MINI BATTLE FOR THE BELL:

COSTA MESA — With water spraying from green Gatorade bottles like champagne in a championship locker room, Estancia High celebrated in the end zone after shutting out its rival Costa Mesa, 38-0.

The Eagles’ freshman football team (7-0) provided a glimpse of what the program can expect in the near future on Thursday night at new Jim Scott Stadium. Meanwhile, it appears as if Costa Mesa (2-5) has some catching up to do.

Estancia’s Milton Gutierrez kept the Eagles out in front from the outset and was the star of the night. He scored four touchdowns, intercepted two passes and racked up 222 total yards. He rushed for 157 yards and three touchdowns on just eight carries. He also stood out with a 65-yard punt return for a touchdown.

“I was joking with the team before the game saying, ‘We have the next Reggie Bush,’ ” Estancia Coach Leonard Kirchner said. “We have a few backs that carry the ball, but [Gutierrez] has really been our primary running back. He has been a standout all year.”

Gutierrez found a rhythm with the running game early that the Mustangs could never answer.

He started the scoring with 8:49 in the first quarter on a 46-yard run up the middle of the field, putting Estancia up 6-0.

But he did not stop there.

With 4:20 left in the first half, the Estancia defense forced a Mustangs punt that Gutierrez returned 65 yards for a touchdown, making it 12-0. He added another touchdown at the end of the first half with a 72-yard run along the left side to make it 18-0.

Fullback Octavio Magana was one of the backs that shared the load with Gutierrez and helped solidify the run game for Estancia throughout the night.

At the start of the second half, Magana carried it four times on a nine-play Estancia drive that ended with Magana scoring on a seven-yard run. Magana finished the night with one touchdown and 27 yards on seven carries.

But Gutierrez and Magana were not the only productive freshmen in the game. Estancia had a number of standout freshmen to look for in the future. Luca De La Torre came into the game late and rushed for 27 yards and a touchdown on seven carries.

Estancia’s Alex Trancoso and Brandon Kingsley both had interceptions, while Alex Rodriguez and Brodin Pearce recorded sacks to help keep the Mustangs scoreless.

The Costa Mesa offense could never get a big play or a momentum stopper to slow the Eagles offense. The Mustangs gave up four interceptions and ended up with 92 yards on offense. A 42 yard-pass from Daniel Garduno to Trace Curet on a flea-flicker with 15 seconds left proved to be Costa Mesa’s biggest play. But it was just too little, too late.The Mustangs also had a few highlights on defense. Three Mesa players blocked a punt that Chris Pawinski recovered. Jordan Walden and Nathan Alvis recovered one fumble each for the Costa Mesa defense.

“Both sides of the ball made mistakes, but we made a few less and converted tonight,” Kirchner said. “It was great getting out here under the lights and gaining some respect for our program and from our fans.”

The freshman Eagles will try to stay undefeated when they play Godinez at Jim Scott Stadium on Thursday at 3:15 p.m.

ESTANCIA 38, COSTA MESA 0

SCORE BY QUARTERS

Costa Mesa - 0 0 0 0 - 0

Estancia - 6 14 18 0 - 38

FIRST QUARTER

Est –Gutierrez 46 run (kick failed), 8:49.

SECOND QUARTER

Est – Gutierrez 65 punt return (kick failed), 4:20.

Est – Gutierrez 72 run (Lagotic 8 run), 1:14.

THIRD QUARTER

Est – Magana 7 run (kick failed), 6:43.

Est – Gutierrez 28 run (kick failed), 5:20.

Est – De La Torre 6 run (kick failed), 2:08.

INDIVIDUAL RUSHING

CM – Caicedo, 5-18; Garduno, 2-10.

Est – Gutierrez, 8-157, 3 TDs; Ibarra, 7-25 1 TD; Magana, 7-27; Lagotic, 3-14; De La Torre, 7-27, 1 TD; Tenno, 2-6.

INDIVIDUAL PASSING

CM – Garduno, 1-1-0, 42; Alvis, 3-13-3, 22.

Est – Lagotic, 2-6-2, 10.

INDIVIDUAL RECEIVING

CM – Curet, 1-42; Garduno, 1-3; Hayes, 2-19.

Est – Transcoso, 2-10.