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TUSTIN — Orange County’s revamped football leagues promised the best competition the computer-generated power ratings could arrange.
Tustin cracked the code in the Delta League on Friday.
In a Week 10 clash of teams undefeated in league, the Tillers followed lineman Jon Ioane and running back Eimesse Essis to a 21-10 victory against visiting Capistrano Valley for the outright league title.
Essis rushed for 186 yards and a touchdown on 31 carries while Ioane anchored the defense with 2 1/2 sacks and a forced fumble. Ioane, a 6-foot-3, 290-pound sophomore, also caught a touchdown.
Tustin (9-1, 5-0), ranked No. 12 in Orange County, captured the county’s third-strongest public school league despite facing adversity early in the season. Starting quarterback Michael “Butter” Tollefson — an Arizona State commit — was declared ineligible as a transfer and linebacker Timothy Ioane — Jon’s brother — suffered a season-ending injury.
“It’s always been next man up mentality over here,” said Jon Ioane, who forced a fumble at the Tustin 25 in the middle of the fourth. “We all play as a team and our goal all year was to be the best team by Week 11 … and we’re finally putting it all together.”
The threat of Essis’ running ability helped Tustin take a 21-10 lead on the opening series of the third quarter.
Quarterback Ayden Edwards faked a handoff to Essis and then lofted a pass just over a defender to Montrevian Cushionberry for a 69-yard touchdown. Jayden Perez ran in the 2-point conversion.
The Tillers’ defense shutout No. 16 Capistrano Valley (8-2, 4-1) in the second half and held the Cougars to a season-low output.
“Our defense did a wonderful job,” Tustin coach Anthony Lopez said of a unit that also received sacks from Perez, Taven Epps and a late interception by Takanori Harris.
Tustin led 13-10 at halftime after a late touchdown by Capistrano Valley.
With 27 seconds left in the second quarter, Talon Spencer caught a 33-yard TD pass from Tommy Acosta as the Cougars trimmed the Tillers’ lead. Colin Childers converted the PAT.
Spencer, a sophomore, finished with eight catches for 104 yards.
Ioane made two big plays on fourth down in the second quarter.
He first recorded a sack on fourth down to force the Cougars to turn the ball over on downs at Tustin 30. He then capped the ensuing 70-yard scoring march with a 7-yard TD reception on fourth-and-3 from Edwards, a freshman.
Tustin took a 13-3 lead on the play with 1:37 left in the half as the PAT missed.
The Tillers’ defense also delivered late in the first quarter. The unit forced a punt to answer an interception by Capistrano Valley cornerback Jack Schwenn at his 2.
The stop led to Tustin driving from its 23 for a 1-yard TD run by Essis early in second quarter. Essis, filling in at kicker, added the PAT for a 7-3 lead.
The Delta, and the other leagues in the first-year Orange County Football Conference, was formed using Calpreps’ power ratings from the past two seasons. The leagues will remain the same next season before shifting in 2026.
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