Mesa stampedes Warriors, 55-14

Richard Dunn

LONG BEACH - You get spoiled winning, and playing on nice football

fields.

And, while Saturday night’s nonleague encounter against host Brethren

Christian High of Huntington Beach was played on something other than a

field of dreams (St. Anthony’s Clark Field), at least Coach Jerry

Howell’s Costa Mesa Mustangs could be remembered for a few things after

their 55-14 victory.

Among them:

* A multi-tiered rushing attack with Alvin Nguyen (154 yards on 10

carries) and Keola Asuega (118-16) as the primary beneficiaries behind a

bruising Mesa offensive line.

* A passing game for more than 100 yards.

* A defense that recorded five sacks for minus-29 yards.

* Only one negative-yardage offensive play the entire game.

* No punts.

* And, finally, the coach being accused after the game on the field by

a Brethren Christian parent of running up the score in the Mustangs’ big

win. And why, late in the third quarter with a 42-14 lead, he called for

a fake punt on fourth and 10.

Howell didn’t think he had to defend himself at a time when Mesa was

at midfield, moving the ball on the ground and eating up time in a

lopsided affair. But, in front of the same parental complainer, Howell

turned to a reporter he has known for years and asked: “Do you think I

have integrity?”

The finishing touch for Mesa (4-1) was its fifth sack of the game on

talented Warriors quarterback Kyle Painter as time ran out. It was backup

Mustang defensive end Carlos Alderete putting the clamps on Painter, who

in two seasons against Costa Mesa has been sacked nine times and

intercepted four times.

The Mustangs, who scored on six of their first seven possessions (they

lost a first-quarter fumble), were running up the middle with ease and

scored seven rushing touchdowns.

The only non-rushing score came in the second quarter when Mesa lined

up to attempt a 22-yard field goal, but holder Andrew Strickland instead

rolled out and fired a strike to tight end Robert McQueen in the end

zone. Luis Avalos’ PAT gave Mesa a 21-7 lead.

“It’s funny, because on the bus coming here, Strickland told me I’m

throwing it to you even if you’re not open,” McQueen said of the gimmick

play. “(But) I was pretty open.”

Howell said his players had a hard time getting fired up in a “tough

environment” with poor lighting and only one side of grandstands, but he

was most displeased with their sounds of the game.

“We still got kids who talk too much and watch too much pro football

on TV,” Howell said. “They think they’re supposed to yap and bark, and

that’s not high school football.”

Mesa tagged Brethren Christian (1-3-1) with 544 net yards, while the

most spectacular offensive move by the winners was turned in by Asuega to

cap the opening drive of the second half, a 30-yard touchdown run in

which he broke three tackles, spun completely around once and almost lost

his balance another time.

That, preceded by Nick Cabico’s second half-opening 41-yard kickoff

return, put Mesa ahead, 35-7, with Avalos’ kick.

Mesa scored touchdowns on four of their six series in the second half.

Once when it failed to convert on the fake punt, as Asuega was stopped

three yards short on the fourth down.