Santa Ana Is Tough, but Tustin Prevails

Tustin wasn’t sharp, but the Tillers continued their Golden West League dominance with a 30-0 victory over Santa Ana Friday at Tustin High.

Branden Malcom rushed for 217 yards and three touchdowns in 19 carries to lead the offense for Tustin (6-3, 3-0), which has outscored league opponents 136-22 this season.

But the Tillers fumbled four times, losing two of them, had a pass attempt intercepted and were flagged for 13 penalties for 122 yards.

Tustin’s defense played better, recovering three Santa Ana fumbles and holding the Saints to 78 yards of offense. Tustin junior linebacker Matt McCoy had two sacks, recovered an onside kick and recovered a fumble in the end zone for a touchdown that gave the Tillers a 22-0 lead midway through the third quarter.

“The defense was very good,” Tustin Coach Myron Miller said. “But we fumbled, dropped a touchdown pass and committed all those penalties. Still, I guess it’s nice to see a 30-0 win even when you don’t play your best.”

Santa Ana hasn’t defeated Tustin since 1994 and the Tillers have outscored the Saints 215-25 in the last four meetings. But Santa Ana (5-4, 1-2) was in Friday’s game even into the third quarter, thought its first nine drives amounted to minus-21 yards.

Santa Ana’s defense made Tustin work. Elliot Powell intercepted a pass to halt a Tustin drive in the first half.

But Malcom broke loose for an 80-yard touchdown run with 6 minutes 6 seconds remaining in the first quarter for a 6-0 Tustin lead. Malcom scored his second touchdown on a 30-yard run with 10:50 remaining in the half.

Trailing 22-0 in the third quarter, Santa Ana drove 70 yards to the Tustin two. But another Saint fumble, their sixth in the half, ended the drive when Tustin’s Steven Diaz recovered on the four.