PREP FOOTBALL : Century League : Tustin Puts Up a Fight, but El Modena Still Rolls

In seasons past, the El Modena High School football team rarely had to work up a sweat to rout Tustin.

Thursday at Fred Kelly Stadium, El Modena did rout Tustin, 42-7, but this time it took some work. And that, at the very least, is a tribute to Tustin.

In his second season at Tustin, Coach Marijon Ancich might not have his team on par with the the best Century League programs, but at least his Tillers are a competitive, spirited bunch--a decided departure from the school’s unstoried recent past.

A crowd of 1,000 saw El Modena take an early 14-0 lead, only to be challenged for two quarters before the Vanguards could finally put it away with two touchdowns in the fourth period.

El Modena took a 6-0 lead when on Tustin’s first series from scrimmage, Rick Stillman blocked a Todd Nelson punt, picked up the ball, and ran 20 yards for the touchdown.

Another Tustin miscue from punt formation led to El Modena’s second score. A bad snap on a punt allowed the Vanguard defense to smother Nelson, giving them the ball on the Tillers’ 18-yard line.

Four plays later, tailback Ross Bauer ran a yard for the touchdown. Chris Gallego passed to John Thompson for the two-point conversion and the Vanguards were ahead, 14-0.

But instead of just folding, as it might have in the past, Tustin drove 72 yards in eight plays, scoring a touchdown on a 27-yard pass from George Menges to Steve Dahlberg, making it 14-7.

Tustin seemed ready to mount a comeback, but a fumble gave El Modena the ball on the Tillers’ 15-yard line late in the second quarter. The Vanguards capitalized when Gallegos hit Scott Robinette with an 18-yard touchdown pass 20 seconds before the half.

In the second half, turnovers continued to plague the Tillers, helping the Vanguards score their last three touchdowns of the game. El Modena is 5-1 in league and 8-0 overall. Tustin is 1-5 and 3-6.

EM--Stillman 20 return of blocked punt (kick failed)

EM--Bauer 1 run (Thompson pass from Gallego)

Tus--Dahlberg 27 pass from Menges (Kotlar kick)

EM--Robinette 18 pass from Gallego (Watson kick)

EM--Ennis 10 pass interception (Watson kick)

EM--Robinette 16 pass from Gallego (Watson kick)

EM--Reitz 10 run (Watson kick)

Attendance--1,000