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.