Rancho Santiago Denied Ball, Victory

Riverside Community College found out Saturday night that the best way to slow down Rancho Santiago’s Estrus Crayton was to keep the ball away from him. The strategy paid off in a 30-14 Mission Conference victory at the Santa Ana Bowl that spoiled the Dons’ 75th homecoming.

Crayton did gain 232 all-purpose yards, his season average, and set a Orange County all-purpose record along the way. But it wasn’t enough to overcome Riverside 363 rushing yards, the result of fullback Samita Vaoifi, halfback Mark Wilson and a big offensive line.

Vaoifi ran for 166 yards and a touchdown in 19 carries, and Wilson gained another 154 yards and a touchdown in 21 carries as the Tigers (5-2, 4-2) broke open a close game with 17 fourth-quarter points.

Crayton scored on a 96-yard kickoff return in the second quarter and picked up 134 rushing yards in 19 carries to pass former Orange Coast star Bart Recktenwald for the county all-purpose yardage record. The Dons are 4-3, 3-3 in the conference.

With Rancho Santiago trailing, 16-6, in the fourth quarter, Crayton was stopped on a fourth and seven on the Riverside 10, and the Tigers then drove 90 yards for a 23-6 lead.