Tustin Defense Comes Through in the Crunch, 21-16

The players along Tustin High School’s sideline clasped hands and let out a collective “Ooooooohh” late in the Tillers’ nonleague game against El Modena Friday night.

As in “Oh no,” this game is slipping away? Not quite, although for a time late in the game it looked as if Tustin would blow an 11-point lead. The Tillers were just giving a little encouragement to the defense.

And it took two big sacks, an overruled completion and two illegal procedure penalties in the final three minutes, but Tustin secured a 21-16 victory in front of 2,200 at Tustin.

For the moment, Tustin’s No. 1 ranking in the Southern Section Division VI and No. 3 spot in Orange County are safe. The victory was Tustin’s fourth in a row this season.

El Modena lost for the third time in four games.

“They made us look like we were back on the beach in Hawaii,” said Marijon Ancich, Tustin’s coach. (Tustin spent a week in Hawaii before opening the season with a 37-7 victory over Pac-5 High of Honolulu).

“Our defense came out and won the ballgame for us at the end,” Ancich said.

It was either that or let a 21-10 lead slip away in the fourth quarter. After Jose Prado, El Modena quarterback, completed an 11-yard touchdown pass to Jay Montano, the Vanguards trailed, 21-16, with 9:24 left.

Later, following an interception by Tim Gray, El Modena had the ball at its 21-yard line with 7:49 left.

Using a combination of passes over the middle to Montano and scrambles by Prado, El Modena drove to the Tustin 43 with 3:16 left.

An illegal procedure penalty pushed the ball back to the 48 and on first and 15, Prado threw a sinker to a diving Daryl Hoguin at the 38. The officials first ruled it a catch, then changed their minds a moment later.

Prado gained nine yards on the next play, but was sacked by Kevin Neff for a seven-yard loss and again by Nick Cantu for a 10-yard loss on fourth down.

Tustin then ran out the clock.

“I’m extremely satisfied,” Ancich said. “It was a really tough football game. We were very fortunate to win.”

Tustin fashioned a 21-10 lead with a stingy defense and a potent mix of its passing and running games.

Visko Ancich plowed through the line for a four-yard touchdown in the first quarter, but El Modena came back with a three-yard run by Adam Garcia 23 seconds into the second quarter.

Andy Borza, Tustin quarterback, threw an eight-yard touchdown pass to running back Ron Goods with 2:20 left in the half.

Prado kicked a 27-yard field with 28 seconds left and El Modena trailed, 14-10, at halftime.

Goods added an 18-yard touchdown run, slipping through the arms of several El Modena defenders on his way into the end zone, with 5:22 left in the third quarter. Goods ended with 100 yards rushing in 15 carries.

Tustin’s offense went on the blink the rest of the way and it was up to its defense to preserve the victory.