Bravehearts

Patrick Laverty

Tell a defensive lineman that an opponent is going to throw the ball

somewhere in the vicinity of 30 times a game and his eyes will light

up.

A quarterback dropping back to pass 30 times means one thing to

defensive linemen: More sacks.

Costa Mesa High’s defensive line had to have that feeling going

into last week’s contest against Laguna Beach and they came out of

the game with exactly what they wanted.

The Mustangs forced Breakers quarterback Alex Wilson into his

worst game of the season. One of the CIF Southern Section’s top

passers coming into the game, Wilson had averaged 232.7 yards per

game in three contests. He had completed 74% of his passes, thrown

nine touchdowns and nary an interception.

All those numbers changed dramatically against Costa Mesa and that

was primarily a result of the Mustangs’ three-man defensive front.

“One thing we had to do to win the game was stop their passing

game,” Mustangs Coach Dave Perkins said. “We did that in two ways,

covering people and putting pressure on the quarterback.”

Noseguard Eric Reyes (5-foot-10, 160 pounds) and defensive ends

Marc Daniels (6-0, 255) and Qualic Vargas (5-11, 230) continually

harassed Wilson. They sacked him four times and never let him get

comfortable in the pocket. Wilson tallied just 154 yards, completing

13 of 27 passes and throwing his first three interceptions of the

year.

“We put a lot of pressure on him,” Perkins said. “We sacked him

three or four times, maybe five. He wasn’t used to being hit. We

didn’t allow him to plant in the pocket. He threw it up for grabs a

few times because of the pressure we put on him.”

Though Daniels, a first-team All-Golden West League selection last

season, was the only returning starter on the defensive line, Perkins

knew the unit would be a strength of the team. Reyes returned after

missing last season because of injury and Vargas moved from Kansas to

supply a bookend for Daniels.

Led by the three members of the defensive line, the Mustangs have

also proven formidable against the run. In three games they have

allowed just 99 yards on 75 carries. But the Laguna Beach game was a

real test for the Mustangs passing defense.

In their first two games, Costa Mesa had allowed 321 yards through

the air. But against the previously undefeated Breakers, Costa Mesa’s

pass defense led the Mustangs to a 41-0 halftime lead.

Reyes proved especially effective, putting pressure on Wilson from

the middle despite two blockers often being assigned to him.

“Eric Reyes put consistent pressure on the quarterback,” Perkins

said. “If our noseguard is being double-teamed, it opens up our

linebackers to make tackles.”

It also allows the linebackers to make interceptions, of which

Jeff Waldron had two this season and Gary Gonzalez has one.

Those two and the rest of the Mustangs’ linebacking corps has

Reyes, Daniels and Vargas to thank for those opportunities.