Tustin Rolls as It Reaches Easy Portion of Schedule

Tustin Coach Myron Miller didn’t make things easy for the Tillers when he put Los Alamitos, La Puente Bishop Amat and Servite on the nonleague schedule.

But Miller wanted a schedule to condition and toughen the Tillers for Golden West League play. Judging by the 44-16 pounding ninth-ranked Tustin administered Thursday to host Westminster Miller got what he wanted.

Tustin improved to 4-3, 1-0.

“We did not lose one player to injury [during nonleague],” Miller said. “And I didn’t think there was one game where we really got out butts kicked. We could have been 6-0 just as easily 3-3. So I thought that schedule was good for us.”

Miller’s players said they understood what their coach was trying to accomplish.

“It was tough but it really helped us to play the top teams,” said running back Branden Malcom, who had 174 yards and two touchdowns in 23 carries Thursday.

“We felt we got their respect. We feel ready and confident for league, but we’re not overlooking anyone. We know Ocean View is good and we’re not discounting Saddleback.”

Still if the Tillers continue to play at the level they did Thursday, they have a strong chance of defending the league championship they shared with Servite last year.

Along with Malcom, Tustin wore down the Lions’ defense with tailback Mike Zill, whose 17- and 50-yard touchdown runs in the third quarter helped Tustin overcome a 9-8 halftime deficit. Zill finished with 120 yards in 12 carries.

Tustin quarterback David Miller had four completions in 10 attempts for 72 yards, including a 20-yard touchdown pass to Ricky Miller with 20 seconds to play for the game’s final points.

Westminster (2-4, 0-1) stayed in the game for almost three quarters on the passing and running of quarterback Kelly Coburn. Coburn threw for 230 yards and one touchdown of 10 yards to Phillip Jenkins, and scored one touchdown. He was intercepted twice.

Jenkins also kicked a 37-yard field goal.

“I thought Coburn and Westminster did a good job of confusing our defense in the first half. We also shot ourselves in the foot with penalties and mistakes. But we made some adjustments,” Miller said. “I also thought we had too many athletes for them.”