Costa Mesa aims to stay on a roll

Costa Mesa grid pre vs. Ocean ViewNew-look Mustangs battle Ocean View with CIF playoff hopes on the line.Extreme makeover has become a popular concept for television executives. But first-year football coaches at Costa Mesa and Ocean View have also come to appreciate its virtues in recent weeks.

Costa Mesa head man Jay Johnson overhauled his offense to produce the Mustangs’ first victory Oct. 21 against Golden West League rival Saddleback.

For Ocean View Coach Dean Yoshiyama, it was an addition to his lineup -- junior quarterback Brandon Price, who transferred from Mississippi after Hurricane Katrina -- that has helped the Seahawks win twice in the last three weeks after an 0-4-1 start.

Costa Mesa (1-7, 1-3 in league) and Ocean View (2-4-1, 1-2) will square off tonight at 7 at Newport Harbor High to determine which renovation has been the most successful.

Both teams are among four Golden West League schools with one league victory. The team that gets the league’s fourth guaranteed berth in the CIF Southern Section Division VII playoffs will come from that group.

A Costa Mesa win against Ocean View and an Estancia loss to Saddleback on Nov. 3 could put the Mustangs in position to claim the playoff spot that remains after Westminster, Santa Ana and Orange settle somewhere in the top three.

Johnson, who shifted to the double wing after using the spread offense during an 0-7 start, believes the new offense and a dramatic 23-21 win over Saddleback have given his players newfound enthusiasm.

“I feel like it has given us a whole new beginning,” Johnson said. “Just coming to practice has been a totally different feeling. I think the kids understand what it takes to win now.”

The Mustangs, who sprung the double wing on Saddleback to help earn a 20-0 first-quarter lead, will no longer have the element of surprise on their side.

“With [Ocean View] having a week to prepare, things should be more difficult,” Johnson said. “But we’re sticking with [the double wing], because we believe it gives us the best chance to win.”

The Mustangs will feature senior wingbacks Ivan Ruiz and Tony Krikorian, both of whom surpassed 100 rushing yards against Saddleback.

Ruiz, who missed the first four games with a knee injury, leads the team with 410 rushing yards on 86 carries.

Price triggers the Ocean View veer offense, though running back Nhan Nguyen keyed the Seahawks’ 20-12 win over Estancia last week. Nguyen rushed for 189 yards against the Eagles, though Price scored two touchdowns.

“He is an incredible athlete,” Johnson said of Price, who led the team to a 31-24 nonleague win over Magnolia in his Oct. 7 debut. “He is big, strong, fast and has a good arm. We’ll have to contain him to have any chance to stop their offense.”200510281O1KBUCUNo Caption