ANAHEIM - It might have seemed like there were multiple players wearing the No. 3 jersey for La Habra, roaming the field and making plays on defense on nearly every play against Tustin on Saturday afternoon at Angel Stadium.

But there was only one No. 3, David Arteaga, who came up with all those huge hits and big stops to help La Habra shut out the Tillers' high-powered double-wing offense in the second half to secure a 26-14 victory in the CIF-SS Southwest Division championship game.

"I'm glad that we played Tustin," Arteaga said. "They are a running team and I like to play run-stop defense. I like hitting. I wanted my shot at No. 32 (Anthony Wilkerson) and I got him a couple of times. It was a great feeling."

Arteaga finished with an astonishing 23 tackles, including 14 solo tackles. Wilkerson, who was one of the county's top running backs, was on the receiving end of many of those hits.

Arteaga also made at least two open-field tackles on Wilkerson on plays that easily could have gone for touchdowns.

La Habra coach Frank Mazzotta said Arteaga was the defensive player of the year for the Freeway League, and he sure played like it against Tustin.

"He's not much of a pass defender guy," Mazzotta joked. "He's more of a bang his head into the middle type of thing."

La Habra was clinging to a 20-14 lead late in the third quarter when Tustin put together one of its long, time-consuming drives that stretched into the fourth quarter.

The Tillers were facing a third-and-11 and handed off to Wilkerson. Arteaga came up and made a huge hit that stopped him for a 1-yard gain and brought up fourth down. The Tillers had to go for it on fourth down and again it was Arteaga coming up to make the stop on Wilkerson and force the Tillers to turn the ball over on downs.

"It just fired me up getting him one time," Arteaga said. "I just wanted more. I love hitting. I just wanted a hit, so I pursued and just got the hit."

Senior defensive end Jake Peppard, who finished with nine tackles, including two for losses and a sack, was thoroughly impressed with his teammate's effort.

"Arteaga ... he's amazing," Peppard said. "He's one of the most unselfish players I've ever played with. He's team first, defense first, no matter what he's throwing his body in there. He's doing whatever he can. He's one of the hardest hitters I know. He's awesome. He's an all-around player, good guy. I just love him to death."

Junior running back Josh Quezada calls the 5-11, 185-pound senior a "head hunter," but there was one bad thing about Arteaga.

"I love the guy," Quezada said, "but we won't have him next year."

But he did leave a lasting impression.

Contact the writer: carias@ocregister.com