Debut of Meiss Becomes 20-0 Dud

Tom Meiss, the great rescuer of football programs gone sour, made his debut as Foothill football coach Friday night. Though the initial results were not pleasing, Meiss saw some positive signs in Foothill’s 20-0 loss to Tustin.

“Our guys are going to grow,” Meiss said. “I’m not discouraged in the least.”

In the past, Meiss has turned faltering programs at Santa Ana and Orange into winners. Now, he faces the difficult task of restoring the winning tradition at Foothill.

It wasn’t that long ago that the Knights dominated the series with Tustin, winning 14 consecutive games until the Tillers broke the streak in 1986. Since then, the Tillers have won five of the seven games, including four in a row.

Tustin wasn’t overwhelming Friday. It had too many opening-night gaffes to run away from Foothill, but the Tillers did have their moments.

Two long field goals and two short touchdown runs provided the offense and three interceptions keyed the defense.

Jason Powell had 63 yards in 10 carries, Jason Reynolds gained 58 yards in nine carries and Lamar Barrett added 53 yards in 11 carries as Tustin’s backfield controlled the ball for much of the game.

Still, Tustin led by just 6-0 entering the fourth quarter and needed a one-yard touchdown run by Keith Thomas and a two-yard scoring run by Reynolds to put Foothill away.

Despite all that, Tustin Coach Marijon Ancich said he wasn’t pleased with the offense.

“The defense played a great game,” he said. “Truly, they made the difference in the game.”

Tustin outgained Foothill, 131-81, in the first half, but had only a 3-0 lead to show for it.

In all, Tustin had three promising scoring chances in the half, but only the first was productive. Zach Matthews’ 23-yard field goal with 4:57 left in the first quarter provided the only points the Tillers could manage.

Tustin’s second drive stalled at the Foothill 17 where Matthews’ missed a 34-yard field goal. A third drive ended with a fumble.

“I was more concerned about us creating a problem for ourselves,” Ancich said of Tustin’s lack of scoring punch. “We moved the ball well, but you can’t have a penalty or a fumble ending your drives.”

Foothill had no serious scoring threats and had only three first downs in the first half.

Matthews added a 40-yard field goal in the third quarter for a 6-0 Tustin lead, 2:05 into the second half.