Turnovers Turn It for Rancho Santiago

Rancho Santiago College realized a five-touchdown windfall because Golden West was careless with the football Saturday in a Mission Conference game.

Rancho Santiago intercepted five passes and recovered a fumble in a 33-9 victory at Santa Ana Stadium.

Golden West led, 9-6, early in the third quarter, when its troubles began.

Manuel Gonzales intercepted a pass by Golden West quarterback David Brunet and returned it 23 yards to the Rustler 10.

Four plays later, Estrus Crayton scored on a one-yard dive to give Rancho Santiago a 13-9 lead with 2 minutes 52 seconds left in the third quarter.

Gonzales also had a second-quarter interception that set up the Dons’ first touchdown.

With 13:06 left, Scott Strini intercepted a Brunet pass that had been tipped. The turnover gave Rancho Santiago (5-3, 2-1 in the Central Division) a first down at its 46, and Crayton capped the eight-play drive with a 10-yard run to give Rancho Santiago a 20-6 lead.

Crayton finished with 106 yards in 20 carries. A 73-yard touchdown run was called back because of an illegal-use-of-hands call. The Dons had three first-half touchdowns called back because of infractions.

Crayton’s two touchdowns give him 20 this season, tying his Rancho Santiago and Mission Conference records set last year.

After Crayton’s second score, Golden West (5-3, 1-2) switched to quarterback Steve Ramirez, but the result was the same--only quicker.

His first pass was intercepted by Gary Bladow and returned 10 yards for a touchdown with 9:02 left to put the Dons up, 26-9.

But Golden West, which has lost three of its past four games, wasn’t finished being kind to defensive strangers.

Brunet came back, only to fumble a snap that linebacker Richard Valenzuela recovered at the 11. Valenzuela also had an interception.

Two rushing plays lost six yards, but quarterback Richard Fanti completed 17-yard scoring pass to wide receiver Trent Julian for a 33-9 lead with 6:50 left.

“It was a competitive football until those fourth-quarter turnovers,” Golden West Coach Ray Shackleford said. “We didn’t play well after that.”

Fanti had given Rancho Santiago a 6-0 lead in the second quarter on a 24-yard scramble, when he faked out three defenders and broke two attempted tackles.

After completing his first nine pass attempts for 76 yards, Fanti finished 11 of 18 for 89 yards. He also rushed for 58 yards in eight carries.

Brunet completed 10 of 20 for 99 yards and four interceptions, two of which were tipped by his receivers.

Mike Graff scored Golden West’s touchdown on a 25-yard run in the third quarter.

The Rustlers rushed for 206 yards, led by Frank Vaccaro, who had 63. Doug Cunningham, coming back after a leg injury sidelined him for a month, had 51 yards in 10 tries.