TUSTIN – Fifty-one yards was the distance, and the height was akin to a fly ball off the bat of a slugger.
Sebastian Valerio’s field goal with 24 seconds left in Beckman’s 20-17 victory over Tustin on Friday night wasn’t shy, nor was the Patriots’ celebration afterward at Tustin High.
Beckman, which actually had the stadium’s home side in the faceoff between neighboring schools on the Tustin-Irvine border, was wild about a win that improved the Patriots’ record to 3-1. Beckman went ahead 7-0 quickly and had a 17-14 edge midway through the fourth quarter during a competitive battle in which Tustin (3-2) accumulated 11 penalties.
“The game was awesome because we maintained our strength,” said Valerio, a senior who missed a 40-yard kick in the second quarter.
His booming game-winner came off a snap from Ryan Sinkking and hold by starting quarterback Dean Nagle.
“The drive I had behind the ball felt perfect,” Valerio said. “The hold was right where I needed it, and we’ve struggled to do that sometimes during practice.”
Beckman’s Adrian Morrow rushed for 181 yards on 28 carries, benefiting from the constant force provided by right guard Mike Crotty and center Sean McCracken. Receiver Noah Lee was a critical influence with four catches for first downs in the fourth quarter, when the Patriots trailed, 14-10, before Morrow’s score with 8:02 left.
Tustin receivers Aramie Faletoi and Eamonn Tragesser countered well with a series of significant receptions in the fourth quarter. Derek Soto was a consistent contributor for the Tillers with his 79 yards on 17 carries while quarterback George Wilson rushed for both Tustin touchdowns.
