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Redondo’s Chris Meadows and Keith Ellison take down Mira Costa running back Michael Okwo.
Mira Costa’s Austin Liggett halts Redondo’s Nathaniel lacey. Photos by Ray Vidal
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Costa wins in air after ground troops stopped
by Lenny Miller
Mira Costa maintained its football dominance at the beach by taking down cross-town rival Redondo 28-14 Friday night at Mira Costa.
Although Mira Costa’s 6-0 record going into Friday night’s made them the favorite, the Sea Hawks expected to present respectable challenge.
"Costa, they are a real good team, probably a great team, actually," Redondo quarterback Keith Ellison acknowledged before the game.
An interception on Redondo's opening drive gave Mira Costa the ball on Redondo’s 25-yard line. The Mustangs quickly moved the ball to the one-yard line, where Michael Okwo ran the ball in for the game’s first touchdown.
Redondo marched back down the field to the Mustang’s 27-yard line. But after three straight penalties the Sea Hawks were out of scoring position and had to punt.
The Mustangs’ second score came on a 13-yard pass from quarterback Peter Dobush to receiver Nick Haley making the score 14-0.
Taking advantage of the first of two interceptions by Terrence Loving, Ellison cashed in with Thomas Brown from 60 yards on a screen
pass. That cut the Mustang lead in half, 14-7.
The ensuing punt brought a 40-yard return. It would have been a touchdown, except for the open field tackle by Redondo punter Mike Whitcher.
A snap over Dobush's head pushed Mira Costa back 19 yards. But Ellison fumbled the subsequent punt, giving back the ball to Mustangs on Redondo’s 34-yard line.
Loving's second interception with 32 seconds left stopped the Mustangs final drive of the half. Neither team scored in the third quarter. The X factor of the game was tight end Devin Adair. While Okwo was held to 73 yards and Ellison kept Haley from catching a single pass in the second half, Adair caught five passes for 109 yards, including a 46-yard touchdown pass early in the fourth quarter. This gave Mira Costa a two touchdown lead, 21-7.
Ellison found his own weapon in Brown, connecting with him on a 36-yard pass that moved the ball to the Mustang 10-yard line.
A penalty made it fourth and 15 when Ellison hit Loving and pass interference was called. Brown took advantage of the Mustang miscue to run the ball into the end zone on the next play for his second touchdown of the evening.
With 6:10 remaining and the score tat was 21-14, Mira Costa showed its depth, utilizing Casey Simpson for a big run. Dobush then hit Austin Jefferson for the final score of the game with a 10-yard pass into the end zone. ER