Sierra Canyon leaves no doubt against Orange Lutheran
By Jacob H. Pollon
The Sierra Canyon football team is leaving little doubt it belongs in the Div. 1 playoffs this year.
The Trailblazers won their fourth consecutive game to start the year after a 40-6 rout against Orange Lutheran at Orange Coast College.
Wyatt Becker completed 18 of 31 passes for 212 yards and two touchdowns to lead Sierra Canyon (4-0).
Becker connected with Cole Crawford for a 33-yard score and found junior running back Dane Dunn for a short-6-yard screen pass touchdown late in the game.
Dunn rushed for a touchdown and finished with 89 yards on 12 carries.
Terrell “Choppa” Cooks rushed for two touchdowns and had 33 yards on six carries.
Orange Lutheran was hampered by not having starting quarterback T.J. Lateef available. The Lancers (3-2) were down to their third-string QB Jaedyn Medina after the back-up left with an injury in the second quarter.
Sierra Canyon only led 6-0 after one quarter but went ahead 20-6 at halftime and never looked back with Orange Lutheran severely at a disadvantage with no experienced signal caller.
Nevada Miller and freshman De’Markus Barnes each had interceptions. Barnes returned his 20 yards for a touchdown for the final points.
Steven Chavez led Orange Lutheran with 132 yards on 19 carries and the only score. The quarterbacks finished a combined 18 of 33 for 175 yards.
The last time Sierra Canyon started the year 4-0 was 2016 when the Trailblazers finished 16-0 and won a state title. The time before that, that it started 4-0 was 2011 when it went 15-0 and won a state title.
Sierra Canyon hosts Saguaro of Arizona next week in its last nonleague game before Mission League games against Notre Dame, Alemany, Bishop Amat, Chaminade and Serra.
Orange Lutheran has a welcomed week off before starting Trinity League play against JSerra, a team Sierra Canyon beat 9-7 in week zero.
