Mesa rolls
Barry Faulkner
The Costa Mesa High football team continued its path of
destruction through the Golden West League Friday night. That
crosstown rival Estancia happened to be in the way was merely
coincidence, Mustangs Coach Dave Perkins said after the 41-0 victory
that was as obvious as the mud on his players’ all-white uniforms.
The Mustangs (5-2, 3-0 in league), ranked No. 10 in CIF Southern
Section Division VII, scored on all five first-half possessions and
extended that streak to six with a third-quarter field goal, on the
way to posting the third-largest margin of victory in the 36-game
Battle for the Bell series.
Only a 52-0 Mesa win in 1998 and a 55-12 Mustang romp in 1994 were
more lopsided, as Mesa’s defense smothered the Eagles all evening,
limiting the hosts to minus-47 yards on the ground and 43 yards total
offense at Newport Harbor High. It was Mesa’s fourth shutout in the
series, it’s third blanking of Estancia (1-6, 0-4) in the last seven
seasons. It was also the Mustangs first shutout of the season and
their first in 10 games.
“It’s nice to win the Bell (perpetual trophy that goes to the
crosstown rivalry’s annual winner) and the city championship,” said
Perkins, who has now been on the winning side of this rivalry four
straight seasons, including coaching Estancia to victories over Mesa
in 1999 and 2000. “But this team has a goal a little farther down the
season, so we want to just play them one game at a time. We took
control of the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball tonight.
We practice with a purpose, we play with intensity and we were in the
right places out there tonight.”
Senior tailback Keola Asuega found plenty of open space to occupy,
thanks to his efficient offensive line. Asuega amassed 130 yards and
four touchdowns by halftime, en route to 177 yards on 29 carries. He
could have had a fifth TD, but he slid down on the 1-yard line in
hopes of allowing one of his linemen to power into the end zone.
The plan was foiled, however, when a Mustang was flagged for
pulling guard Andrew Carich over the goal line on the first play of
the fourth quarter and Estancia’s defense stopped four plays for just
5 yards to turn the Mustangs away at the 1.
Mesa junior Omar Ruiz collected 70 rushing yards and two TDs,
including the game’s final score on a 32-yard run with 4:41 left.
Estancia, which had the game’s only punt, never penetrated inside
the Costa Mesa 25-yard line and was thoroughly overmatched.
“They were better than we were,” said Estancia Coach Jay Noonan,
who predicted his team would win this year’s crosstown clash after
Mesa’s 21-6 victory last season, then termed his unit the better team
heading into this year’s contest. “We wanted to win as badly as they
did and I was very pleased with the way my kids battled in the second
half.”
Costa Mesa executed onside kicks on its first three kickoffs,
attempted two-point conversions after its first five touchdowns and
substituted minimally until the final two minutes.
Perkins, however, took exception to any suggestion that his team
tried to put anything extra into its performance.
“A lot of things can be said about all the things that were said
coming into this game,” Perkins said. “But our kids maintained their
poise and just played football. Everyone wanted me to run it up and
go for two, but it’s not about Jay Noonan and myself. If their coach
wants to be an idiot ... Our players are just going to play
football.”
Noonan said he had no problem with any of the Mesa coach’s
decisions.
“He coaches his team the way he wants and I have no beef with
him,” Noonan said.
The Eagles did have a problem blocking the Mustangs, most notably
junior end Cole Edwards who was in on four of the Mustangs’ five
quarterback sacks, recovered a fumbled punt snap to set up the
opening TD, and made four additional stops behind the line for 16
more yards of losses.
Linebackers Junior Epenesa, Brett Via, who recovered another
fumble, and Daniel Cooper, as well as end Marc Daniels and noseguard
Borotha Pov were also defensive standouts.
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