Youth Scene: Flag Football team nearly goes perfect

The Costa Mesa Flag Black Eagles league champions, who went 7-1, fell a game short of the always elusive perfect season.

The Mesa Eagles 5- and 6-year old flag team is the precursor to the program’s tackle program.

After a season in which the young Eagles earned their wings and became the first flag team in Costa Mesa Pop Warner history to finish the regular season unbeaten, their season-long flight for an undefeated season fell a game short. Falling to the Yorba Linda Rattlers, 30-6, a game in which the ball just didn’t bounce the Eagles way, the Eagles displayed a valiant fight to the last whistle.

A game in which its outcome was a new feeling for the Eagles was not representative of the Eagles’ season in which they earned a league championship, used a very prolific offense led by quarterbacks Jr. Menedez and Nate Quinata and the Eagles’ Thunder and Lighting running back combination of Dion Kerkhoff and Josiah Lamarque. The running back duo left defenders grasping on air with their plethora of jukes and shakes. Paving the way was an offensive line spearheaded by Michael Joyce, III, Matthew Brown-Naranjo and Connor Mcleod, to average an outstanding 22 points per game.

Defensively Colin Sutton, Carter Gomez, Ray-Ray Rodriguez, Lathan Ham, Johnny Gonzalez, Isaiah Brown and Ryan Carrasco contributed to a defense that held opponents to nine points a game. Teaching the Eagles the fundamentals and nuances of the game where head coach Kiki Gomez, offensive coordinator Alonzo Lamarque, defensive coordinator Alex Mendez and assistant coach Michael Joyce, II.

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Seahawks win again

The Newport Mesa Jr. Midget Seahawks football team recorded a victory over the Placentia Steelers, 28-14.

Holding the Steelers to a total of only six first downs was strong defense from Mickey Quinn, Andy Strader, Karl Donovan, Charlie Muller and Teddy Barber. Chase Garbers made an interception, while Sutty Barbato was responsible in one Steeler drive for all of the tackles sending the opposing team three and out.

Anthony Battista carried the ball 18 times for 110 yards including one touchdown followed by a Peter Bush catch of the conversion pass. Blake Kormos had multiple gains and made many stops on defense. Gaining 155 yards in the air was Stephen Von Der Ahe who threw three TDs, two to William Hunter. Max Morin made a point after kick. Jason Simaan was dominant making three receptions with one touchdown, an interception, an onside kick recovery and a 24-yard punt return.

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