San Clemente’s Defense Takes Its Turn

TUSTIN — Their reputations were the antitheses of each other. San Clemente, the no-huddle team that tries to squeeze as many plays into a game as possible, against Tustin, a running team whose best defense is a ball-hog offense.

It made for an intriguing matchup, but not for an upset.

San Clemente, ranked third in Orange County, survived a shaky outing and beat the host Tillers, 14-0, Thursday.

“Tustin played hard and did a great job,” San Clemente Coach Mark McElroy said. “Our defense played real well.”

And the praise stopped there. Quarterback Chris Boden, who had passed for a county-high 1,004 yards coming into the game, completed only nine of 21 for 92 yards.

“I just didn’t make the right reads tonight,” Boden said. “[But] I think they’re a great defensive team--really physical.”

The Tritons (4-1) totaled 186 yards on offense, but were also penalized eight times for 80 yards--45 against the offense.

Tustin’s inability to mount a serious running game against the Triton defense--the Tillers (1-4) rushed 34 times for 58 yards--may have been the only thing that saved San Clemente. That, and Greg Lang’s 28-yard punt return.

Lang’s return set up a 10-play, 35-yard scoring drive that consumed 3 minutes 58 seconds. Ryan Davis (14 carries for 55 yards) rushed for 16 yards and Boden for 13 before passing to Jason Hylland for an eight-yard scoring pass with 14 seconds left in the third quarter.

It was a case of San Clemente beating Tustin at its own game.

The Tillers, trailing 7-0, were in great shape entering the third quarter; they had allowed only three second-half points this year.

San Clemente took the lead when Boden, forced from the pocket, found Hylland in the end zone for a 27-yard scoring play. It completed a nine-play, 61-yard drive.

It was Boden’s eighth touchdown pass, but only his second to a receiver other than Trevor Insley, who missed the game because of a broken hand.

Tustin’s best scoring chance came after DeShaun Foster’s interception at the Triton 32.

Tiller quarterback Robbie Caston scrambled for 21 yards, to the 11, setting up David Wilford’s 27-yard field goal attempt on the first half’s final play, but it was blocked by Brandon Smith.