Estancia ends skid

COSTA MESA — What is the best way to end a four-game slide and get back into playoff contention?

Score more points than you did during the skid.

It also helps playing a first-year varsity football program.

Estancia High did both at Jim Scott Stadium Thursday night.

In the first half alone, the Eagles posted more points than in the previous four games combined en route to walloping Godinez, 41-7, in an Orange Coast League game.

The Eagles (3-5, 1-1 in league) still have an uphill battle if they plan to repeat as co-league champions.

Nevertheless, they are going in the right direction with two road league games left in the regular season. The next game is at Laguna Beach, which is at the top at 2-0 with Costa Mesa.

“It feels good. It’s been five weeks since we felt any kind of success,” Estancia Coach Mike Bargas said. “We told our kids the playoffs started tonight. If we want any kind of a chance we got to go after it.”

The Eagles responded with a dominating effort on offense, defense and special teams.

Behind a big performance by running back Carlos Mendez, Estancia won its first league game by controlling the line of scrimmage and taking advantage of field position.

Mendez scored three touchdowns and topped the 100-yard mark by halftime, allowing Estancia to jump out to a 34-0.

The senior finished with 142 yards on 17 carries. He rebounded nicely after crosstown rival Costa Mesa held him in check and won the Battle for the Bell, 14-7, two weeks ago.

“It was pretty frustrating,” Mendez said of coming off the recent bye after only rushing for 23 yards on 15 carries on Oct. 17 against the Mustangs, the only team to hold Mendez under 100 yards this season. “We just needed this win really bad to get us started.”

Godinez (1-8, 0-3) gave the Eagles opportunities to get rolling offensively after averaging around a touchdown per game during their skid.

Only twice after the opening possession did Estancia’s offense start in its own territory. Six drives began on the Grizzlies’ side.

“They did a good job of taking advantage of [the field position],” Godinez Coach Aron Kaye said.

Most teams have against the senior-less Grizzlies.

Heading into the third quarter it appeared the Eagles might be the fourth team to score at least 56 points on Godinez.

The great field position gave Mendez a short field to work with. The shifty 5-foot-7, 162-pounder does as well in traffic as in the open field.

If Estancia had not taken him out late in the third quarter, Mendez might have doubled the five-touchdown total he entered the game with Thursday.

Mendez finished short of the feat, but he improved his Newport-Mesa best rushing marks for touchdowns (eight) and yards (908) this season.

The line, featuring left tackle Jose Padilla, left guard Agustin Ceja, center Diego Moya, right guard Stephen Culbertson and right tackle Freddy Garcia, opened enough space for Mendez to maneuver.

“He’ll make things happen,” Bargas said.

Eleven seconds before the first quarter ended, cornerback Jason Moreno made something happen.

He intercepted a pass and raced down the Estancia sideline for a 48-yard score, putting the Eagles up, 20-0.

The mistakes continued. On the ensuing kickoff, Eli Diego booted the ball to the Grizzlies’ one. Arturo Calvo fielded the ball, but he put a knee down and the play ended.

When the Grizzlies tried to get something going with running back Santiago Fuentes, Diego pinned Godinez twice inside its own 10 with punts.

Estancia gave up a late touchdown. Bargas was OK with that, just as long as they continue to turn it around.

“We got to win them all,” Bargas said of making sure Estancia earns one of the league’s three automatic playoff berths. “If we can go out and win next week, then we’ll be playing for hopefully a co-league title.”

ESTANCIA 41, GODINEZ 7

SCORE BY QUARTERS

Godinez 0-0-0-7--7

Estancia 20-14-0-7--41

FIRST QUARTER

E – Mendez 8 run (Diego kick), 6:57.

E – Mendez 10 run (Diego kick), 3:34.

E – Moreno 48 interception return (kick failed), 0:11.

SECOND QUARTER

E – Linares 1 run (Diego kick), 7:25.

E – Mendez 2 run (Diego kick), 1:24.

FOURTH QUARTER

E – Avalos 18 run (Diego kick), 6:34.

G – Fuentes 4 run (Rojas kick), 2:05.

INDIVIDUAL RUSHING

G – Fuentes, 15-66, 1 TD; Williams, 12-66; Silva, 10-minus 20.

E – Mendez, 17-142, 3 TDs; Avalos, 7-40, 1 TD; Maldonado, 1-14; De La Torre, 2-10; Abernathy, 1-3; Linares, 2-1, 1 TD; Kirshner, 3-minus 17.

INDIVIDUAL PASSING

G – Silva, 7-17-1, 97.

E – Kirshner, 5-8-0, 43.

INDIVIDUAL RECEIVING

G – Viramontes, 2-61; Sauceda, 1-27; Calvo, 1-9; Williams, 1-minus 3; Fuentes, 1-3; Alvarado, 1-0.

E – Moreno, 1-22; Diego, 2-10; De La Torre, 1-10; Mendez, 1-1.

DAVID CARRILLO PEÑALOZA may be reached at (714) 966-4612 or at [email protected].