A pass interception and return for a touchdown by Emilio Rangel barely five minutes into a huge battle with sixth-ranked Otay Ranch propelled the eighth-ranked Titans to a lopsided 38-7 Mesa League home victory.

Rangel, a junior transfer from Mater Dei, stepped in front of an Otay Ranch screen play and raced 30 yards untouched for a 10-0 Titans' lead with 6:45 left in the opening quarter.

Rangel had a little help on the play. Fellow junior linebacker Eddie Vega flew past an attempted block to deflect the pass by Mustangs quarterback Juan Leary.

“The tight end tried to block me, but I just went right by him,” Vega said.

Rangel knew how to take it from there.

“When I saw Eddie tip the ball, I just reacted and stepped in front and picked it off,” Rangel said.

The turnover came on the heels of a big confidence booster for the Eastlake offense. It took the ball on the opening kickoff and, riding the powerful running of Tony Jefferson, marched to the Otay Ranch 1. The drive stalled and the Titans (6-2, 3-0 Metro League) settled for a 22-yard field goal by Kris Almario.

“The interception really got our momentum going, but the first drive set the tone for our offense as well,” said Jefferson, who carried 17 times for 105 yards and two TDs.

Before they knew what hit them, the Mustangs found themselves down 17-0. Rangel again had a hand.

His recovery of abad snap on a punt set up Eastlake at the Mustangs' 25. Four plays later, Randall Williams scored his first of two TDs, sweeping in from the 5 with 1:53 left in the first quarter.

Three plays into the second quarter, Jefferson scored his first TD, following a Williams' block to go in from 19 yards out.

Williams' second TD, an 18-yard swing pass, gave Eastlake a 31-0 halftime lead.

Eastlake ended its scoring with a 5-yard TD run by Jefferson on the first drive of the second half.

“I was hoping we'd finally step up and play the kind of game I know we can play,” Eastlake coach John McFadden said. “Tonight everyone played well, and when we do that I think we can be as good as anybody.”

The Mustangs (5-2-1, 2-1) avoided the shutout when Leary connected with Deleon Dallas on a slant pass from the 8 with 4:09 left in the game.