Ball control is name of game for Estancia

Rick Devereux

The Estancia High football team felt pretty good after its

come-from-behind, 21-14, victory over Ocean View last Friday in a

Golden West League contest.

The euphoria lasts as long as it took to look at the schedule and

see the Eagles host league-leading Westminster at 7:30 p.m. tonight

at Orange Coast College.

“We’ve got our work cut out for us,” Coach Craig Fertig said.

The Lions, ranked No. 9 in CIF Southern Section Division VII, are

coming off a bye, but defeated Orange, 42-7, Oct. 8. Estancia lost to

Orange, 23-21, Oct. 1.

“This is a big game for them and for us,” Fertig said. “They’re

touted to win the whole thing. We have to come after their rear ends.

The key is our offense and our offensive line.”

Fertig said he wants his team to control the time of possession

and keep Westminster’s high-powered offense off the field. In order

to do that, a running game must be established.

The Eagles’ top running back is Bryce McKendry, who has gained 479

rushing yards and seven touchdowns on 99 carries. McKendry is not a

flashy runner, opting to run over a defender than around one.

An emerging star for Estancia (3-3, 1-1 in league) is Daniel

Cheesboro. Cheesboro, a transfer from Costa Mesa, has rushed for 272

yards with two touchdowns on 37 carries three games. Cheesboro is a

slasher that can break off a long run seemingly any time he touches

the ball. He has also returned a kickoff 97 yards and an interception

56 yards for touchdowns.

“We need to be able to run the ball consistently,” Fertig said.

“We will work at it in practice and then we will run right at

[Westminster]. We need long drives.”

It won’t be easy putting together any sustained drives on the

Westminster (4-2, 2-0), which has held opponents to 10 points per

game.

The defense is led by Ernesto Mora, a 6-foot-3, 250-pound

defensive end. Fertig remembered seeing Westminster in a scrimmage

over the summer.

“They run a four-three [defense] with a four deep secondary,”

Fertig said. “Their linemen are big, good looking guys. I think

between Orange and Westminster, Westminster is the class of the

league.”

Running back Carlos Brooks will see the lion’s share of the ball

when Westminster is on offense. Brooks has rushed for close to 700

yards, including 194 yards and three touchdowns against Costa Mesa

Oct. 1. Last year, Brooks torched Estancia for 222 yards and three

touchdowns.

“I remember him from last year,” Fertig said. “We’ve got to try to

stop him if we can. We’ve got to get the ball away from him. The key

is for our offense to hold on to the ball.”