Mustangs, minus coach, overcome Calvary

NEWPORT BEACH — With fellow seniors Josh Lowe out for the season and Kirkland Huynh hobbled with a nagging ankle injury, receiver Asa Hawks knew he had to step up.

He did just that, and Costa Mesa High is still alive in the CIF Southern Section Southern Division playoff race.

Hawks caught two touchdown passes from Cody Waldron in the Mustangs’ 21-14 win over Calvary Chapel on Friday at Newport Harbor High, keeping Costa Mesa (3-6, 1-1 in the Orange Coast League) in the hunt.

Steven Nguyen had a key fourth-quarter interception for the Mustangs, who can make the playoffs with a win next week against Laguna Beach on homecoming night.

They played Friday night without Coach Jeremy Osso, serving a one-game suspension given by school administration. But interim coach Bill Lux said that might have been just what Costa Mesa needed.

“When you have your head coach not here, the kids were very aware of that and fired up,” said Lux, normally the Mustangs’ offensive coordinator. “They wanted to play hard for Coach Osso. I think that was the thing needed to get over the hump.”

Calvary Chapel (2-7, 0-2) scored on the first drive of the game, as quarterback Vinnie Valdez took the Eagles downfield and found Cameron Baird on a leaping touchdown grab.

But Valdez appeared to be injured on the drive and did not return to the game, and Baird took his place at quarterback.

On Senior Night, the Mustangs rode senior running back D.J. Lepper, who rushed for 144 yards on 34 carries, for much of the game. After a 55-yard drive stalled on Costa Mesa’s first drive, the Mustangs put together a 50-yard drive early in the second quarter.

Lepper ran the ball six times on the drive, which ended with Waldron finding Hawks on an eight-yard slant, and Hawks carrying two Calvary Chapel defenders into the end zone for the tying score.

“Josh is out, and Kirkland had hurt his ankle, so I guess it was just between me and D.J.,” Hawks said. “We played good, but had our mental mistakes. Luckily, we limited them and came out with a win.”

The Mustangs appeared to take the lead on their next drive, but Lepper’s 69-yard touchdown run was called back for holding.

It didn’t matter, after Waldron found Hawks wide open for a 30-yard touchdown pass with 1:50 left before halftime.

“Asa came up big this week,” Lux said. “We were itching to get Asa vertical and use his speed. That’s a huge weapon for us.”

Calvary Chapel tied the score at 14-all on its first possession of the second half, when Baird completed a 21-yard touchdown pass to Ben Lawson.

Hawks appeared to take the ensuing kickoff return for a 75-yard touchdown, but the Mustangs were called for holding. So instead, they kept pounding it with Lepper, who carried in from a yard out to give Costa Mesa a 21-14 lead with 5:19 left in the third quarter.

“We were thinking tonight that it was all or nothing,” Lepper said. “We just came out and wanted it more in the end, and hope is still alive for the playoffs.”

Nguyen’s interception near the goal line with 9:36 left in the game stopped an Eagles drive.

After a Costa Mesa three-and-out, Calvary Chapel drove again, getting to the Mustangs six-yard line. But after a one-yard run and two incomplete passes, Baird, was emphatically sacked by Lepper to end the threat.