Mata Scores, Then Saves Santa Ana

WESTMINSTER —  Jose Mata’s touchdown and interception in the fourth quarter helped Santa Ana defeat Ocean View, 20-17, Friday night at Westminster High for its second consecutive Sunset League victory.

Trailing Ocean View, 17-14, Mata scored on a 15-yard pass from Mark Fausto with 6 minutes 14 seconds left in the game.

With nine seconds remaining, Ocean View took over on downs at the Santa Ana 34-yard line. Opting for a victory instead of a tie, Ocean View Coach Howard Isom had quarterback Fred Brown throw long toward the end zone, where Mata made the interception that ended the game.

“I was going for a win--it’s the only way to play the game,” said Isom. “We went after it and we came up short.”

Said Santa Ana Coach Robert Hinman: “I’m very proud of the way we came back in the second half. We played a non-emotional first half, but (gained) emotion and intensity in the second half.

“Fausto kept cool under pressure, Mata showed vast improvement and our defense responded when it needed to,” Hinman said.

Santa Ana (2-6, 2-3 in league) scored first on Fausto’s one-yard run with 6:01 left in the first quarter.

With 9:01 remaining in the second quarter, Ocean View tied the game, 7-7, on sophomore Calvin Silva’s 40-yard run. Silva carried 19 times for 112 of the Seahawks’ 129 yards rushing.

Ocean View (0-8, 0-5) went ahead, 10-3, on Mark Wersching’s 45-yard field goal with 2:54 left in the second quarter.

Four plays after the ensuing kickoff, Greg Carpenter stopped Fausto and Ocean View took over at the Santa Ana 44-yard line. Ocean View then took a 17-7 lead on Fred Brown’s 44-yard touchdown pass to Mike Randal with 1:14 remaining in the second quarter.