Wyatt Robb
Staff Writer
In a miraculous defensive stand, Mira Costa football defeated West Torrance High School, 28-26, at home last Friday. By stopping a late two-point conversion attempt, the Mustangs were able to run out the clock and keep their undefeated streak.
Due to West High’s solid defense, the Costa’s offense was almost non-existent in the first half. However, after halftime, the Mustangs further established their running game, tacking on three touchdowns and a field goal. The Warriors would eventually make one final push in the fourth quarter to bring the game within two.
“I think we felt like we were going to win easily,” junior quarterback David Arredondo said. “But we realized pretty early on that it was going to be anything but easy.”
Junior running back Omar Morrison stood out in Costa’s relatively quiet offense. Morrison rushed for 154 yards on 22 carries, helping the Mustang’s gain the lead in the second half.
“Morrison is a hard working guy both in the weight room and on the field,” sophomore safety Spencer Gilbert said. “This game, it really paid off.”
Despite Costa’s normally excellent special teams, the Warriors seemed to have them almost completely figured out. West’s 60-yard opening kickoff return set the tone for the first half. The Warriors also scored their first touchdown after recovering a blocked Mira Costa punt. West lead Mira Costa, 7-6, moving into the second half.
“We came out kind of flat on the kickoff,” Gilbert said. “We really had to put in our minds that we weren’t going to let this game slip through our hands.”
The Mustangs had trouble on defense containing West’s explosive offensive attacks. The Warriors’ gained about 260 yards passing and capitalized on a number of Costa penalties. However, Mira Costa’s secondary showed moments of greatness when the game got close.
“West was really an underestimated team,” Arredondo said. “They had a quick offense and they really brought its best against us.”
As Costa’s running game began to heat up, so did its passing game. Arredondo connected with receivers for a total of two touchdowns and roughly 250 yards. Arredondo also made contributions on the ground, with three rushes over 10 yards.
“Our offensive line was a big key to our success,” Arredondo said. “Not only did they give me time to throw, but they also opened holes for Morrison and I to run through.”
With this victory, Mira Costa is off to one of its best starts in years. The Mustang’s undefeated record, 4-0, has helped them move to third in the CIF Western Division Rankings. If Costa can defeat Newport Harbor, they will start Bay League games as an undefeated team.
“In the game, we just showed a little bit of breakdown,” Gilbert said. “We were a little flat when we got out there. We didn’t necessarily take them lightly, we just had to adjust to how they were playing.”
Mira Costa will take on Newport Harbor Friday at 7 P.M. This non-conference game will be played at Newport Harbor High School. The Mustangs will try to keep their undefeated record intact as they take on the 2-2 Sailors.
We will definitely not take Newport lightly,” Gilbert said. “They have proven themselves to be pretty good in past years.”
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