Costa Mesa draws the line

Joseph Boo

COSTA MESA - Linemen are the ones who rarely get personal glory,

and they’re usually only noticed during games when a holding call

happens.

Well, don’t tell that to Costa Mesa’s freshman football team. Its

offensive line was the most noticeable item in a 42-7 victory over

cross-town rival Estancia (1-5) at Costa Mesa High in an appetizer for

tonight’s Battle for the Bell between the varsity teams.

The Mustangs’ line, led by Andrew Carich, opened up huge holes for their

running backs to key Mesa’s third straight win in the series.

“I think Carich did a good job leading the kids, and the line did a good

job getting holes open,” Costa Mesa Coach John Carney said as his team

improved to 4-2..

The main benefactors of the wide open space were running backs Kaeola

Aswega and Jason Hurley. Aswega rushed for 194 yards and three touchdowns

on 17 carries. Hurley only carried the ball three times, all in the

second quarter, but got three touchdown runs for 114 yards. His first

run, for 60 yards, was the biggest play of the game.

The game started off well for Estancia. The opening kickoff from the

Eagles was a short kick that bounced around. Joe Rios landed on the loose

ball to give Estancia the opening drive of the game.

On the first play though, Adam Beltran picked off a pass to give Costa

Mesa possession at its own 17. Estancia got the ball back 20 seconds

later when Costa Mesa fumbled a handoff and Carlos Rios landed on it.

Costa Mesa eventually got the ball back and scored its first TD when

Aswega ran for a 6-yard score off the right side. Aswega scored again

four seconds into the second quarter with a 3-yard plunge.

Then the Hurley show began. Off the same fullback trap play, Hurley

scored three touchdowns in under seven minutes. The first one was a

60-yarder where he ran untouched after the line of scrimmage. He also

added 17 and 37 yard touchdown runs.

“Mesa just dominated us on the offensive and defensive line,” Estancia

Coach Tim Parsel said.

Indeed, not only did the offensive line dominate the line of scrimmage,

but the Mustangs’ defense limited the Eagles to 57 rushing yards. Ivan

Diaz and Armando Marquina busted through the line with regularity to

disrupt plays. Costa Mesa also got three interceptions from Beltran, Eric

Lilly and Adam Donovan.

Estancia finally scored in the fourth quarter, thanks to some trickery.

Halfback Jason Ramirez threw two halfback option passes. The first one

was incomplete, but the second one was a 36-yard pass to a wide open Eric

Williams. Quarterback Bobby Estrada then threw a 4-yard out to Victor

Carmona four seconds into the fourth quarter.

Carmona, Estancia’s most dangerous back was limited to 25 yards.

Estancia’s defense played tough in the second half. Costa Mesa had to

punt for the first time on its first drive in the half, and it failed to

convert a fourth down when Eagle linebacker Eric Anderson knocked down a

pass. Costa Mesa failed on another fourth down and it’s only second half

touchdown came when the first unit returned for a series.

“We have a bunch of inexperienced guys,” Parsel said. “Playing Mesa will

give them some experience. We were able to get all our subs in so that

was good. Everybody played.”

Everybody did play, and both Estancia and Costa Mesa’s players got a

taste for the rivalry. And a couple of years from now, Estancia’s players

can look for revenge in the big game.