City of champions
Two Costa Mesa Pop Warner football teams were victorious in their
respective “Orange Bowl” championship games Saturday and will
continue their seasons.
The Costa Mesa Jr. Pee Wee Black Mustangs defeated the Yorba Linda
Longhorns, 29-0, improving to 11-0. The Mustangs have outscored their
opponents, 335-34, this season.
Mark Contreras scored his 19th and 20th touchdowns on runs of 55
and 60 yards, respectively, and Parker Norton also tallied his 20th
TD on a 4-yard run while catching three passes for 93 yards.
Quarterback Michael Taormina scored on a 6-yard run to cap the
scoring.
Graeme Fraser went 2 for 3 on his two-point conversion kicks and
has gone 40 for 48 this season while adding the first field goal in
Jr. Pee Wee history.
Contreras also connected on a 30-yard halfback pass to Richie
Lowery.
The offensive line was led by Grant McKee, Tyler Henry, Buzzy
Yokoyama, Dillon Miller, Fraser and Dakota Gilbert.
Taormina, Yokoyama, Contreras, Norton, Fraser, Gilbert, Zack
Porteous, Lowery, Henry, Jack Jeffries, and Brandon Kelly (12
tackles) led the defense. Kelly was named Defensive Player of the
Game.
The Mustangs will play the Arizona champion this Saturday and then
compete in the Las Vegas Bowl Dec. 13.
In Pee Wee action:
* Costa Mesa Mustangs 22, Stanton Raiders 0:
Costa Mesa (7-1) advanced to the Wescon regional championship this
Saturday in El Centro against a team from the Palomar Conference
after the shutout over Stanton (8-1).
The first score came three seconds before halftime when Frank
DeNoewer took a handoff from quarterback Todd Davis and ran 4 yards
into the end zone. DeNoewer started Costa Mesa’s drive with a 42-yard
run followed by two strong bursts by Chris Gute. Daniel Derieg gave
the Mustangs a first down on the Stanton 4-yard line to set up
DeNoewer’s score. Davis kicked the two-point conversion.
The first half was dominated by defense, led by Devin Anthony,
Jacob Folsom, Robbie Gemayel and Ben Ward.
DeNoewer broke through for a 74-yard TD run in the fourth quarter,
getting a key block from Tyler French.
Folsom and Gemayel then teamed to sack the Raiders’ quarterback
for a safety. Folsom added the final touchdown of the game on a
32-yard run and soon Mustangs clinched the Division II championship.
A win Saturday and the Mustangs will be the first team in Pop
Warner history to advance to the national championships held Dec.
7-13 in Orlando, Fla.
Call (949) 440-9970 to make a donation for the team’s travel
expenses.
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