ORANGE COUNTY PREP FOOTBALL : Sea View League : University Finishes Unpredictable Season Unpredictably, 13-10

University High School had the last word when it came to providing the final surprise of a crazy, mixed-up football season in the Sea View League.

Surely, no one could have expected Tustin to reign as co-champion when it was all over. Yet, with Friday night’s loss, the Tillers (4-1 in league and 8-2 overall) now share the league title with Saddleback, which they upset last week, 9-7.

Tustin’s feat was pretty hard to surpass, but the Trojans added another chapter to the Sea View League saga: Expect the Unexpected.

University slipped in the back door--into the playoffs--with its 13-10 victory over Tustin at Irvine High before 2,500 fans. Because Corona del Mar defeated Newport Harbor, the Trojans finished in third place.

Mark Cunningham, in his first season at University, obviously was unaware of the events in the other game after his team’s victory. He was hoping for a wild-card spot at best.

“This game made it quite a year, even if we don’t go to the playoffs,” he said. “We’re very close to being a very good football team. This will put us over the hump. University is going to be reckoned with in this area.”

The Trojans’ accomplishment is even more of a surprise when you consider what they had to overcome. Mainly the 1985 season. University went 1-8-1 and didn’t win a game in league.

The numbers for 1986 are much easier to handle. The Trojans finished 3-2 in league and 6-4 overall.

Even after Tustin beat Saddleback last week, Cunningham mangaged to see some optimism. He thought the Tillers might experience an emotional let-down.

“Oh yeah, no question about it,” Cunningham said. “It was tough for Tustin to get up, and our kids knew our only chance for the playoffs was to win.”

Tustin Coach Marijon Ancich agreed.

“It sure is a funny game,” he said. “You have to be ready. Our guys knew this was for the championship. Now we have to share it with Saddleback. This is a bad memory. Now we have to erase it.”

It won’t be an easy game to forget as the Tillers took a 10-0 first-quarter lead over an ineffective University team.

Quarterback George Menges put Tustin up, 7-0, with 8:49 remaining on a one-yard run. Tim Kotlar made the extra point, and then increased the Tillers’ lead with a 29-yard field goal with 1:18 left.

But then Tustin slowly unraveled--mostly on its own. The Tillers finished with 95 yards in penalties, and what probably hurt even more was the loss of running back Lani Machado. He left the game with a knee injury in the first quarter.

“We were not ourselves against University,” Ancich said.

The numerous penalties displeased Ancich, but the question marks surrounding Machado are of a greater concern. Ancich said there is a possibility the injury may be serious.

Said Cunningham: “One big difference in the game was that Machado got hurt. It may not have been serious, but why take a chance? It certainly helped us tonight. Tustin is a great team. Our kids really did a great job.”

It was appropriate that running back Craig Belle, who has helped to lead University all season, started the second-quarter rally. He cut the lead to 10-7 on a 58-yard run. Craig Allton assisted on the scoring run with a block at the 35-yard line. Jeff Berger’s kick was good.

In the fourth quarter, Belle scored again, this time on a 31-yard run to the left. But Berger’s kick went wide to the right.

It didn’t matter, however, as Tustin’s final scoring opportunity--Mark Ropele’s 47-yard field goal attempt--which came with 1:36 left to play, hooked wide left. Then, Berger killed any last-chance Tiller heroics when he intercepted a Menges pass with 10 seconds remaining.

Saddleback 40, Estancia 0--Neil Lim returned the opening kickoff 75 yards to get the Roadrunners off to a big start against winless Estancia.

Tailback Hymie Thurmond gained 113 yards and scored a touchdown as Saddleback totaled 402 yards offensively.