Tustin runs over Villa Park

TUSTIN - Tustin did just about everything right.

The Tillers had two running backs surpass 100 yards, and as team they rushed for 497. They committed no turnovers, and committed no penalties. Only one play resulted in negative yardage.

And they took over sole possession of first place in the Century League with a 49-21 victory over Villa Park on Thursday at Tustin High. (Full game stats.)

Tustin won its fifth in a row to improve to 5-3 overall and 3-0 in league. The Tillers are the only league team without a league loss. Villa Park is 4-4 overall and second place with a 2-1 league record.

Ameer Webb rushed for 122 yards and three touchdowns, and Anthony Wilkerson rushed for 157 yards and two touchdowns. Two other Tustin running backs scored touchdowns - Cody Oxby and Johnny Lopez.

Tustin’s defense did give up three big plays, all of them touchdown passes by Villa Park junior quarterback Andrew Selway. Other than that, Tillers coach Myron Miller was pleased … but not satisfied. Coaches always see room for improvement.

“Whether you win or lose,” he said, “on Monday you have to get better.”

The Tillers averaged 7.9 yards a carry, but Miller said they could run better. Tustin threw only three times, completing one pass for 1 yard, so Miller said the Tillers can pass better. Those three touchdown passes prompted him to say blitzing and coverage could stand some improvement, too.

But with Tustin scoring touchdowns on all five of its first-half possessions, Tustin did not need to pass the ball. The Tillers' few defensive deficiencies did not matter, either.

Tustin’s first possession was a 14-play, 64-yard drive that ended with a 3-yard touchdown run by Wilkerson. The next possession: 8 plays, 62 yards, and a 3-yard touchdown run by Webb.

And the next: a quick two-play deal, with Webb scoring on a 64-yard run to make it 21-0.
Villa Park scored on a 77-yard pass to Brennan Parker from Selway, a junior backup who took the place of Tyler Watkins who sat out because of a thigh contusion, trim Tustin’s lead to 21-7. The Tillers scored twice more in the half, on an 11-yard run by Webb and a 40-yard run by Wilkerson to take a 35-7 lead into halftime.

Oxby and Lopez scored their touchdowns in the second half. Selway threw two touchdown passes in the fourth quarter, one to Jacob Alvaradoand one to Parker Roberts.

A team does not average almost 8 yards a carry without a contribution from the offensive line. The Tillers’ linemen - Shawn Connolly, Jovanny Mendez, Scott Hungerford, Dillon Sommer, Luis Rubio, a and rotating group of tight ends that included Justice Tausaga,Chris Robinson and Denzale Stewart- were in control all night.

Robinson and Tausaga contributed sacks on defense, as did Antonio Mendoza and Faitele Faafo.

It was not a happy return to Tustin for Marijon Ancich, a former Tilllers’ head coach who now is an assistant at Villa Park where son Dusan is co-head coach with Pat Mahoney. Ancich coached the Tillers from 1984 to ’91, and led them to two CIF championship games.

Tustin, which has scored 155 points in its three league games, plays El Modena on Nov. 8 at El Modena. Villa Park plays El Doardo next Friday at El Modena.

•Click here for full game stats.

Contact the writer: sfryer@ocregister.com