SOUTHERN SECTION FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS : Trabuco Hills Stays in High Gear, Rolls Past Costa Mesa, 44-6 : Division VIII: Reversing result of regular-season meeting with league opponent, Trabuco Hills wins third section title since 1988.

Trabuco Hills’ post-season run was a case study in offensive production at its finest, and a meeting with Costa Mesa for the Division VIII Southern Section football championship Saturday night at Trabuco Hills didn’t change that.

A crowd of 3,500 watched in awe as Trabuco Hills dismantled its Pacific Coast League rival, 44-6, to earn its third section title since 1988.

Through the playoffs, Trabuco Hills (11-3) had been scoring an average of 40 points a game. Coach Jim Barnett was surprised to score that much against Costa Mesa (9-3-2).

“I thought we were better,” he said. “But not five touchdowns better. Things went our way tonight.”

He added: “We peaked at the right time. Last year we had a good team, we just didn’t peak at the right time.”

Trabuco Hills lost the 1992 championship by a touchdown to Laguna Hills. But Costa Mesa could barely keep it that close for more than a quarter.

The Trabuco Hills’ offense and defense were right on all night, while Costa Mesa was a bit left of center.

“We just got beat by a better football team,” Costa Mesa Coach Myron Miller said. “We played as good as we could play.”

Which flashes us back to Costa Mesa’s 13-3 victory over Trabuco Hills earlier in the season, where Costa Mesa won it on a punt return and a 61-yard scoring run by DeWayne Crenshaw.

Saturday, Crenshaw got his 60-yard touchdown run, which pulled his team to within 18-6 midway through the second quarter, but it was all the offense Costa Mesa could muster.

From its first series, which ended in a 36-yard field goal by Gerry Beckham, Trabuco Hills dominated every aspect of the game. Especially effective was the offensive line, which opened gaping holes for Jake Galasso (14 carries, 152 yards, three touchdowns), Bobby Johnson (5-22), J.C. Pintsak (3-18) and Serge Gudowski (4-12).

“They were so strong. They were just pushing people off the ball,” Miller said.

Barnett said blocking was in short supply the last time they met, “but this time we were able to block people.”

Simple enough. And Trabuco Hills made it look like a walk through the park--actually a very muddy field--by taking a 31-6 halftime lead and never relenting.

Galasso was one of many pests Costa Mesa couldn’t shake. The senior tailback scored on runs of one and 41 yards to the 18-0 lead early in the second quarter. And to think, he used to be part of a rotating quarterback trio until he was switched.

After Crenshaw’s run, Trabuco Hills widened the gap to 25-6 on an eight-yard run by Laquent Fobbs. His run was set up when Costa Mesa’s Charles Chatham muffed a punt return, Trabuco Hills’ DeSha Runnels recovered the ball, and Fobbs scored three plays later.

Costa Mesa’s self-destruction continued: On its next series, quarterback Jeff Niebling threw a pass that was intercepted by Ryan Renzi after a tip by Derrek Uhl. Renzi later scored on a 26-yard interception return.