Mustangs blanked by Irvine

COSTA MESA — Costa Mesa High Coach Jeremy Osso figures nothing loses football games more than mistakes, and simply cutting down on those is the key to victory. Friday it didn’t take long for the Mustangs to make their first mistake — about 1 minute, 38 seconds, actually.

A botched punt attempt went for a safety and visiting Irvine scored a touchdown on its ensuing possession — and its next four after that — as the Vaqueros cruised to a 37-0 nonleague win at Orange Coast College.

The Vaqueros were ahead, 30-0, with 4:49 left in the first half when they faced their first third-down situation of the game. The Mustangs’ second-down stop was a short-lived victory, though, as Irvine punched it in on the next play from three yards out to take the 37-0 lead.

In all, Irvine grounded up 14 first downs, scored five touchdowns and accounted for 221 yards of offense in the first half. Costa Mesa managed just one first down and moved the ball 13 yards over that span. The Mustangs (0-3) finished with two first downs on 35 yards of total offense.

But it was the ominous opening safety that quickly put a dark cloud over the Mustangs.

“The team that makes the fewest mistakes wins the game, and we go out and fumble away a punt and put them up, 2-0,” Osso said. “It’s just a matter of execution. We need to execute out there.”

Having their top rusher out of the game didn’t help the Mustangs. Junior running back Antwon Byrd — scorer of the Mustangs’ only touchdown of the season two weeks ago — sat out because of a hip flexor.

Byrd leads Costa Mesa with 199 rushing yards on the season.

The Mustangs could have used some of those yards Friday.

Senior Cody De La Mater saw the bulk of the work with 11 yards on eight carries. Sophomore quarterback Brian Waldron carried 13 times for nine yards and junior wideout Manuel Gomez carried a pair of reverses for 12 yards.

It was Waldron’s second start of the season under center (two for 10 for four yards).

Meanwhile, Irvine (2-0) was led by Justin Reihanifam (41 yards on six attempts), who scored three touchdowns on carries of two, 10 and six yards.

“We have to find it in ourselves to work harder,” Waldron said. “We’re a really young team, so it’s tough to play against starting lineups filled with seniors.”

Said Osso of his team’s slow start: “Last year during this time we maintained focus and stayed the course [finishing with a 3-7 record]. We still have an opportunity to do that.

“There’s still time to right this ship.”

IRVINE 37, COSTA MESA 0