TUSTIN – A so-so first half preceded a solid second half for Tustin as the Tillers scored touchdowns on all four of their second-half possessions in a 42-21 win over Western in a Delta League game Thursday at Tustin High.
The Tillers improved to 4-0 in league. They play Capistrano Valley, also 4-0 in league, next Thursday at Saddleback College in the final regular-season game for both teams. Capistrano Valley defeated El Modena 30-14 in a league game Thursday.
Tustin went 5-0 in the Delta League last season, the league’s first year.
The Tillers, No. 10 in the Orange County Top 25, are 7-2 overall. No,. 24 Western is 5-4 overall, 1-3 in league.
Western concludes the season on Oct. 31 with a league game at Trabuco Hills.
Tustin coach Anthony Lopez said the Tillers might have taken Western too lightly.
“Oh yeah, we were sleepwalking in this one,” Lopez said. “Western was one of the more physical football teams we’ve seen. They came out and punched us in the mouth.
“At halftime we regrouped and we did a great job in the second half.”
The Pioneers’ chances of winning Thursday decreased substantially when their junior quarterback Chance Thomas left the game early in the third quarter.
Thomas was pounded by two Tustin defenders on a run to the left as Thomas tried to get into the end zone. He was sprawled out and motionless out of bounds near the 1-yard line for a couple of minutes.
Thomas got up, walked to the Western sideline and stayed there for a couple of plays. When he tried to return to the field a Western trainer communicated to the game referee that Thomas should not play, ending Thomas’ night.
Thomas appeared agitated that he was not allowed to resume playing. Western coach Dan Davidson would confirm later that it was concluded that Thomas probably received a concussion.
Western did score on that possession. Skylar Lendsey scored on a 1-yard run on fourth down to tie the game 21-21 with 2:57 left in the third quarter.
Tustin took a 28-21 lead on a 2-yard touchdown run by junior defensive lineman Jeremiah Williams (6-2, 300), his second rushing touchdown of the game and his seventh touchdown this season. Taven Epps followed with his second touchdown catch of the game, this one a 30-yard pass from sophomore quarterback Ayden Edwards to make it 35-21. Eli Robinson added a 65-yard touchdown run with 1:51 left in the game for the final 42-21 score.
It was 14-14 at halftime. Tustin got its first-half touchdowns on a 6-yard pass from Edwards to Epps and a dodging 15-yard by Khalil Terry. Western scored on a 40-yard pass from Thomas to Ayden Payne and Thomas’ 3-yard run on the final play of the half.
Robinson rushed for 187 yards. Thomas completed his first seven passes before finishing with 11 completions on 17 attempts for 126 yards.
Epps said the Tillers got serious for the second half.
“We came together and played as a team, as a family,” he said. “We just can’t take teams lightly. We have to play like we can play.”
