PHOTOS: Tustin starts fast and captures 42-14 win over Crean Lutheran in Empire League opener

Tustin senior Josaiah Aiono breaks loose for a 74-yard TD run in the first quarter Thursday night against Crean Lutheran. (Photos courtesy Mark Bausman, For OC Sports Zone)

Tustin High’s football team didn’t waste any time to set the tone in an Empire League opener with Crean Lutheran Thursday night.

The Tillers scored on their second play of the first possession on a 74-yard TD run by senior Josaiah Aiono and went on to defeat the Saints 42-14 at Tustin. It was the second game for both teams in the abbreviated spring season.

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Tustin (1-1) was without its head coach, Anthony Lopez, who was ejected in the fourth quarter of last week’s game with Foothill and had to sit out.

“We had a little bit of adversity this week with our coach getting ejected at the end of the game last week so we kind of preach next guy up to our athletes and that applied to us as coaches this week,” said Athletic Director Tom Giebe, who was the acting coach Thursday night. He is also a member of the coaching staff.

“We had to kind of make some changes. Coach Lopez is our play caller. So Coach (Brandon) Pratt, our tight end coach and our JV coach, called plays tonight and I just managed what I could manage with these guys and luckily we came out on top. We started fast and didn’t let up.”

Giebe said that Tustin coaches were texting Lopez with updates. Lopez will return to guide the team next week.

Aiono wound up with 119 yards rushing on eight carries while Flores had five catches for 113 yards.

Tustin quarterback Riley Kelly also had a big night, passing for 242 yards and three touchdowns. His first one was a 92-yard pass to Armon Fuller in the first quarter that put the Tillers ahead 14-0.

He then connected with Dominick Flores on a 29-yard TD pass later in the quarter to give Tustin a 21-point lead after one. Kelly had a 10-run TD run in the second quarter to give the Tillers a 28-0 lead at halftime.

“Riley played well for us, he only got a quarter and a half for us last week and got kind of dinged up so we got him cleared this week and we’re happy with his development,” Giebe said. “Flores played well, he gets everybody going.”

Flores wound up with four catches for 113 yards and also hauled in a 28-yard TD pass from Flores in the third quarter.

“A lot of guys stepped up and played well. Our goal was to start fast and try to put it away early and I think we were able to do that and get some other guys some playing time and get ready for Pacifica next week,” Giebe said,

Crean Lutheran, under new Coach Rick Curtis, tried to battle back in the the second half.

Quarterback Gavin Rogers connected with Jack Fairchild on a 10-yard TD pass in the third quarter to cut the Tustin lead to 34-7.

Tustin made it 42-7 when back-up QB Gage Grant threw a 2-yard TD pass to Mateo Vasquez and the Tillers made the two-point conversion.

Crean Lutheran got on the scoreboard again when Brad Cooper bolted into the end zone for a 1-yard TD run.

Fairchild hauled in seven catches for 111 yards while Matt Mahoney had three catches for 50 yards for the Saints. Rogers passed for 158 yards.

“We had a rough start, but the kids played their hearts out,” Curtis said. “There were a lot of good things that we can build on from the second half. I’m very proud of how they never gave up and battled throughout the entire game.”

—Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone; timburt@ocsportszone.com