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    Yorba Linda football powers past Foothill to claim share of Crestview League title
    • October 27, 2023

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    TUSTIN — Yorba Linda took the field Thursday seeking to inject more drama into the Crestview League football race.

    The Mustangs succeeded despite playing without its best all-around playmaker, Dylan Gardner.

    The reigning CIF-SS Division 3 champion scored on its first seven possessions and streaked to a 45-29 victory against Foothill at Tustin High to earn a share of its third consecutive Crestview title.

    Yorba Linda’s Jake Winners takes a short completion for a huge gain early in the first quarter in the game betweenYorba Linda vs. Foothill in a Crestview League football game at Tustin High School on Thursday, October 26, 2023. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)

    Foothill’s Bryce Perkins, right, breaks up a pass intended for Yorba Linda’s Troy Roberts, left, during the game between Yorba Linda vs. Foothill in a Crestview League football game at Tustin High School on Thursday, October 26, 2023. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)

    Yorba Linda’s Jake Ridenour makes an interception during the game between Yorba Linda vs. Foothill in a Crestview League football game at Tustin High School on Thursday, October 26, 2023. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)

    Foothill’s Nicholas Miali left, is sacked by Yorba Linda’s Joshua Grethen, right, during the game between Yorba Linda vs. Foothill in a Crestview League football game at Tustin High School on Thursday, October 26, 2023. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)

    Yorba Linda’s Holden Nagin passes during the game between Yorba Linda vs. Foothill in a Crestview League football game at Tustin High School on Thursday, October 26, 2023. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)

    Yorba Linda’s Chase Jones, right, runs into Foothills’ Porter Elms, left, during the game between Yorba Linda vs. Foothill in a Crestview League football game at Tustin High School on Thursday, October 26, 2023. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)

    Foothiill’s Nicholas Miali passes early in the game between Yorba Linda vs. Foothill in a Crestview League football game at Tustin High School on Thursday, October 26, 2023. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)

    Yorba Linda’s Chase Jones hits a hole in the Foothill defense during the game between Yorba Linda vs. Foothill in a Crestview League football game at Tustin High School on Thursday, October 26, 2023. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)

    Yorba Linda’s Troy Roberts, right, celebrates a touchdown with teammate Damian Felix, left, during the first half in the game between Yorba Linda vs. Foothill in a Crestview League football game at Tustin High School on Thursday, October 26, 2023. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)

    Foothill’s Aaron Mitchell heads upfield during the game between Yorba Linda vs. Foothill in a Crestview League football game at Tustin High School on Thursday, October 26, 2023. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)

    Yorba Linda’s Diego Chavez fights for yards during the game between Yorba Linda vs. Foothill in a Crestview League football game at Tustin High School on Thursday, October 26, 2023. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)

    An airplane flies into John Wayne over the Foothill student section in the game between Yorba Linda vs. Foothill in a Crestview League football game at Tustin High School on Thursday, October 26, 2023. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)

    Foothill cheerleaders pose for a photo before the game between Yorba Linda vs. Foothill in a Crestview League football game at Tustin High School on Thursday, October 26, 2023. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)

    Sophomore cheerleader for Foothill, Kaitlyn Gaglia, left, holds up senior, Gigi Williams photo on Senior Night at the game between Yorba Linda vs. Foothill in a Crestview League football game at Tustin High School on Thursday, October 26, 2023. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)

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    Running back Chase Jones stayed hot with four rushing touchdowns while quarterback Holden Nagin threw two touchdowns to freshman wide receiver Troy Roberts.

    Senior lineman Joshua Grethen helped lead the Mustangs’ defense with three sacks of Foothill quarterback Nicholas Miali, who tossed four TDs.

    Yorba Linda (7-3, 2-1), ranked 16th in Orange County, rebounded from a 34-33 overtime loss to Villa Park last week to hand No. 21 Foothill (6-4, 2-1) its first defeat in the league.

    Foothill beat Villa Park (22-21) and Brea Olinda (55-0) earlier to claim a share of the league title.

    Villa Park (8-1, 1-1) can earn a share of the championship with a triumph at Brea Olinda (5-4, 0-2) on Friday but won’t claim an automatic playoff berth. That’s because Yorba Linda and Foothill won a coin flip for the league’s two automatic playoff berths.

    Villa Park will need to secure an at-large berth.

    “It’s just the cream on the top,” Yorba Linda outside linebacker/safety Jake Ridenour said of the results of the coin flip. “That (win) was mainly a team effort. Our line kicked their butts all game long. Chase Jones ran (wild). … And it’s big going into CIF.”

    Gardner, the reigning Crestview player of the year, didn’t play due to injury, Yorba Linda coach Jeff Bailey said.

    The Mustangs received several step-up performances, including one from Ridenour.

    He contributed big plays on offense, defense and special teams.

    At the end of the first half, Ridenour made a jarring tackle on a fourth-down stop at the Mustangs 37. Two runs by Nagin set up a 32-yard field goal on the final play by Bradley Staveley, who gave Yorba Linda a 31-14 lead.

    Late in the first quarter, Ridenour intercepted a pass at the Foothill 47. Holden turned the takeaway into a 11-yard TD to Roberts, who helped ease the loss of Gardner at wide receiver.

    Just moments earlier in the first, Ridenour took a screen pass as a fullback and broke a tackle near midfield for a 74-yard reception the Foothill 6. That led to a 1-yard TD run by Jones, who finished with 104 yards on 24 carries.

    Sophomore Owen Smith intercepted another pass early in the second half that Yorba Linda turned into a 4-yard scoring run by Jones, who was coming off 306 yards and four TDs against Villa Park.

    Yorba Linda senior Jake Winners also stepped up at wide receiver with three receptions for 90 yards, including a tone-setting 57-yard gain that led to an early score.

    “We had to battle our butts off in this league,” Bailey said. “Both Foothill and Villa were tremendous, hard games.”

    The CIF Southern Section is scheduled to announced the playoff pairings Sunday at 10 a.m.

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    ​ Orange County Register 

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