MISSION VIEJO — Tustin coach Anthony Lopez refers to running back Eimesse Essis as “Mr. Reliable” and with good reason.
Essis ran for 194 yards and had three total touchdowns in Tustin’s 35-14 win over Trabuco Hills in a Delta League game Friday at Trabuco Hills High.
The senior has surpassed 1,000 rushing yards for the season and has run for over 180 yards in five of the six games he has played.
“He’s Mr. Reliable. When you give him the ball, special things happen,” Lopez said. “Our game plan is to spread things out a bit so he can run a bit easier but he gets the tough yards when we need him to.”
Essis had 27 carries and added a receiving touchdown.
“The line has been doing great and I can’t do anything without my linemen,” Essis said.
Tustin (6-1, 2-0) started the game in a big way with a 60-yard interception return for a touchdown by Brannon Hampton to give the Tillers a 6-0 lead early in the game.
It was the first interception at the varsity level for Hampton which fired up Tustin’s sideline.
“It was huge,” Lopez said. “It really got the energy going and got our sideline going. It was nice, especially for a kid like him who has earned his way into a starting spot.”
Essis capped a seven-play, 80-yard scoring drive with an 8-yard touchdown run to extend Tustin’s lead to 13-0.
Tustin scored just before halftime on a 20-yard touchdown pass from Jon Iaone to Taven Epps to give the Tillers a 20-0 lead at halftime.
Ioane, a 6-foot-3, 290-pound quarterback completed 9 of 15 passes for 112 yards with two touchdowns.
Tustin’s defense held Trabuco Hills to just 70 yards in the first half and forced a three-and-out on Trabuco Hills’ (4-3, 0-2) only possession of the third quarter.
Epps led Tustin in tackles and Khalil Terry had an interception for the Tillers.
“The defense set us up for success on the offensive side of the ball,” Lopez said.
Essis ran for his second touchdown of the game in a six-minute scoring drive to open the half.
Trabuco Hills got on the board in the third quarter on a 16-yard touchdown pass from Tristan Zale to Matt Misiego.
Zale completed 14 of 27 passes for 195 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. The junior threw a 44-yard touchdown pass to Alex Kiernan late in the fourth quarter.
Kiernan led Trabuco Hills with 86 yards on four receptions and added an interception on defense. Landon Zack and Tristan Gutman led Trabuco Hills in tackles.
Iaone threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to Essis in the fourth quarter.
Tustin plays undefeated El Modena Thursday at El Modena High which may decide the Delta League champion.
“They are a well-coached team and we are excited to get after it,” Lopez said. “It’s going to be a challenge and we are up for it.”
Trabuco Hills will host Capistrano Valley next Friday.
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