Miller’s Tactics Work for Tustin

Anything to avoid a coin flip.

“I told the team if we don’t win, we’re not going to the playoffs,” Tustin Coach Myron Miller said after Thursday’s victory over Westminster. “We’re not going to go if we couldn’t play a tough football game.”

Miller’s Tillers did just that, clinching at least a share of the Golden West League title with a 24-20 decision over Westminster.

Tustin (6-4, 4-1 in league) will win the title outright if Servite loses to Santa Ana tonight. Westminster (4-6, 2-3) can’t make the playoffs because it holds no tiebreaker advantage over Saddleback or Santa Ana.

The chance of five teams sharing the league title was possible with a Westminster victory, largely because Westminster upset Servite last week. A series of coin flips would have decided who advanced to the playoffs.

Miller wanted no part of it, so he issued his challenge. Tustin answered a second-half rally by Westminster that gave Miller a chance to see his team respond in their own personal “playoff.”

With Tustin holding a 14-0 lead, Westminster converted a fourth-and-19 with a 27-yard completion from Kelly Coburn to Tommy Roberts, setting up a three-yard scoring pass to Junior Tau.

Four plays later--ending with a fumbled snap--Westminster got possession and tied the score at 14 when when Roberts scored on a 19-yard pass.

Westminster (outgained 188-71 and running only 15 plays to Tustin’s 39 in the first half) was rolling, which made Tustin’s response more impressive.

The Tillers, who scored on two touchdown passes in the first half by David Miller (six of nine, 65 yards), used their trademark running game when it counted. The Tillers converted big third-down plays on a 60-yard drive as James Sargent rushed 13 yards while needing 12, and Branden Malcom gained 14 while needing six. Sargent scored from four yards on the next play and Adam Teschke’s point-after made it 21-14.

Tustin’s defense provided field position for its final score, a 26-yard field goal by Teschke. At the Westminster 20, Tustin defensive end Ivin Jones (who had two sacks) hit Coburn while passing, and the ball popped into Dale Watkins’ hands at the 14.

With 2 minutes 9 seconds to make up 10 points, Coburn found Roberts for a 59-yard score. A two-point conversion failed.

Westminster got the ball back with 31 seconds left, but Coburn’s pass to Roberts in the end zone was knocked away by Marcus Burrell.

Roberts caught four passes for 132 yards, and Coburn finished nine for 24 for 204 yards and three touchdowns.