FALLBROOK – In a game pitting the two best defenses in the Avocado League against each other, it came down to which team could limit its mistakes.

La Costa Canyon made a few, but Fallbrook trumped them with six turnovers, including four interceptions from quarterback Michael Welsh. The Mavericks took advantage with 23 points off turnovers, beating the Warriors 33-14.

With the win, LCC guarantees itself at least a share of the league title.

“You win the turnover battle, most of the time you're going to win the game,” said LCC head coach Darrin Brown, whose team turned the ball over twice. “Our defense did a good job of giving the offense short fields.”

The LCC defense picked up where it left off last week, when the Mavericks shut down the high-octane Escondido offense, keeping star running back Ricky Seale out of the end zone for the first time this season.

The Mavericks (7-2, 4-0) forced Fallbrook to punt on its first two possessions. On the third, defensive lineman Paul Quessenberry intercepted a screen pass and ran it back 47 yards for a score.

Fallbrook (4-5, 2-2) caught a break late in the second quarter when a roughing the kicker penalty on a punt gave the Warriors first-and-10 on the LCC 36-yard line. They capitalized with a 1-yard touchdown run by running back Jake Ware, who had two TDs and 58 yards.

The LCC offense sputtered in the first half, as quarterback Sebastian Frausto completed just three passes for 28 yards.

“We've got to polish some things up on offense, and then we'll move forward,” Brown said.

The Mavericks' top playmaker, wide receiver Kenny Stills, caught one pass for seven yards.

Lucky for LCC, the Warriors were just as woeful offensively. Fallbrook had 80 total rushing yards as the Mavericks swarmed the line of scrimmage the entire game.

“They put pressure on you and force you into making mistakes,” Fallbrook head coach Joe Silvey said.

The Warriors turned the ball over on their first four possessions of the second half, including a fumble on a punt return that LCC scooped up on the Fallbrook 10.

Sophomore running back Erik Nelson, who had 17 carries for 76 yards, punched it in to give the Mavericks a commanding 26-7 lead.

“Our defense is what carries us through games,” said defensive back Michael Mildbrandt, who had two interceptions. “We did our job tonight.”