Sea View League : Tustin, Stuck in the Mud, Loses to Newport Harbor

Tustin High School’s Disaster in the Mud started after it lost the opening coin toss and descended from there in a Sea View League football game against Newport Harbor on a rainy Thursday night.

The Sailors, taking advantage of a dry field on the opening series and numerous turnovers throughout the game, beat Tustin, 24-0, in front of 750 at Davidson Field in Newport Beach.

With the loss, Tustin’s hopes for a league championship may have sunk into the muck and mire of Davidson Field. The Tillers (5-3-1 overall, 2-1-1 in league play) came into the game tied with Saddleback, but now must hope Saddleback loses at least one of its remaining two regular-season games.

Tustin lost four fumbles and quarterback George Menges had two of his passes intercepted Thursday night.

The rain played a major role in helping the Sailors (7-2, 3-1) move closer to a berth in the Central Conference playoffs.

Newport Harbor took the opening kickoff and drove 63 yards in 13 plays with running back Randy Farr scoring on a 1-yard run.

Then it began to pour.

On the ensuing kickoff, Tustin’s Lani Machado fumbled at his three. The Sailors recovered and quarterback Kirk Summers threw to running back Tom Walker for a three-yard score, giving the Sailors a 13-0 lead with 2:54 left in the first quarter.

Walker, a junior filling in for Scot Morency who has missed the last month with an ankle injury, rushed for 126 yards in 26 carries.