Mustangs claim Golden West title with 46-28 win

Steve Virgen

Execution, fun and displaying strong character, that’s what the

Costa Mesa High freshman football team was all about this season,

said longtime Mustangs’ Coach John Carney. The Mustangs used those

three attributes to win the Golden West League championship after a

46-28 victory over host Saddleback, in a battle of league unbeatens

Thursday. Costa Mesa ended its season, winning eight straight games.

The Mustangs (8-2, 6-0 in league), who were smaller in stature

than Saddleback, came up big from the outset, scoring on their first

three possessions to take a 24-6 halftime lead. Running back Brian

Molina led the Mustangs with a superstar effort, recording 180 yards

and four touchdowns on only 13 carries (13.8 yards per carry).

“This feels great,” Molina said of winning the Golden West League

title. “We lost our first two games and we didn’t want to lose

anymore. I thought our offense was better than their defense. I

didn’t think they were going to tackle me.”

Molina, running behind an offensive line that included, Ryan

Bagwell, Dan Lo, Robert De La Cruz, Marvin Garza and Jonathan Olsen,

scored on touchdown runs of 41, 5, 20 and 38. Molina also ran for

three two-point conversions, in all accounting for 30 points.

“There’s a lot of class and a lot of character on this team,” said

Carney, who was doused with water in the game’s waning moments. “We

lost the first two games and we started talking about character, what

it takes to win. The kids bought into what the coaches told them. The

kids came out and outran and outplayed (Saddleback).”

Molina’s first touchdown, the 41-yard dash, came on

fourth-and-six. The Costa Mesa defense sent Saddleback three and out

on its first possession. Then, the Mustangs drove for another

touchdown. Molina scored on a 5-yard run on a fourth-and-one

situation. He followed his blockers for the two-point conversion to

put the Mustangs up, 16-0.

The Roadrunners (7-3, 5-1) answered with a 16-play, 58-yard drive

that ended with a 1-yard touchdown run by Jerry Resendiz.

However, the Mustangs came right back, as receiver Evan Hunter

made a great play on a deep pass, which resulted in a 65-yard

touchdown. Quarterback Scott Knox lofted a pass, deep toward the

Costa Mesa sideline on the first play after Saddleback’s touchdown. A

Saddleback defender was about to intercept the pass, but Hunter, who

had beaten his man deep, came back to steal away the underthrown pass

at the Saddleback 45. Hunter regained his speed and sprinted to the

end zone.

In the second half, Costa Mesa increased its lead to 32-6, after

Molina scored his third touchdown, a 20-yard run, and Tyler Legg

converted on the two-point run attempt.

Saddleback scored 22 points in the fourth quarter, but the

Mustangs maintained the advantage and their momentum, scoring 14

points in the final period. Miles Palmer made the most of his one

carry, when he ran into the defensive line, bounced off a tackle and

cutback to the outside for a 48-yard touchdown run.

Molina wrapped things up with a 38-yard touchdown run with 1:09

remaining.