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MURRIETA — Trailing by 10 points at halftime and its offense struggling, committing three first-half turnovers, the Mira Costa football team didn’t panic, relying on what had propelled the Mustangs deep into the playoffs, the arm of quarterback Nico De La Cruz and the receiving of Reese Leonard and Charlie O’Connor.
Mira Costa outscored host Murrieta Mesa 27-7 in the second half to lead the Mustangs to a 34-24 victory over the Rams in the CIF Southern Section Division 6 semifinals.
Mira Costa (6-7), riding a six-game winning streak after starting the season 0-7, advances to next week’s championship game, where it will host Simi Valley.
Murrieta Mesa, who was looking to reach its first title game in school history, finishes the year 6-7.
De La Cruz completed 25 of 48 passes for 396 yards and three touchdowns, while Leonard hauled in eight receptions for 156 yards and two scores and O’Connor added 151 yards on nine catches. De La Cruz went over 3,000 passing yards for the season.
Late in the third quarter, trailing 17-14, Mira Costa cornerback Bradley Shearer intercepted Julian Silva to give the Mustangs the ball at the Ram 45. But after Murrieta Mesa seemed to stop Mira Costa’s drive, forcing a fourth-and-ten, the Mustangs converted a fake punt as O’Connor threw a 19-yard completion to Luke Meeker.
Two plays later, fullback Brady Nuthall scored on a three-yard touchdown run to give Mira Costa its first lead 20-17.
After stopping Murrieta Mesa on a fourth-and-one from its own 29, the Mustangs increased their lead to 23-17 on Nico De Sisto’s 23-yard field goal.
However, the Rams would then drive 80 yards in nine plays to retake the lead 24-23 on CJ Moran’s one-yard touchdown run.
The Mustangs answered right back, going 66 yards in eight plays, regaining the lead 31-24 with 6:02 left in the game on a 15-yard touchdown pass from De La Cruz to Dean Staso.
Mira Costa thwarted the next two Murrieta Mesa drives as O’Connor and Shearer picked off Silva to seal the victory.
Murrieta Mesa opened a 14-0 lead as Silva threw a 46-yard touchdown pass to Gilos Lindsey in the first quarter and Moran added a one-yard touchdown run midway through the second quarter.
The Mustangs cut the lead 14-7 on a De La Cruz 21-yard touchdown pass to Leonard, but the Rams increased their lead to 17-7 on a 34-yard field goal by Alex Krishan with two seconds left in the half.
In addition to the three turnovers Murrieta Mesa forced in the first half, the Rams recorded five sacks, two by Isaiah Casillas, and held the Mustangs to 12 yards rushing on the night.
Silva completed 23 of 37 passes for 287 yards and Lindsey led the Ram receivers with seven receptions for 135 yards.
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