YORBA LINDA – There were plenty of reasons to be pumped up before the Crestview League opener between visiting Esperanza and Yorba Linda on Friday.
Yorba Linda and Esperanza are rivals who share the same stadium, Esperanza coach Gary Bowers was once an assistant under Yorba Linda coach Jeff Baily and it was the Mustangs’ homecoming game.
But the Aztecs spoiled the homecoming party by defeating Yorba Linda, 21-7.
The Aztecs (4-4, 1-0) trailed 7-0 before scoring three unanswered touchdowns and shutting out the Mustangs (3-5, 0-1) in the second half.
After a scoreless first quarter, Yorba Linda quarterback Jake Gigliotti ran for a 52-yard touchdown, made possible by his fake handoff that tripped up the Aztecs’ defense.
Esperanza tied the score on a 43-yard touchdown run from Brett Mullins.
After throwing just three passes in the first half, the Aztecs suddenly went to the air and it paid off.
Aztecs quarterback Trevor Markowitz went 6 for 6 on an 80-yard, 10-play drive, capping the drive himself with a 2-yard touchdown run to put his team ahead, 14-7
Esperanza made the score 21-7 on a 69-yard scoring pass from Markowitz to Blake Peters.
Contact the writer: lponsi@ocregister.com
