Seahawks own second half

HUNTINGTON BEACH — At halftime, an idea hit the coaching staff of the Ocean View High football team. The Seahawks put standout senior linemen Kody Afusia and Charlie Webb to the same side of the offensive line.

The Seahawks spent the rest of the game hitting, too.

Costa Mesa was worn down by the end of the 27-3 nonleague loss Friday night at Ocean View High. Senior quarterback Todd Davis, receiver/defensive back Luis Gomez and running back/defensive back Josh Erno all sat on the sidelines, Gomez and Erno with apparent neck injuries.

Davis "was just exhausted," Costa Mesa Coach Jeremy Osso said.

"Hit after hit after hit, eventually you’re going to wear down," Osso said.

The first half was promising for the Mustangs (2-3), if not offensively. They held a tenuous 3-0 lead at halftime, on a 32-yard field goal by senior Jairo Farfan.

Then, the flood gates opened, good news for the Seahawks (2-2) on homecoming night as they began running behind the combined 575 pounds of Afusia and Webb. The first touchdown came through the air, sophomore quarterback Nolan Tippy finding junior receiver Blake Walker on a 43-yard strike midway through the third quarter.

Two plays later, Davis was knocked out of the game on a big hit by Webb, and the Seahawks scored again when hard-to-tackle sophomore Timmy Robinson rumbled in from 10 yards out.

"We came out with vengeance [in the second half]," Tippy said. "We couldn’t lose at home. We pounded it and pounded it, and that opened up the passing game."

Tippy added two quarterback keepers for touchdowns in the fourth quarter to ice it.

The running game never got going, as the Mustangs combined for minus-nine net yards on 21 carries. Afusia and Webb were also key contributors for Ocean View on the defensive side.

"Tonight was just a matter of who wanted it more, and they wanted it more in the second half," Osso said. "Their defense played fantastic; [they] obviously made it hard for us to run tonight. It’s just a great job by them."

Brian Waldron did have seven catches for 95 yards for Mesa. The biggest gainers came on the field-goal drive in the second quarter, on 24 and 20-yard slants over the middle.

Robinson finished with 58 yards on 10 carries for the Seahawks, and Tippy had 32 yards on 11w carries. Ryan Buckels added 29 years on the ground.

Walker had 97 yards on just three catches to lead the Ocean View receiving crew.

Ocean View had scored just one offensive touchdown in its first three games, but not Friday night.

The defensive line which included Afusia, Webb, Buckels and senior Ahsen Husain helped shut down the Mustangs.

"I'm extremely proud of our defensive line," Afusia said. "We stepped it up really big. A lot of props to them."