Mustangs shock Saints

NEWPORT HARBOR — During a break, one of the officials came over and asked Costa Mesa High Coach Jeremy Osso for a drink.

“Is this Gatorade?” the official asked Osso and the coach nodded no after he handed over a bottle.

“Where’s the Gatorade?” the official said.

“We play on turf, man,” Osso responded. “No Gatorade allowed.”

The home team usually provides the sports drinks.

The official thought Osso’s Mustangs played host to Friday night’s game against Santa Ana. Newport Harbor High used to be Costa Mesa’s home field until last year.

The Mustangs returned to a familiar site and left with an unfamiliar result. Costa Mesa beat Santa Ana, 24-16, marking the first time it has defeated a team with a record above .500 under Osso’s watch.

In his fourth year at Costa Mesa, Osso finally beat a team with a winning record. The Mustangs didn’t shower him with the traditional Gatorade bucket.

They had no Gatorade.

Costa Mesa won its second straight nonleague game and improved to 2-2 after handing the Saints their first loss of the season. Santa Ana is 2-1.

The Mustangs haven’t really left home in the first four games of the season. The first three were at Estancia High, and Friday’s was at Davidson Field.

“What’s great about [the win] is it’s gutty,” Osso said before rattling off starters who played with the flu.

One of those was quarterback Todd Davis, who turned in a mistake-free game. He scored the game’s first touchdown on a sneak midway through the opening quarter.

For the entire night, running back Tyler Scheffner became Costa Mesa’s workhorse. With running back Josh Erno dealing with flu-like symptoms, Scheffner started for the second straight week and recorded a career night.

The junior carried the ball 28 times for 136 yards and one touchdown. Scheffner’s scoring opportunity came after the defense recovered the first of two fumbles in the game.

Fifteen seconds into the second half, Scheffner lifted Costa Mesa back on top with a 22-yard run. Costa Mesa took a 21-16 lead and Scheffner was on his way to outshining Santa Ana back Frankie Nerida.

Last year, Robert Peralta ran wild on Costa Mesa, finishing with 251 yards and three touchdowns. Osso expected Peralta to play, but Santa Ana assistant coach Luis Ramirez said the senior sat out after a teammate rolled on top of his injured ankle during Wednesday’s practice.

Costa Mesa’s defense decided to roll the Saints in the second half, shutting them out.

The defense intercepted quarterback Chris Avila three times. The first two picks by defensive backs Christian Rangel and Luis Gomez stopped drives in Costa Mesa territory.

The last one saw Brian Waldron rip the ball out off the intended wide receiver’s hands, ending Santa Ana’s last chance to tie the game. Near Santa Ana’s sideline, the senior linebacker intercepted the ball on the Saints’ 36 and returned it 22 yards.

The Mustangs took over with 2:03 left in the game. They ran the ball, trying to score the same way they did the first time in the game.

But an offensive penalty nullified Davis’ sneak for a touchdown, pushing Costa Mesa back to the six. Davis knelt and ran the clock out.

Costa Mesa benefited from playing close to home. Next week it travels to Ocean View.

“In no way, shape or form was this home-field advantage [for us],” said Osso, who needed a drink to celebrate his first career victory against a winning team.

Costa Mesa 24, Santa Ana 16

SCORE BY QUARTERS

Costa Mesa 7-7-7-3--24

Santa Ana 2-14-0-0--16

FIRST QUARTER

CM – Davis 1 run (Farfan kick), 6:48.

SA – Running back tackled in end zone for safety, 2:39.

SECOND QUARTER

SA – Avila 15 run (Diaz kick), 4:58.

SA – Nerida 49 pass from Avila (Diaz kick), 0:49.

CM – Gomez 1 run (Farfan kick), 0:22.

THIRD QUARTER

CM – Scheffner 22 run (Farfan kick), 11:45.

FOURTH QUARTER

CM – Farfan 32 FG, 4:59.

INDIVIDUAL RUSHING

CM – Scheffner, 28-136, 1 TD; Erno, 5-46; Gomez, 7-34, 1 TD; Davis, 6-minus 2, 1 TD; Waldron, 1-minus 7.

SA – Nerida, 20-132; C. Carter, 3-16; Avila, 3-16, 1 TD; A. Carter, 1-9.

INDIVIDUAL PASSING

CM – Davis, 8-19-0, 106.

SA – Avila, 8-18-3, 129, 1 TD.

INDIVIDUAL RECEIVING

CM – Gomez, 2-43; Grayson, 3-34; Waldron, 2-22; Scheffner, 1-7.

SA – Nerida, 3-55, 1 TD; Valdez, 1-33; ; Garcia, 1-22; Martinez, 2-11; Camarillo, 1-8.