Protection helps Mesa bag first win

Rick Devereux

There was no mistaking what opposing football teams wanted to do

against Costa Mesa High.

“If I was playing us, I’d blitz us,” Coach Tom Baldwin said.

Defenses have sacked quarterback Ryan French 33 times this year,

mostly from blitzing linebackers and safeties. It was one of the

reasons why the Mustangs were winless in their first five games.

But French was not sacked in Friday’s 38-24 Golden West League win

over Santa Ana. It was the first game this year the Mesa signal

caller was not thrown for a loss on nine pass attempts. It was also

the first game this year the Mesa (1-5, 1-1 in league) team walked

away with a victory.

“We ran some quick plays to the outside early that got [the

Saints] out of their blitzing,” Baldwin said. “We did a much better

job of getting the ball on the perimeter.”

Outside plays may have had an impact on stopping the blitz, but

opportune play-calling was also a factor.

“[Santa Ana] would blitz one side and we would run to the other

side,” Baldwin said. “That’s how Tyler [Legg] had some big gains.

Blitzing does that. It’s high risk and high reward.”

Baldwin knows all about high risk and high reward when it comes to

blitzing because the Mustangs utilize an attacking defense that was

torched for big plays at the beginning of the year but has settled

down recently.

“We haven’t allowed a big play in three weeks,” Baldwin said. “We

were really young. We had about three [defensive] starters back [from

last year]. We have eliminated our mistakes.”

Baldwin said the team prepared for the Santa Ana game very well.

“I was very happy with the way we practiced last week,” Baldwin

said. “It can be hard to go out and practice every day, especially

when things aren’t going well and you’re not winning games.”

Now that the Mustangs have entered the win column, Baldwin

believes the attitude of the team will improve.

“That was a very important win for us,” he said. “Everything will

go better at practice and it lets us think we have chance against

Saddleback [Friday].”

Baldwin said senior defensive tackle Erick Moreno broke his ankle

in the fourth quarter and is out for the season.

Costa Mesa plays Saddleback (3-2, 1-1) Friday at the Santa Ana

Bowl in another Golden West League showdown.

* NEWPORT HARBOR: Heading into Friday’s game against Mira Costa,

Coach Jeff Brinkley knew the Mustangs’ defensive line would be tough

to block, especially highly regarded noseguard Justin Reece

(6-foot-3, 230 pounds). After the Sailors racked up 134 rushing yards

in Friday’s 28-14 win, Brinkley said he was impressed with how the

Newport Harbor (5-0) team stepped up to the challenge.

“Our offensive line played pretty well for the most part,”

Brinkley said. “Their big noseguard is one of the top defensive

linemen in the Southland and he creates problems against every team

they face. For the most part, we blocked him well. We were pressured

sometimes when we were throwing it and had to move the pocket around,

but we did well.”

Injuries -- an ongoing problem with the Sailors this year --

forced Brinkley to shuffle the offensive line. Starting center Chris

Taylor hurt his ankle and starting guard Saami Khalifian had a stiff

knee, but Brinkley said the backups filled in nicely.

“We played three centers and four guards in that game,” Brinkley

said. “We’re pleased that we’re getting [a contribution] out of our

reserves. Our starters stepped up and found another gear.”

Even though the Mustangs were nursing injuries of their own -- the

starting quarterback hurt his ribs in the second game of the year --

Brinkley was happy with the win.

“It was a physical game, which was good for us,” Brinkley said.

“It was a long trip [to Manhattan Beach]. We had to play a team that

is physical and a school that knows how to win. The whole situation

and the whole environment, it was a good win.”

Brinkley said he expects Khalifian and Taylor to be available

Friday against Foothill (2-3) in the Sea View League opener for both

teams.

Linebacker Taylor Young, who missed the first two games due to

broken foot, suffered what is believed to be a mild concussion in the

Mira Costa game. Brinkley expects Young to play this week.

Starting defensive linemen Ryan Uhl and Sean Rowe did not play

because of an ankle injury and concussion, respectively, but Brinkley

expects both to play Friday.

