Huntington Beach Holds On to Beat Tustin for First Victory of Season

TUSTIN —  The breaks and bounces went Huntington Beach’s way, and with them came the team’s first victory of the season.

For Tustin, it was another frustrating loss, its 10th in a row.

Jason Bartusick kicked a 21-yard field goal with 11 minutes 4 seconds remaining in the game and the Oilers held on for a 13-10 nonleague victory over host Tustin on Friday night.

The Oilers (1-3) stopped a late threat by the Tillers, who drove to the Oilers’ 25 with more than two minutes left, but came away empty.

A relieved Huntington Beach Coach George Pascoe just shook his head.

“When you’re 0-3, you don’t know how to put a game away.”

Tustin (0-4) had a first down at the Oilers’ 25 after a 36-yard reception by sophomore Pierre Sanjurjo from quarterback Kevin Timone with 2:44 left. Tustin coaches believed they would get additional yardage when an official threw a flag after Sanjurjo appeared to be the victim of a late hit. But the officials ruled no penalty was committed.

Four plays later, the drive stalled, as Huntington Beach stopped Timone on fourth down at its 27, then ran out the clock.

Tustin never trailed until Bartusick kicked the game-winner. The Tillers took a 7-0 lead on a 19-yard touchdown run by fullback Gabe Nava with 7:20 left in the first quarter. Huntington Beach tied the score on a two-yard run by tailback Brenton Wood with 5:35 remaining in the second quarter.

Tustin took a 10-7 lead with 2:08 remaining in the quarter on Ryan Bunch’s 41-yard field goal. But a 50-yard field by Bartusick, which hit the center of the crossbar, then bounced over, left the two teams tied, 10-10, at halftime.