High School Football: Estancia scores dominating win over rival Costa Mesa

Rivals Estancia High and Costa Mesa shared one football field for eight seasons. They called Jim Scott Stadium home, even though for one school it never really felt like home.

Jim Scott Stadium is on Estancia’s campus, which is a 3.1-mile drive from Costa Mesa. No longer do the programs share Jim Scott Stadium, thanks to Mustangs Field opening just in time for Costa Mesa’s first home game on Sept. 2.

Seven weeks later, the Mustangs traveled to Jim Scott Stadium to play the Eagles in the annual Battle for the Bell game. While the Mustangs have their own new stadium, their logo is still on the field at Jim Scott Stadium.

Estancia Coach Mike Bargas hoped that the Mustang on the field would have been erased by now. He will have to wait for that to happen after the season.

At least, Bargas can take comfort in that his Eagles wiped out the Mustangs on the field of play on Friday.

The Eagles kept their postseason hopes alive and ruined Costa Mesa’s in the process in their 42-7 win. The 50th edition of the cross-town rivalry got off to an electric start, one Estancia desperately needed to earn its first Orange Coast League victory of the year and first victory since its season opener on Sept. 1.

Tyler Ross provided the spark, taking the opening kickoff 85 yards for a touchdown. The senior also returned a kickoff 56 yards early in the second quarter, setting up the Eagles’ second touchdown. Ross produced that score as well, finding the end zone on a four-yard run to break a 7-7 tie.

Ross also had a 57-yard run for a touchdown early in the second quarter, never letting Costa Mesa back in it. The Mustangs remained winless through eight games this year, and they lost to the Eagles for the third year in a row.

Ross did it all for the Eagles, who snapped a six-game losing streak. He rushed 12 times for 127 yards and three touchdowns, threw a 21-yard pass, and caught a 13-yard pass. His all-around performance gave Estancia some momentum going into its final two contests in league.

“We needed to get this monkey off our back,” said Bargas, whose team improved to 2-6 overall. “I’m just happy for the win. We get to breathe for 24 hours.”

Bargas knows his Eagles must win out to qualify for the CIF Southern Section Division 12 playoffs. The top three teams in league automatically advance to the playoffs, which Estancia barely missed a year ago, finishing fourth, one game back of Saddleback.

Estancia and Saddleback currently share fourth place in league at 1-2. Laguna Beach knocked off the Roadrunners, 21-12, on Friday, moving into second place with Calvary Chapel at 2-1.

The Eagles play host to Laguna Beach next week, before closing out league on the road with Godinez on Nov. 4. The Grizzlies stayed atop the league at 3-0 by defeating defending league champion Calvary Chapel, 20-14, on Friday.

The lone team in league without a win is Costa Mesa (0-8, 0-3 in league). The Mustangs have dropped their past 12 games dating back to last year, seven of those coming in league.

Costa Mesa struggled for most of the night. The Mustangs’ only touchdown came off a turnover, as they capitalized early in the second quarter. Quarterback Ben Swanson’s 34-yard touchdown pass to Christian Villaverde helped Costa Mesa tie things up at 7-7.

On the ensuing kickoff, Ross burned the Mustangs again.

Ross didn’t go the distance like on his first return, which saw him spin off defenders around the 30-yard line, and then race into the end zone. Ross’ second return left Estancia on Costa Mesa’s 43.

Estancia quarterback Eric Carrasco’s 19-yard pass to wide receiver Trevor Brown got the offense inside the 15-yard line. Three plays later, Ross rushed in for the first of his three rushing touchdowns.

One of the two touchdowns that didn’t involve Ross came with 3:11 left before halftime. Carrasco, who was seven of 10 passing for 92 yards, threw a jump ball to Brown in the end zone. Brown came down with a seven-yard touchdown. The reception was Brown’s fifth in the first half, putting him at 85 receiving yards.

The Eagles went ahead, 21-7. And for a team like Costa Mesa, which has scored in double digits once during its 12-game skid, it wasn’t going to come back against Estancia. The Eagles lead the series, 30-19-1.

The Eagles allowed the Mustangs 155 yards of total offense and they came away with one turnover. Brown picked off a pass midway through the third quarter, setting up Jordan Balcazar’s 10-yard touchdown run in the quarter.

All that was left for the Eagles was to wait for their chance to ring the bell on the coveted trophy.

“It felt so good,” said Ross, who kissed the trophy. “It had been a long time [since we last won a game].”

Orange Coast League

Estancia 42, Costa Mesa 7

SCORE BY QUARTERS

Costa Mesa 0 – 7 – 0 – 0 — 7

Estancia 7 – 14 – 14 – 7 — 42

FIRST QUARTER

E – Ross 85 kickoff return (Martinez kick), 11:44.

SECOND QUARTER

CM – Villaverde 34 pass from Swanson (Olmedo kick), 7:30.

E – Ross 4 run (Martinez kick), 7:34.

E – Brown 7 pass from Carrasco (Martinez kick), 3:11.

THIRD QUARTER

E – Ross 57 run (Martinez kick), 10:46.

E – Balcazar 10 run (Martinez kick), 4:12.

FOURTH QUARTER

E – Ross 28 run (Romero kick), 2:06.

INDIVIDUAL RUSHING

CM – Ayala, 15-32.

E – Ross, 12-127, 3 TDs.

INDIVIDUAL PASSING

CM – Swanson, 11-23-1, 103, 1 TD.

E – Carrasco, 7-10-0, 92, 1 TD.

INDIVIDUAL RECEIVING

CM – Villaverde, 8-80, 1 TD.

E – Brown, 5-85, 1 TD.