Mira Costa 2009 gridiron champs

Mike Miller celebrates Mira Costa's third CIF title. Photo

Mike Miller celebrates Mira Costa's third CIF title. Photo

On Dec. 11, Mira Costa’s football team avenged a 14-0 loss in the 2008 CIF Western Division championship game with a thrilling 24-21 victory over Alemany of Mission Hills, giving the Mustangs – and head coach Don Morrow – their third CIF crown.

Alex Norocea’s field goal split the uprights with 4:37 left in regulation, giving Mira Costa the long-awaited title and adding to the kicker’s school record of most points scored in a single season. The senior finished the 2009 campaign with 88 points.

It was a satisfying moment for the 30 returning players who had accomplished their year-long mission on the turf at College of the Canyons.

“It’s been our only goal all year,” senior quarterback Kyle Demarco said. “It (a 14-0 loss to Quartz Hill in 2008) left a bad taste in our mouths. We refused to go through that long bus ride home again.”

Kyle Nunn emerged as a big playmaker for the Mustangs during the season and continued his heroics in the final game. Faced with a crucial 3rd-and-12 play on Mira Costa’s side of the field, Demarco dropped back to pass and let the ball fly. Fortunately, the wobbly pass was in the direction of Nunn

The 6-foot-3 receiver jumped, fighting off four defenders to bring the ball down, giving the Mustangs a new set of downs and the opportunity for the game-winning field goal.

“I only saw one defender and I thought I’m not going to let what happened last year happen again,” said Nunn, who had five catches for 107 yards. “It really helped to have that little flashback.”

Moments after the final seconds ticked off the clock, Mira Costa supporters spilled onto the field to join in the celebration as players hugged teammates, coaches, family members and friends.

“We knew we had a great team,” Kellen Lockwood said after a barrage of camera flashes. “From the start of summer practice, our goal was to get here. I’m so proud of everyone here. We knew what we had to do. Alemany played really hard and deserves a lot of credit, but nothing was going to stop us tonight.” ER

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