Trevor Theriot, the running back/linebacker sidelined the last two

games after dislocating his left elbow Sept. 23 against Corona del

Mar, is also expected to play against the Knights.

* SAGE HILL: Lightning Coach Tom Monarch is a firm believer in the

old adage that practice makes perfect. He credits the way the team

practiced for the 31-6 win over Viewpoint Friday.

“I think [our practices] were a tremendous factor [in how we

played],” he said. “I’d have to say, in 17 years of coaching, you’re

going to play how you practice.”

Sage Hill (4-1) is off to its best season in the three-year

history of the varsity program, thanks in large part to second-half

adjustments. In the four wins, the Lightning have outscored their

opponents, 59-15, after halftime. Against the Patriots, Sage Hill

scored 17 points on their three second-half possessions.

“I’m very pleased with our second half,” Monarch said. “We were a

little lethargic in the first half, but we played well in the second

half.”

Monarch said the coaching staff made adjustments in the second

half, but he was hoping the players would be able to figure things

out on their own.

“Viewpoint came out in a little different defense than what they

had run in the past,” Monarch said. “They were running a standard

four-four with their ends lining up on the tight end or with an

outside shade to the tackles. For us, they wanted to take away the

inside runs of [fullback Don] Ayres out of the equation, so the end

played our tackles head up and then would slant inside. It’s no one

player’s responsibility [to adjust]. We needed more communication on

the [offensive] line. I wish we had more field sense. Mind you, this

is the first half. In the second half, we played great.”

Monarch was pleased with the downfield blocking of receivers Nick

Sohl and Braden Ross. Their blocks, along with those of the offensive

line, allowed Sage Hill to rush for 257 yards and control the clock.

On their final drive, the Lightning offense held onto the ball for

more than seven minutes. When the drive stalled inside the Viewpoint

20, kicker Amy Werblin nailed a 36-yard field goal.

“From 40 yards in, she’s automatic,” Monarch said. “That gives our

offense a lot of confidence knowing that we have a reliable kicker.”

Sage Hill hosts Silver Valley (2-3) Friday. The homecoming game

will start at 7 p.m. under temporary lights in the program’s first

home night game.

* ESTANCIA: For the second consecutive week, the Eagles faced a

highly-regarded opponent. And for the second consecutive week, the

Eagles played well-enough to win, but came up short.

In Thursday’s, 41-34, nonleague loss to Garden Grove, Coach Craig

Fertig said he saw many things that are cause for celebration. But he

saw others that are cause for concern.

“We’re doing pretty well, but we’re not winning,” he said. “We

make big plays and we make dumb plays. If we can be consistent, we

will win some of these games.”

No matter the outcome of a play, Fertig said he doesn’t have to

second-guess the team’s willingness to win.

“The guys all want to do something,” Fertig said. “They all want

to hit home runs. Just hit a single. Their effort is tremendous. I

need to somehow harness that effort.”

Garden Grove jumped out to a 27-14 lead in the first half, taking

advantage of poor Estancia play.

“We had a pretty lousy week of practice coming into the [Garden

Grove] game,” Fertig said. “You play like you practice and it

showed.”

Some of the poor play could be blamed on sub-par practices, but

other circumstances also played a factor.

“The bus was late, we got stuck in traffic, and we had to rush

everything in the beginning,” Fertig said. “I’m a big routine guy and

we were out of our routine. We had to rush through our pregame

[warmups] and we were way off to start the game. We were off kilter.

What I really enjoy about this team is they came out and played hard

in the second half.”

Fertig said the effort has been impressive, even if the outcome

has been disappointing.

“I don’t worry about their heart,” he said. “I’d rather be where

I’m at right now instead of begging them to play.”

Estancia (2-3, 0-1 in the Golden West League) play Ocean View

(1-4, 0-1) Friday at Orange Coast College in a league contest.

* CORONA DEL MAR: The Sea Kings used its bye week to go back to

the fundamentals.

“We just got in shape and worked on our techniques,” Coach Dick

Freeman said. “It’s nice. I wish we had an extra week after every

game.”

CdM (3-2) travels to Westminster Saturday to open Pacific Coast

League play against Calvary Chapel (2-3).