Grizzlies defeat Mustangs

The opening drive was a snap for the Costa Mesa High football team Friday night.

But after the Mustangs drove 76 yards on 11 plays to take a 6-0 lead over Orange Coast League visitor Godinez, even snaps proved problematic.

The Grizzlies (4-4, 2-1 in league) benefited from eight fumbled or errant shotgun snaps, including one they recovered for a touchdown, to claim a 27-6 triumph that drops the Mustangs (5-3, 1-2) into the lower half of the six-team league standings.

Costa Mesa’s fortunes took additional hits with injuries to sophomore quarterback Ben Swanson and senior defensive back/receiver Josh Snipes, leaving the Mustangs little trace of the optimism they had generated with a 5-1 start.

Swanson, who capped Mesa’s opening drive with a 10-yard touchdown pass to Christian Villaverde, was crisp from the outset. Swanson completed four of six passes on the march, but was hurt at some point on the possession, as he did not return. Costa Mesa captain Cameron Curet said Swanson, who had missed time with an undisclosed shoulder injury earlier in the season, broke his collarbone.

Villaverde and Curet both took turns at quarterback, but both had trouble fielding snaps, some of which went through their hands.

One shotgun snap got loose with the Mustangs attempting to run out the first-half clock, and Godinez’s Ulises Pompa wound up with it after a wild scramble in the end zone for a touchdown that broke a 6-6 tie with 31 seconds left before intermission.

Godinez junior quarterback Bryan Ibarra broke a 60-yard touchdown run on the third play of the third quarter and the visitors held on to retain a share of second place with Estancia, behind league-leading Calvary Chapel (3-0 in league).

Following its touchdown, Costa Mesa did not cross its own 40-yard line the rest of the first half. The Mustangs made only one trip to the red zone in the second half, reaching the one-yard line. But a bobbled shotgun snap on second down, then two incomplete passes turned the ball over the Godinez.

The Grizzlies went 92 yards on 16 plays for their final touchdown on the ensuing possession. One snap before the three-yard touchdown run by Richy Tochihuitl finalized the scoring, Snipes was caught in a pile near the goal line. He remained down for 26 minutes, before being loaded in an ambulance on a backboard.

The extent of his injury was unclear.

Costa Mesa had 69 yards at halftime and finished with 149, as its passing game fizzled following Swanson’s exit and 21 of its 31 rushing attempts failed to produce more than four yards.

Swanson’s two backups were a combined three for 14 passing.

Curet, who rushed for 37 yards on 13 attempts, connected with junior receiver Eddie Vargas for a 34-yard gain to the Godinez 13-yard line on the Mesa drive that created its best second-half scoring chance.

Ibarra found success in the shotgun formation. He rushed for 151 yards on 20 attempts and completed eight of 12 passes for another 44 yards.

Godinez produced 334 yards of total offense to earn its biggest margin of its three all-time wins over the Mustangs.

Senior tailback Jonathan Brucales had 50 yards on 13 rushing attempts for Mesa, which likely needs wins against Saddleback on Thursday and Calvary Chapel on Nov. 6 to claim one of the league’s three guaranteed berths into the CIF Southern Section Southern Division playoffs.

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Godinez 27, Costa Mesa 6

SCORE BY QUARTERS

Godinez 6 – 6 – 8 – 7 – 27

Costa Mesa 6 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 6

FIRST QUARTER

CM – Villaverde 10 pass from B. Swanson (kick failed), 8:42.

G – Banuelos 1 run (kick failed), 1:03.

SECOND QUARTER

G – Pompa fumble recovery in end zone (run failed), 0:31.

THIRD QUARTER

G – Ibarra 60 run (Verduzco run), 10:21.

FOURTH QUARTER

G – Tochihuitl 3 run (Sosa kick), 6:06.

INDIVIDUAL RUSHING

G – Ibarra, 20-151, 1 TD.

CM – Brucales, 13-50; Curet, 13-37.

INDIVIDUAL PASSING

G – Ibarra, 8-12-0, 44.

CM – B. Swanson, 4-6-0, 37, 1 TD; Curet, 3-9-1, 49.

INDIVIDUAL RECEIVING

G – Zotea, 3-19.

CM – Vargas, 2-39; Curet, 2-22.