Tustin football rallies in the second half to beat El Modena in Delta League thriller
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ORANGE — The sharp cuts and extra effort of Tustin running back Eimesse Essis faced off against the speed and dual threats of El Modena quarterback Xzavior Guess on Thursday. Only one could depart the Delta League showdown with a critical victory.
Essis emerged victorious with plenty of help from his teammates, especially in the second half.
The senior rushed for 293 yards and two scores and freshman Ayden Edwards tossed a 28-yard touchdown to Montrevian Cushionberry with 1:21 left as the Tillers rallied past host El Modena 34-28 to remain atop the league standings.
Tustin running back Eimesse Essis (2) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against El Modena in a Delta League football game in Orange on Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)Tustin (7-1, 3-0), ranked 12th in Orange County, sealed the victory by holding Guess and No. 14 El Modena (7-1, 2-1) at the Tillers 42-yard line in the closing seconds.
Essis, a first-team All-County selection last season, was slowed late by a tight hamstring. His support came from Edwards, backup running back Gustavo Martinez, a physical offensive line, the Tillers' defense and special teams.
"It was a complete team effort," Tustin coach Anthony Lopez said. "There's so much to fix and clean up but I'm so proud of our guys. We're like a family over here. We got a bunch of tough-nosed kids who know how to battle."
Edwards, in-season transfer from Mater Dei, led Tustin on an 80-yard scoring drive that ended with a well-placed pass to Cushionberry, who made an excellent reception against tight coverage.
The Tillers led 34-28 after the PAT failed.
On El Modena's final drive, Jackson Perez and Taven Epps collected sacks and teamed with defensive linemen Jeremiah Williams and Jonathan Ioane to pressure Guess.
Edwards' TD pass, his second of the game, answered a 61-yard touchdown run by Guess that tied the score 28-28 with 7:11 left in the fourth quarter.
In the third quarter, Essis scored on runs of 30 and 33 yards in a span of about a minute and half to give the Tillers the lead for good.
After a key sack by Amir Moorehead gave the Tillers the ball at their 45, Essis capped a short drive with a 30-yard TD run to trim El Modena's lead 21-19. Perez tossed a pass to Epps on a 2-point conversion to tie the score 21-21 with 4:25 left.
On the ensuing kickoff, kicker Nathan Ixta recovered his own onside kick at the Vanguards 47. Five plays later, Essis scored on a 33-yard run as Tustin took a 28-21 advantage with 2:49 left in the third.
"We all had to come together," said Essis, who carried the ball 37 times. "I can't do nothing without (my) linemen."
El Modena led 14-13 at halftime.
Ixta kicked a 28-yard field goal with 21 seconds left for his second conversion of the opening half.
The boot answered a 60-yard TD pass from Guess to running back Brodie Hitchens in the middle of the second quarter that gave El Modena a 14-10 lead.
Guess lofted a pass on third-and-2 to a Hitchens, who lined up near the slot and found an opening on a wheel route along the sideline.
In the first quarter, El Modena forced an early fumble and capitalized with a 1-yard TD run by Guess with 7:25 left.
Mason Romo recovered the fumble for the Vanguards.
Tustin knotted the score 7-7 late in the opening quarter on a 5-yard TD pass from freshman Edwards to Takanori Harris.
Essis helped set up the score with a 33-yard burst to the 9.
Ixta extended Tustin's lead to 10-7 later in the second with a 27-yard field goal. The kick came after a TD by Essis was negated by a holding penalty.
Tustin finished with 14 penalties for 124 yards.
El Modena and Tustin met for the first time since 2009, the Tillers' last season in the old Century League. Tustin won at home 54-0 and moved to the Empire League the next fall.
Next week, El Modena continues Delta League play at Capistrano Valley (6-1, 2-0) on Friday, Oct. 25. Tustin plays at Western on the same night and plays host to Capistrano Valley on Nov. 1.
This story was originally published October 17, 2024, 11:26 PM.
