Mustangs keep rolling

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COSTA MESA — Three high schools in the Orange Coast League call Jim Scott Stadium home this year.

Costa Mesa, Calvary Chapel and Estancia play their home games at the facility, which is in its second year playing host to football games under the lights at Estancia. On the field, there are Mustang and Eagle logos representing the schools.

Costa Mesa’s mascot belongs in the middle because it owns the league the three teams compete in again.

The Mustangs were the visitors Friday against Calvary Chapel, but they felt right at home. Costa Mesa prevailed, 31-7, clinching a CIF Southern Section Southern Division playoff berth after winning its eighth straight league game dating back to the 2007 season.

The No. 10-ranked Mustangs enter the upcoming bye week on top of the league with a 3-0 record. The Mustangs are 6-3 overall, making it the first time they have won six games since the 2002 season.

The regular-season finale is Nov. 13 against Laguna Beach. Costa Mesa will have to close out its bid for a second straight undefeated league season on the road.

The Mustangs’ first three league games have each been at Jim Scott Stadium. Costa Mesa can’t wait to travel because it became outright league champ last year by beating the Breakers at the end of league.

The title might be decided in the same fashion.

“Déjà vu,” Costa Mesa Coach Jeremy Osso said. “If [the Breakers] beat Estancia [next week], we go into that last game for the league title.

“Estancia is doing a good job. [The Eagles are] going to give Laguna Beach all [it] can [handle]. I’m not going to make that prediction.”

The Breakers, who are 2-0 in league, played a nonleague game Friday night.

An Estancia victory against Laguna Beach gives the Mustangs three straight league championships, a first in the program’s history.

When asked if he’s rooting for his alma mater, Estancia, to upset Laguna Beach, Osso paused and smiled before answering.

“I’m rooting that we continue to get better,” said Osso, who’s enjoying his most successful season in four years as the head coach at the school. “We struggled a little bit offensively in the first half. That’s why we didn’t take the starters out.

“We needed to work through some problems and we worked through some problems.”

On their final two drives of the game, the Mustangs executed.

They showed glimpses of last week’s offense, which posted 42 points.

In the fourth quarter against Calvary Chapel (4-4, 0-2), Costa Mesa scored 10 points. Six came on Josh Erno’s third touchdown of the game.

Erno scored on a 22-yard run with 93 seconds left, capping a career night for rushing touchdowns. The senior carried the ball eight times for 79 yards.

“We just wanted to go to CIF,” said Erno, who also intercepted a pass. “Our first goal is to be undefeated league champs.”

The Mustangs are one victory away from accomplishing the feat.

Calvary Chapel did little to become the first team to derail Costa Mesa. The Mustangs jumped out to a 14-0 first-quarter lead after an Erno four-yard run and a 10-yard pass by quarterback Todd Davis to Luis Gomez.

Beside the 82-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by Brandon Perez in the first quarter, the only highlights for the Eagles were provided by the public address announcer.

The person in the booth entertained the home crowd by singing happy birthday to teenagers and offering scrapbooks to fans during the game. Costa Mesa’s defense was the reason why Calvary Chapel had little to cheer on homecoming night.

The Mustangs allowed 88 yards of total offense, and until the 6:49 mark in the fourth, Calvary Chapel threw for negative yards.

When Calvary Chapel threatened midway through the third quarter, Travis Whitlock blocked a 25-yard field-goal attempt.

Tyler Sheffner came up with the live ball near the 13 and ran with it before being tackled near midfield.

By then, Costa Mesa was on its way to leaving its mark on the field.

Costa Mesa 31, Calvary Chapel 7

SCORE BY QUARTERS

Costa Mesa 14-0-7-10--31

Calvary Chapel 7-0-0-0--7

FIRST QUARTER

CM – Erno 4 run (Farfan kick), 8:32.

CM – Gomez 10 pass from Davis (Farfan kick), 4:28.

CC – Perez 82 kickoff return (Hisa kick), 4:14.

THIRD QUARTER

CM – Erno 30 run (Farfan kick), 3:53.

FOURTH QUARTER

CM – Farfan 40 FG, 7:14.

CM – Erno 22 run (Farfan kick), 1:33.

INDIVIDUAL RUSHING

CM – Sheffner, 9-97; Erno, 8-79, 3 TDs; Gomez, 4-17; Davis, 3-5.

CC – Perez, 12-44; Tanaka, 10-36; Perez, 12-44; Lansdell, 1-3; Tizon, 1-2; McDaniel, 1-minus 5; McLuckey, 3-minus 7.

INDIVIDUAL PASSING

CM – Davis, 22-30-0, 193, 1 TD.

CC – McLuckey, 5-12-1, 15.

INDIVIDUAL RECEIVING

CM – Gomez, 7-84, 1 TD; Waldron, 8-70; Erno, 5-31; Sheffner, 1-5; Rangel, 1-3.

CC – Perez, 2-10; Lansdell, 1-4; Vasquez, 1-3; McDaniel, 1-minus 2.