Mesa upset bid fizzles against OCL champion Calvary Chapel

For most of Friday’s high school football battle between the first- and last-place teams in the Orange Coast League, it was difficult to tell which team was which.

Ultimately, however, visiting Calvary Chapel used big plays to pull away for a 34-9 triumph that finalized its unbeaten league campaign. The Eagles (7-3, 5-0 in league), ranked No. 9 in the CIF Southern Section Southern Division, advance to the CIF playoffs on a five-game winning streak.

Conversely, Costa Mesa (5-5, 1-4), lost its fourth straight to most likely close what once was a promising season.

The Mustangs are potentially a candidate for one of the division’s two at-large playoff berths. But Canyon, which forfeited two league wins this week, yet defeated Brea Olinda to finish 5-5, will likely claim one at-large entry. And Ocean View, which needed a win on Friday over previously winless Loara to improve to 5-5 and has a win over an Estancia team that defeated Costa Mesa, 23-0, is a strong bet to claim the second at-large spot.

Costa Mesa could have greatly enhanced its chances with a win, and it remained in position to do just that toward the end of the third quarter.

The Mustangs played the Eagles even, 7-7, in the first half and when Helper Kisino tackled Calvary Chapel’s Braeden Stack in the end zone for a safety, the hosts pulled within 13-9 with 4:03 left in the third period.

Senior Cameron Curet returned the ensuing free-kick punt 30 yards to the Calvary 27-yard line and a personal foul on the play set the Mustangs up at the 13. But after a one-yard gain and a sack, Calvary outside linebacker Luke Thompson intercepted a pass thrown across the field and returned it 75 yards for a touchdown.

Calvary Chapel produced touchdowns on its next two possessions to prevail — and celebrate.

Costa Mesa was its own worst enemy for much of the contest. The Mustangs had three passes intercepted and committed 19 penalties for 132 yards. They also were hurt badly at the end of the first half, when timeouts squandered for organizational purposes earlier in the half, left them with no way to stop the clock in the final minute. The Mustangs’ final first-half possession ended with a pass play to the Eagles’ five-yard line, negating their attempt to take a halftime lead.

Calvary Chapel played at less than championship caliber until the final 20 minutes, as it amassed 125 penalty yards on 13 infractions and had one player ejected.

Costa Mesa senior tailback Jonathan Brucales finished with 85 rushing yards on 18 carries, including a 33-yard burst that jump-started his team’s ill-fated final first-half possession.

Curet, shifting from receiver to quarterback, added 62 yards on 10 rushing attempts, and Snipes caught three passes for 30 yards to go with an interception.

Snipes made a lunging catch of an arching Christian Villaverde spiral at the back of the end zone for a 14-yard payoff that allowed Mesa to tie the game early in the second quarter.

The Mustangs’ defense was inspired early, as linebackers Cody Merrifield (two sacks) and Brucales (a handful of hurries) helped pressure Calvary quarterback Patrick Glasgow and stymie several running plays in the opening three quarters.

Sophomore noseguard Angel Valle (one sack), Snipes and Curet also created consistent problems for the Calvary offense, though the Eagles ultimately stacked their stats with touchdown passes of 55 and 51 yards, as well as two more gains of 26 (run) and 25 (pass).

Glasgow finished 17 of 30 for 256 yards and three touchdowns, while Stack, the probable league MVP, had 87 rushing yards and 94 more yards receiving.

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Calvary Chapel 34, Costa Mesa 9

SCORE BY QUARTERS

Calvary Chapel 7 – 0 – 13 – 14– 34

Costa Mesa 0 – 7 – 2 – 0 – 9

FIRST QUARTER

CC – Bustillos 7 pass from Glasgow (Headington kick), 0:01.

SECOND QUARTER

CM – Snipes 14 pass from Villaverde (Curet kick), 9:47.

THIRD QUARTER

CC – Rogers 51 pass from Glasgow (kick failed), 6:04.

CM – Safety, ballcarrier tackled in end zone, 4:03.

CC – Thompson 75 interception return (Headington kick), 2:20.

FOURTH QUARTER

CC – Stack 55 pass from Glasgow (Headington kick), 10:50.

CC – Bustillos 9 run (Headington kick), 2:22.

INDIVIDUAL RUSHING

CC – Stack, 15-87.

CM – Brucales, 18-85; Curet, 10-62.

INDIVIDUAL PASSING

CC – Glasgow, 17-30-1, 256, 3 TDs.

CM – Villaverde, 6-21-3, 77, 1TD.

INDIVIDUAL RECEIVING

CC – Stack, 4-94, 1 TD.

CM – Snipes, 3-30, 1 TD.