Costa Mesa bids to run the table

Barry Faulkner

Costa Mesa High football coach Dave Perkins is appreciative that

Saddleback Coach Jerry Witte allowed the Golden West League finale

between the Mustangs and Roadrunners to be rescheduled for tonight at

7 at Newport Harbor High.

But giving up its familiar home venue -- the game was originally

scheduled to be played at the Santa Ana Bowl, first Saturday, then

Friday -- is the only concession Perkins is counting on from always

scrappy Saddleback, which will be the designated home team.

“We know that if Saddleback comes out and beats us, that makes its

season,” Perkins said. “We can’t look past these guys.”

The Mustangs (7-2, 5-0 in league), ranked No. 6 in CIF Southern

Section Division VII, clinched the league’s No. 1 berth in the

playoffs and at least a share of the league championship with

Friday’s 36-7 win over Santa Ana.

But, in order to gain the most beneficial playoff draw possible,

the Mustangs must extend their current six-game winning streak

against the Roadrunners (3-6, 2-3), who are experiencing their fifth

straight losing season.

“(The Roadrunners) missed a field goal at the end or they would

have beaten Santa Ana two weeks ago,” Perkins said. “Then, last week,

they tore apart Ocean View (a 26-0 win). (Ramiro) Chavez is a very

good running back, who runs hard, they have a big offensive line and

they’re pretty big on defense. It’s nice to win a championship and

everyone is excited (about the Santa Ana win), but 8-2 is better than

7-3. And, we think we still have an outside shot to get a top-four

seed.”

Though Newport Harbor may be closer to home than the Santa Ana

Bowl, the Mustangs have suffered both of their losses at one of their

two home venues.

“We couldn’t play on Saturday, because we needed to be done, so

the playoff committee can work on the pairings,” Perkins said. “Jerry

and I talked and he was gracious enough to accommodate us by playing

(tonight) at Newport. He said ‘It’s the right thing to do.’ ”

The Mustangs have done most everything right since opening the

season 1-2. The six-game win streak is the program’s longest since

the 1997 squad opened 8-0.

A victory would give Mesa only the second outright league crown in

the program’s 43-season varsity history, matching the 1993 Pacific

Coast League champion.

The Mustangs will attack offensively with a powerful running game

paced by senior fullback Keola Asuega. Asuega has rushed for 1,651

yards and 17 TDs this season, including 1,025 yards and 13 TDs in

five league games. His three-year varsity career includes 3,560

rushing yards and 45 TDs. The former ranks second in Newport-Mesa

annals and the latter ties him with former Newport Harbor standout

Steve Brazas for the Newport-Mesa career record.

With Asuega rumbling behind an offensive line of tackles James

Paulsen and Rodrigo Gutierrez, guards Andrew Carich and David

Vernotico and center Luke Sapolu, the Mustangs have produced nearly

86% of their 2,891 yards on the ground this fall.

Saddleback also has a ground-oriented attack, led by the

aforementioned Chavez. The 5-foot-9, 200-pound junior has collected

1,053 yards and nine TDs on 203 carries in his second year as the

featured ball carrier. He now has 2,168 yards and 19 TDs on 417

varsity carries.

Saddleback quarterback Guillermo Garcia, a 5-8, 160-pound junior,

has thrown for 441 yards and four TDs, just better than Mesa senior

signal caller Tim Iller, who has 281 passing yards and one touchdown

pass.

Costa Mesa’s continually improving defense has helped produce a

plus-11 turnover ratio, as the Mustangs have committed just four

turnovers in league play.

This is the 12th meeting between these two schools. Costa Mesa has

won nine of the first 11, including five straight.