Cruz controls Eagles

COSTA MESA — Magnolia High star running back Robert Cruz was both noun and verb when it came to the events of the Sentinels’ 58-14 nonleague thrashing of host Estancia Thursday night.

Cruz did just that through the Eagles’ defense, amassing 317 yards on 20 rushing attempts, including touchdown romps of 59, 41, 30, nine and seven yards.

Magnolia’s double-wing offense rolled up 491 of its 547 total offensive yards on the ground, leaving Estancia Coach Mike Bargas nowhere to turn but a fresh drawing board.

“We lost in every aspect of the game: special teams, defense and offense,” said Bargas, whose team had a two-game winning streak halted to fall to 2-2.

It was the second straight win and 58-point performance for Magnolia (2-1), which defeated Katella, 58-21, the previous week.

“[The visitors] came out slugging and were more physical than us,” Bargas said. “We didn’t get off the ball real well and we had some fundamental breakdowns. They got it done and we didn’t. Give them credit, they have a good football team. We’ve just got to look at film and get better and try to get ready for La Quinta [Oct. 4 at Bolsa Grande High].”

Magnolia scored touchdowns on its first six possessions as the Eagles tried every defensive scheme it had with little impact. Estancia went from its standard four-three to a goal-line scheme with five down linemen late in the first quarter and opened the second half with seven and eight men within two yards of the neutral zone, between the tackles.

But Cruz and nine other ballcarriers still found ample running room most of the evening. Cruz had just three runs of fewer than seven yards, not counting his four-yard TD. He also added a trio of two-point conversion runs, all of which had about as much resistance as a Thursday walk-through.

Estancia senior tailback Carlos Mendez managed to rush for 103 yards on 15 carries, and he scored both of the Eagles’ touchdowns.

Estancia drove 63 yards on eight plays for a touchdown on its second possession, with Mendez darting around the right side for 33 yards on the capper. Eli Diego’s conversion kick gave the hosts a 7-6 lead with 4:25 left in the first quarter.

But by the time Mendez scored again, cashing in a Michael Renteria fumble recovery at the Magnolia two-yard line late in the third quarter, Magnolia has already reached the 44-point mark.

Adding injury to the dismal showing, the Eagles had two players — senior defensive tackle Ryan Longoria and senior middle linebacker Luis Quintana both carried off the field with leg injuries.

Mendez added a 48-yard run to his 33-yard scoring scamper and those two runs accounted for nearly 60% of the Eagles’ offensive output of 136 yards.

Estancia managed just four pass completions for 11 yards and had an interception returned for the final touchdown.

The victory provided a triumphant return to Estancia for Magnolia Coach Dave Perkins, who guided Estancia to a 14-18 record in three seasons (1998 through 2000).

The Sentinels produced 25 rushing first downs, 27 total, while Estancia had only four, none after halftime, when the Eagles produced only 17 yards of offense.

Diego had a 52-yard punt and another 48-yarder downed at the Magnolia one. The latter set the stage for Renteria to pounce on a fumble to set up Mendez’s final TD.

Magnolia punted only once — yet another Cruz highlight as it bounded 47 yards and was downed inside the Estancia one-yard line.

BARRY FAULKNER may be reached at (714) 966-4615 or at barry.faulkner@latimes.com.