Mustangs covering all the angles

Barry Faulkner

COSTA MESA - The Costa Mesa High defense, which prides itself on

holding opposing blockers accountable, hopes it won’t be forced to run

for cover when the Mustangs host Pacifica in a CIF Southern Section

Division IX first-round football playoff game Friday at 7 p.m. at Orange

Coast College.

Mesa (8-2 and the No. 3 seed) regularly unleashes as many as eight

defenders toward the opposing backfield from its four-four scheme.

But pass-happy Pacifica (6-4), which often deploys three- and

four-receiver sets, could force the Mustangs to alter their approach.

“We may be a little more (pass) coverage oriented,” Mesa Coach Jerry

Howell said. “(The Mariners) runs trips and diamond (four receivers) and

empty (no backs) and they try to get someone open some place. If we just

send people, they may throw 10 and complete two, but those two might be

touchdowns.”

Senior quarterback Joey Fuske has thrown 13 touchdown passes this fall,

completing 88 of 179 attempts for 1,355 yards, with five interceptions.

Senior receivers Jeremy Lovelace (33 catches for 557 yards) and Jeff

Weber (32 for 527) will require the constant focus of Mesa cornerbacks

Greg Stewart and Jake Cleveland, as well as safety Willy Franco.

The Mariners, who finished third in the Garden Grove League to earn their

fifth straight playoff berth, have scored 371 points with Fuske pulling

the trigger.

They are not without a running game, however, as senior Jared Kemp has

775 yards on 149 carries. Kemp has scored 17 TDs and Weber has 12.

Mesa’s defense, keyed by senior inside linebackers Shaun Ferryman and

Jason Rankin, surrendered 1,076 yards passing yards in the regular

season. Nearly half of those (451) came against the two most prolific

passing teams on their schedule, Laguna Beach and Westminster. The

Mustangs have, however, amassed 32 sacks and 14 interceptions,

illustrating part of their hit-or-miss defensive philosophy.

Mesa isn’t the only defense facing a challenge in this clash, however, as

the Mariners must deal with Orange County’s leading rusher in junior

tailback C.J. Zuniga.

Zuniga, with 1,937 yards on 274 carries, has also scored 28 touchdowns,

one short of tying the school single-season record set by Charles Chatman

in 1994. Zuniga has 2,399 all-purpose yards (rushing, receiving and

returns).

Zuniga, however, may be without two key blockers, should fullback Antony

Grubisich (pinched nerve in his neck) and guard Luther Mitchell (sprained

ankle) not be able to answer the bell.

Daniel Hunter, who filled in capably for Grubisich in Week 7, is the

contingency plan at fullback, while either Bobby Dandy or just promoted

freshman Andrew Carich would assume Mitchell’s spot.

The Mesa offense has done more than in recent years to keep defenses from

stacking the line to stuff the run. Senior quarterback Dave Weir has

thrown for 750 yards and five TDs (51 of 101 with seven interceptions).

Wideouts Ferryman (16 catches for 301 yards and three TDs) and Louis Day

(10 catches for 111 yards) are joined by tight end Franco (16 for 231

yards and one TD) as Weir’s primary targets.

Weir, who may shift from outside linebacker to end if Grubisich can’t go,

has also rushed for 364 yards and seven TDs.

Zuniga would move into Weir’s linebacking spot, if need be. He has played

sporadically on defense, but Howell has elected to preserve Zuniga’s

strength for his ballcarrying chores.

Howell, who with last week’s 14-0 triumph over Corona del Mar moved ahead

of Tom French atop the school’s coaching victory list with 35 wins in

five seasons, is uncertain about how his team will respond to the

challege of its school-record fourth straight postseason.

“We could beat any of our four potential opponents, but we could lose to

any of them, too,” said Howell, 1-4 in the playoffs with Mesa.

The Mustangs whose Pacific Coast League co-championship is only the

school’s fourth in 40 varsity seasons, are 7-11 in their previous 10

playoff trips. They are 5-5 in the first round.

Pacifica Coach Bill Craven, who ranks No. 5 on the Orange County career

victory list with 181, knows a little something about postseason success.

He guided the Mariners to the Division VIII finals in 1996 and the

Southern Conference title game in 1978. Pacifica, which has never played

Costa Mesa, has won its last three first-round games.

Friday’s winner would advance to meet either La Habra or Western in the

Nov. 26 quarterfinals.