Host Mira Costa staved off a late rally by former Bay League rival West Torrance Friday night, holding on for a 28-26 home win for its best start in a decade.
Mira Costa (4-0) has not remained unbeaten this late in the season since 2005 when the Mustangs started 6-0. Mira Costa will conclude its non-league schedule at Newport Harbor on Friday at 7 p.m.
Holding a 15-point lead late in the third quarter, Mira Costa was forced to stop West’s 2-pint conversion attempt after the Warriors scored to narrow the gap 28-26 with two minutes remaining in regulation.
West took a 7-6 lead into halftime before Mira Costa scored 16 unanswered points thanks to a 65-yard touchdown run by Omar Morrison and a 66-yard touchdown reception by Chris Brown, who caught a short pass from quarterback David Arredondo and raced down the right sideline to pay dirt.
Graham Lipps nailed a 28-yard field goal to increase the lead to 22-7 with 43 seconds left in the third quarter.
Then it was West’s turn to capitalize on big plays.
On the Warrior’s first play after the kickoff, quarterback Drake Peabody found receiver Cody Wissler over the middle on a crossing pattern and the senior outran the Mustang defense for an 80-yard touchdown to cut the lead to 22-13.
Mira Costa responded on the second play of the fourth quarter when Jemal Williams ran for a 6-yard touchdown that was set up by a 50-yard pass play from Arredondo to Casey Bonner.
West drove deep into Mira Costa territory but the Mustang defense came up with a goal-line stand – it’s second of the game – on a fourth-and 2. Two plays later, however, West’s Denver Silverlake recovered a fumble and, after a Warrior penalty, Peabody ran for a 9-yard touchdown to reduce his team’s deficit to 28-20.
“We had some big stops when we needed them,” Mira Costa linebacker Justus Tavai said. “We knew it would be a battle against West and it was a big win for us. Now we get back to work and prepare for Newport.”
It appeared Mira Costa would put the game away marching 62 yards to the West 18-yard line but a fumble recovered by West’s Ikenna Ojukwu kept the Warrior’s hopes alive.
Peabody led West on a 13-play, 79-yard drive using Wissler has his main target. Wissler hauled in a 33-yard pass on third-and-22 and later out-jumped the defense in the corner of the end zone for a 14-yard touchdown.
However, Mira Costa topped Wissler on the 2-point conversion attempt and ran out the clock to remain undefeated.
Wissler finished with nine receptions for 190 yards and two touchdowns.
“Playing Mira Costa is great for us because it prepares us for league,” Wissler said. “The intensity is crazy during the game because both teams are so competitive. Having them in the (CIF-SS) Western Division with us makes the playoffs much more difficult. A playoff game with them would really be something to watch.”
West got off to a roaring start when Bobby Fujioka returned the opening kickoff 77 yards, but the Warriors were forced to turn the ball over on downs following a sack by Jordan Fischer.
Mira Costa could not muster a first down and West’s Nathan Lima blocked a punt that was returned for the first score of the game.
Mira Costa got on the board with a Ta’utino Sione 34-yard touchdown reception with 2:01 left in the first quarter.
Arredondo was 15 of 27 passing for 247 yards and two touchdowns with non interceptions. Morrison finished with 154 yards and one touchdown on 22 carries and Brown had nine receptions for 127 yards and one touchdown.
Peabody completed 17 of 28 passes for 260 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions.
“I was really impressed by their (West’s) kids’ effort,” Mira Costa coach Don Morrow said. “I thought they played their tails off. It’s hard to tell with our team because we’re so young. We’re playing a lot of sophomores and juniors and love the effort they’ve given, but we really like the team. We think we’ve got something going on. We were lucky to come out on top. West gave us everything we could ask for.”
Mira Costa’s next opponent, Newport Harbor (2-2) is coming off a 40-20 loss at San Clemente.
“With Mira Costa and Newport Harbor, you have two old-time staffs who have been there and seen it all,” Morrow said. “It will be an interesting game and we’ve probably split the games we have played against each other.”
