The Capistrano Valley Cougars will challenge the Tustin Tillers at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday. Each of these teams will be fighting to keep a win streak alive as Capistrano Valley comes in on six and Tustin on five.
On Thursday, Capistrano Valley didn't have too much trouble with El Modena as they won 30-14. Given the Cougars' advantage in MaxPreps' California football rankings (they are ranked 35th, while the Vanguards are ranked 101st) , the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Abel Gherasim
| 10/23/25 @ El Modena | 108 |
| 09/19/25 vs Foothill | 77 |
| 10/17/25 vs Trabuco Hills | 65 |
| 09/12/25 @ Aliso Niguel | 65 |
| 10/03/25 @ Western | 56 |
Capistrano Valley's success was spearheaded by the efforts of Talon Spencer, who rushed for 17 yards and two touchdowns, and Abel Gherasim, who rushed for 108 yards and one TD on only eight carries. Those 108 rushing yards gave Gherasim a new career-high. Colin Hooper also helped out with an impressive 92 receiving yards.
Meanwhile, Tustin's game on Thursday was all tied up 14-14 at the half, but luckily for them it didn't stay that way. They blew past Western 42-21. Considering the Tillers have won five contests by more than 20 points this season, Thursday's blowout was nothing new.
Capistrano Valley better keep an eye on Elijah Robinson. He was instrumental in Tustin's win, rushing for 187 yards and one score on only 14 carries. Robinson's longest rush was for an impressive 65 yards, which helps to explain his lofty yards per carry total. Another signal caller making a difference was Ayden Edwards, who threw for 147 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
They were just one part of a punishing run game: Tustin was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 247 rushing yards. That's the most rushing yards they've managed all season.
Tustin's defense made their presence known, laying out the QB four times. That dominant display was truly a team effort as four different players picked up one apiece. Another thorn in Western's side was Tim Ioane, who picked up a sack, made seven total tackles, and defended one pass in addition to snagging an interception.
Tustin's victory bumped their record up to 7-2. As for Capistrano Valley, their win bumped their record up to 8-1.
Thursday's matchup might be decided on the ground. Capistrano Valley has been excellent on the ground this season, having averaged 183.3 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Tustin struggles in that department as they've been averaging 153.8 rushing yards. There's a good chance Thursday's game turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Capistrano Valley came up short against Tustin in their previous meeting back in November of 2024, falling 21-10. Thankfully for the Cougars, Eimesse Essis (who rushed for 183 yards and one TD) won't be suiting up this time. Will that be enough to change the final result? There's only one way to find out.
