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MISSION VIEJO — Tustin and Capistrano Valley again dueled in Week 10 of the football season for the Delta League championship.
A talented junior class made sure the title remained with the Tillers.
Junior running back Elijah Robinson rushed for three touchdowns and junior defensive linemen Jeremiah Williams and Jon Ioane harassed quarterback Talon Spencer to lead Tustin to a 35-20 victory at Saddleback College on Thursday.
Tustin (9-1, 5-0), ranked No. 8 in Orange County, also received critical plays from junior Taven Epps and Khalil Terry among others.
“I’m proud of our boys. They worked hard,” Tustin coach Anthony Lopez said. “The sky is the limit. This team can really make a run (in the playoffs). Got to get healthy but we can compete with anyone in Division 2.”
Tustin senior linebacker Tim Ioane expressed similar sentiments in Tustin’s postgame huddle. He challenged his teammates to not be satisfied and stay motivated for the playoffs.
Last season, the Tustin beat Capistrano Valley 21-10 in Week 10 for the Delta League crown but lost to Loyola 30-13 in the first round of the Division 3 playoffs.
The Tillers showed their hunger late in the first half against the Cougars (8-2, 4-1), ranked 16th in the county.
Epps out-wrestled a defender in double coverage for a 19-yard touchdown reception from Ayden Edwards with 41 seconds left as the Tillers took a 14-7 lead.
Tustin scored one play after Williams rushed for a first down on fourth-and-1 and shortly after an interception by Tim Ioane near his 35.
“When the ball is in the air, I got to get it,” said Epps, who is committed to Texas. “I got to come down with it no matter what happens. We all fight for the ball. We’re dogs out here.”
Tustin scored on two consecutive drives in the third quarter to open a 28-7 lead.
Terry capped a 69-yard drive with a 2-yard touchdown run with 4:50 left in the third. He and Williams powered the march with tackle-busting runs.
Tustin’s ability to convert the turnover into points loomed significant as Capistrano Valley recovered two fumbles in the first half but failed to turn the miscues into points.
After one of Capistrano Valley’s recoveries, Terry broke up a near-touchdown pass in the end zone on fourth down.
“Big play,” Cougars coach Sean Curtis said. “That’s the thing with these games, it comes down to a handful of plays.”
“They’ve done a great job putting that team together,” the coach added of Tustin.
Capistrano Valley scored two touchdowns in the fourth quarter to make the score more competition.
Spencer, a junior, rushed for his second touchdown and freshman running back Abel Gherasim capped the scoring with a 2-yard run with 1:48 left as fog engulfed the field.
“I’m proud of our team,” Curtis said. “We don’t have that size that those guys have so to have that fight in us is really good to see. We didn’t back down.”
Jon Ioane and Terry each recorded sacks to lead Tustin’s defense. Jon Ioane and Williams each had tackles for losses while Brannon Hampton added an interception on the final play.
Robinson scored on runs of 14, 6 and 10 yards behind an offensive line featuring Jon Ioane, juniors Andrew Salas and Cameron Mauinatu and seniors Juan Espinosa and Gabriel Minchaca.
He finished with 108 on 17 carries.
Trey Schild recorded a sack and tackle for loss for Capistrano Valley’s defense.
Spencer passed for 140 yards and rushed for 21 yards on 14 carries.
Tustin and Capistrano Valley will learn their playoff assignments Sunday when the CIF-SS releases the pairings at 10 a.m.
If Division 1 is an eight-team bracket, Tustin projects to be in Division 2 based on its power rating on HSratings. Capistrano Valley appears headed to Division 3.