Lutheran finally getting a challenge ... maybe
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Three games into the season, and there are a few teams out there who still must be wondering how good they really are. One of them is Orange Lutheran,which is ranked No. 7 in The Times’ top 25.
The Lancers are 3-0, but haven’t stretched their legs against an opponent who had a legitimate chance of beating them.
‘I’m a stereotypical coach, and going into each game, the other team always looks bigger, scarier and hairier,’ said Jim Kunau, Lutheran’s coach. ‘In retrospect, there’s some fairness to your comment. The next two weeks will be a little bit different, a good litmus test.’
Lutheran plays at Valencia on Thursday. A few years ago, while Michael Herrick was quarterback, Valencia was one of the Southland’s best teams, but last year finished 2-8.
‘They lost to Birmingham by two touchdowns, and Long Beach Poly lost to Birmingham by two touchdowns,’ Kunau said. ