Tustin Overwhelms Ocean View, 78-7

With 1 1/2 minutes left in the first half, Tustin linebacker Matt McCoy helped Ocean View quarterback Deshai Houston to his feet and patted him on the head.

By then, the beating Houston was taking was well apparent.

And just as obvious, the beating seventh-ranked Tustin was dishing out to the Seahawks.

Actually, it was apparent a lot earlier. In front of about 1,000 fans Thursday at Huntington Beach High, Tustin claimed to its third consecutive Golden West League title as Branden Malcom rushed for 260 yards and Mike Zill rushed for 204 in a 78-7 victory.

The defense, led by McCoy’s 24-yard fumble return for a touchdown and three sacks--giving him a team-high 15--was superb, holding Ocean View’s offense to 148 yards.

Ocean View, trying to win its first league title since 1989 when it was in the Sunset League, was averaging 40.4 points per game. It trailed by 39 at halftime, 46-7.

With the loss by Ocean View (7-3, 2-2), and the victory by Santa Ana (6-4, 2-2) over Westminster (5-5, 2-2), the league’s second and third automatic playoff berths will be determined by a coin flip.

Tustin (7-3, 4-0) has no such concerns.

“We didn’t want to share the championship,” said Tustin Coach Myron Miller. “We want to dominate this league.”

They showed that domination, scoring just four fewer points than the school record.

Malcom carried 26 times for his 260 yards and scored three touchdowns. His scoring runs of seven, one and 57 yards came in the first half. Malcom finished the first half with 218 yards in 18 carries.

Zill gained 203 yards, 112 in the second half, on only 12 carries. Despite a groin pull that threatened to limit his playing time, Zill’s first two carries were for 20 yards apiece and he eventually scored on an 11-yard run.

Quarterback David Miller rushed for 21 yards and three touchdowns, of 14, five and one yard, and Corey Chatman scored on an eight-yard run in the fourth quarter.

Ocean View was outgained, 563-148.

Houston did throw his county-high 33rd touchdown pass of the season, matching Orange Lutheran’s Jason Whieldon, but the 57-yarder to Pat Campbell came a little late--with 4:31 left in the second quarter and trailing, 38-0.

Houston completed only seven of 31 passes (he had at least seven passes dropped) for 91 yards and threw two of his team’s three interceptions (two by Zach Bell, one by Chris Chatman).

“We wanted to see if we could stop him,” McCoy said of the challenge.

And they did. Including Kyle Anderson’s sack of Houston for a safety, and an onside kick recovery, Tustin converted seven turnovers into 40 points.

“They score quickly,” Houston said, “and they keep coming at you.”