Wyatt Robb
Staff Writer
Mira Costa football defeated Inglewood High School, 55-8, in the Homecoming game on Friday at Waller Stadium.
The Mustangs had no trouble keeping the Sentinels off the board. Due to its stellar defense, Costa was able to keep a shutout intact until the final minutes of the fourth quarter.
“The score didn’t really portray what kind of a team they were,” sophomore safety Spencer Gilbert said. “They have some good runners that our defense had to work hard to stop.”
Despite the large margin of victory, Costa was missing a key component of its offense. Junior running back Omar Morrison was injured earlier in the week and did not play but is expected to return for Costa’s next game against Morningside Friday.
“Once we really started to play, Omar (Morrison)’s loss didn’t impact us that much,” junior quarterback David Arredondo said. “However, we definitely still missed him.”
Scoring early was not a problem for the Mustangs. Costa’s offense took advantage of numerous Inglewood turnovers, including a fumbled kickoff in the first quarter. Arredondo was able to connect downfield with a several receivers throughout the game.
“We moved the ball really well,” Gilbert said. “The offensive line played a huge part in this. They definitely got a lot better in this game.”
After halftime, scoring slowed substantially for the Mustangs. Backup players began to enter the game and Costa was ready to put the game away. The Mustangs’ final touchdown in the third quarter weakened any chance of a comeback.
“It was a great that the backup guys got a chance to play,” Gilbert said. “This was an opportunity for them to get some meaningful minutes.”
With this victory, the Mustangs stay in contention for a Bay League title. Their overall record now stands at 7-1, with the only loss coming against Palos Verdes, and the team is hoping to qualify for California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) play.
“We’re confident in what we can do going forward,” Gilbert said. “We believe that we can continue to win. We just have to take it a game at a time.”
Fresh off a two-game win streak, Costa faces Morningside in an away game next Friday. The Mustangs will have to work to suppress a quick Monarch offense that up until two weeks ago was undefeated. The game will take place at 7 p.m. in Inglewood.
“They are a very fast team,” Gilbert said. “We need to be prepared for their high tempo offense. Our intensity has to stay up the whole game.”
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