Tustin Stands Its Ground, Tops Newport Harbor

All that stood between Newport Harbor High School and the lead was about one foot. But with the score tied, 7-7, the ball inside Tustin’s one-yard line and three downs to go before the end of the first half, Newport Harbor came away with nothing.

Tustin’s goal-line defense held and Jason Rasmussen’s 25-yard fourth-quarter field goal gave the Tillers a 10-7 victory in front of 550 at Newport Harbor’s Davidson Field.

“That goal line stance was the key part of the football game,” Tustin Coach Marijon Ancich said. “Our defense bent a little bit, but when it came time, they played real good.”

Tustin (4-3, 1-1) drove 64 yards in 16 plays for the first score of the game, a four-yard pass from Andy Borza to Marion Hall late in the first quarter.

Newport quarterback Stephen Scheck then went to work. He drove the Sailors 66 yards in 10 plays, completing four passes for 49 yards, to tie the score, 7-7, on Todd Farley’s three-yard run.

Tustin then fumbled the ball. Newport (5-2, 1-1) recovered on its 48 to set up the drive that fell short. Scheck completed three passes and, with the help of a pass interference call, advanced Newport to the three with less than a minute to play.

On first and goal, Farley ran the ball to the one. He carried again for no gain. Then, on third down, Scheck tried a quarterback sneak but fumbled the ball. Newport recovered. Farley then attempted to run it up the middle, but the Tustin defense stacked him up with 30 seconds remaining in the half.

Newport Harbor Coach Jeff Brinkley said he never thought of going for a field goal. “You hope to God you can get a foot when you’re down there,” he said. .

The Tiller defense allowed Newport a touchdown and 135 yards, most of it passing, in the first half, but in the second half it bore down, limiting Newport to 21 yards.

Tustin sacked Scheck four times for 32 yards. Three of those sacks came in the second half, two by junior Josh Beldon. Beldon, who usually plays special teams, was filling in for injured teammate Nick Cantu, who pulled a hamstring in practice this week.

Tustin gained plenty of ground but couldn’t get into the end zone. “We got ourselves down there, but then we short-circuited,” Ancich said. After the goal-line stance, Tustin drove from its 16 to the Sailor 21 but, Rasmussen’s 39-yard field goal attempt fell short.

Tustin quarterback Andy Borza completed nine of 13 passes for 109 yards and one touchdown. Scheck completed 16 of 22 passes for 157 yards and one interception.