumbles, had four passes intercepted, and

enters Friday’s game minus-12 in turnover ratio.

Santa Ana, on the other hand, has lost just two of its 10 fumbles

and with just seven turnovers, has built a plus-five turnover ratio.

The Saints and Eagles are becoming more closely aligned in

offensive philosophy.

Santa Ana has produced 67% of its offensive yards through the air

and Estancia’s passing game is becoming its best weapon.

“Their quarterback (Omar Carrasco) is the best we’ve seen so far

and may be the best we will see all year,” Noonan said of the

6-foot-1 senior, who has thrown for 1,080 yards and 10 TDs thus far.

Carrasco has completed 62 of 101 with five interceptions.

“He may not have the tools other quarterbacks do, but he doesn’t

make mistakes,” Noonan said. “His judgement is very, very sound, but

if you can make him move and chase him out of the pocket, he tends

not to be as sound.”

Estancia will hope to use a size advantage up front to try to get

its running game going, while trying to shut down the Saints ground

attack.

Santa Ana senior Jose Alvares leads the team with 362 rushing

yards and four TDs on 54 attempts.

The Estancia backfield will not include a ball carrier with more

than 100 yards this season. Junior fullback Bubba Kapko, who leads

the team with 189 rushing yards, will play only defense, Noonan said.

Senior tailback Bobby Estrada (9 yards on seven carries) is still

getting his legs under him, after sitting out the first four games

with a broken collarbone, while sophomore Geo Macias has produced 79

rushing yards on 19 carries while getting most of the time at

tailback.

Brad Young, the Eagles’ junior quarterback, has completed 41 of 77

passes (53%) for 445 yards and two TDs, with three interceptions. He

threw for 166 of the Eagles’ 212 passing yards in last week’s 24-14

loss to Saddleback. It was the most passing yards Estancia had posted

in 35 games.

Former starting quarterback Lewis Bradshaw, whom Noonan said will

still see action under center, will bolster a productive receiving

corps.

Senior wideouts Javy Ramirez (176 receiving yards), Louis Valdes

Jr. (102) and tight end Jermaine Young (111) have 10 receptions

apiece, while Bradshaw, still recovering from a shoulder injury that

cost him most of two games, has seven catches for 135 yards.

Senior Rene Candelas is the Saints’ leading receiver with 15

catches for 424 yards and two TDs.

It’s the first meeting since 1980 between the two former Century

League rivals, with Estancia holding a 3-2 series lead.

Directions to Santa Ana Bowl

North on Bristol, right on Civic Center Drive. Stadium at corner

of Civic Center and Flower.