SANTA ANA – Saddleback coach Rob Thompson called it exciting for his team to control its fate down the stretch.
Thursday night’s contest against Costa Mesa featured a pair of desperate teams that needed to win out to make the playoffs.
The Roadrunners are halfway toward that goal after they ran past Costa Mesa, 42-7, in an Orange Coast League game at Santa Ana Valley High.
Geovanni Estrada carried the Roadrunners (5-4, 2-2). He rushed 41 times for 202 yards and four touchdowns.
“I’ve never had a special moment like this, but today was a great game,” Estrada said. “Our team came out very confident. We want to go to the playoffs, so we all put our hearts into the game and came out with a victory.”
Saddleback quarterback Osvaldo Zuno had 135 passing yards, including a 47-yard scoring strike to Jacob Roa.
Paulo Garcia added a rushing touchdown late.
Jonathan Brucales scored the lone touchdown for Costa Mesa (5-4, 1-3).
The win sets up a high-stakes season finale against Estancia next Friday after the Eagles (3-6, 2-2) fell to Godinez, 49-21, Thursday night.
The two teams battled it out for the Orange Coast League title last year.
Estancia has won all five matchups against Saddleback since the Roadrunners joined the Orange Coast League in 2010.
Thompson fired up his team after the game by telling them that it was time to prove the doubters wrong.
“Everyone always overlooks us at the beginning of the year,” he said. “That’s why our theme is ‘Why not us?’”
