Mustangs bow out with bravado

GARDEN GROVE — It was a bit of senior silliness, really, an opportunity to jump one last time through a window of opportunity that closes on everyone playing in their last high school football game.

But the leap Costa Mesa High senior outside linebacker Cody De La Mater made off the back of a Mustangs defensive lineman into the Pacifica backfield before the snap late in Pacifica’s 34-0 victory in the first round of the CIF Southern Section Southern Division playoffs, was, perhaps a fitting metaphor for the Mustangs’ improbable season.

After an 0-7 start on the field (though one loss was later reversed by forfeit), Costa Mesa won two of its final three games to claim a share of the Orange Coast League title and the school’s first playoff berth since 2002.

Some leap, indeed.

So, as the seconds ticked away on the Mustangs’ first postseason game in five seasons, De La Mater’s dive drew laughter from coaches and players on the Mesa sideline, as well as penalty flags from officials, who marched off 14 yards for a personal foul, half the distance to the goal.

Seconds later, Costa Mesa Coach Jeremy Osso used a timeout to allow De La Mater to exit the game, to the applause of the Costa Mesa rooters with 46 seconds left.

“I said I was going to do that [LaVar Arrington-type leap] before I graduated,” said De La Mater, a three-year varsity veteran whose work on both sides of the ball was crucial to whatever success his team enjoyed this fall.

After the next play, Osso called timeout to salute senior standout John Salyer, a safety and tailback. And Osso called his final timeout one play later, allowing the remaining seniors to come to the sideline, with a handshake and a pat on the helmet from Osso.

The remaining seniors included Jorge Sandoval, Eddie Rodriguez and Rudy Hernandez. With the addition of senior Tamas Gyorfi, sidelined by injury Friday, at Bolsa Grande High, the six seniors represented a foundation that Osso hopes the program can build upon.

“There’s a lot of things we have to work on,” said Osso, whose team (3-8) was overwhelmed by the Mariners (8-2), who amassed 524 yards of total offense to the Mustangs’ 105.

“We need to get a lot stronger,” Osso said. “Every time we ran up against a big team, like Pacifica, Estancia, Rim of the World, Savanna, Irvine, Rancho Alamitos — I can go right down the list — we got pushed around.”

The same was true Friday, though the Mustangs made a few shoves of their own.

Down, 13-0, Costa Mesa moved the ball to the Mariners’ six-yard line, before a lost fumble erased a scoring opportunity that might have lifted the visitors’ confidence.

Then, with the Empire League tri-champions leading, 27-0, a Costa Mesa march to the Pacifica 12 ended when the quarterback was hit while delivering a pass, leading to an interception near the end of the first half.

Pacifica, fueled by the efficient and productive passing of junior quarterback Raymond Huizar, used seven plays to drive 80 yards to score with its first possession after halftime to cap the scoring.

Huizar collected 230 of his 269 passing yards before intermission and finished 12 of 18 with four touchdown passes.

Sophomore Luther Tolbert spearheaded the Mariners’ ground attack, producing 102 yards on 14 carries, including the team’s only rushing touchdown.

Largely relying on Huizar’s right arm, Pacifica scored on droves of 82, 81, 47 and 35 yards to open a 27-0 halftime lead.

De La Mater, who popped a 46-yard run, led Costa Mesa rushers with 51 yards on six attempts.

Mesa finished with 38 rushing yards on 26 attempts and produced 67 yards through the air.

Pacifica had 24 first downs to the Mustangs’ six, extending Costa Mesa’s postseason losing streak to seven, including its last six first-round games.

It was the third time Costa Mesa has been shut out in a playoff game, and the 34-point margin was the third-biggest in the Mustangs’ 15 playoff setbacks.

“I wanted to give our seniors a proper exit,” Osso said. “Hopefully, our other guys got a chance to see the looks in those seniors’ eyes this week as they prepared for this game. We’re hoping this can be a foundation.”

BARRY FAULKNER may be reached at (714) 966-4615 or at [email protected].

FIRST QUARTER

Pac – Trader 39 pass from Ray. Huizar (Trader kick), 3:28.

SECOND QUARTER

Pac – Leonard 11 pass from Ray. Huizar (kick failed), 11:37.

Pac – Mahler 24 pass from Ray. Huizar (Trader kick), 4:23.

Pac – Ortiz 11 pass from Ray. Huizar (Trader kick), 1:04.

THIRD QUARTER

Pac – Tolbert 1 run (Trader kick), 6:50.

INDIVIDUAL RUSHING

CM – De La Mater, 6-51; Salyer, 5-14; Byrd, 6-1; Gemayel, 6-0; Waldron, 3-minus 28.

Pac – Tolbert, 14-102, 1 TD; Solomon, 11-51; Mendez, 4-22; Saludes, 1-13; Lum. 1-9; Nguyen, 1-9; Hemmor, 1-8; Ramos, 2-6; Ray. Huizar, 2-1; Ortiz, 1-0; Team, 3-minus 3.

INDIVIDUAL PASSING

CM – Waldron, 4-15-1, 42; Gemayel, 1-1-0, 25.

Pac – Ray. Huizar, 12-18-1, 269, 4 TDs; Ortiz, 1-1-0, 16; Weymans, 0-1-0.

INDIVIDUAL RECEIVING

CM – Byrd, 3-33; L. Gomez, 1-22; Salyer, 1-12.

Pac – Mahler, 3-83, 1 TD; Ortiz, 4-55, 1 TD; Rap. Huizar, 2-57; Trader, 1-39, 1 TD; Leonard, 2-27, 1 TD; Solomon, 1-24.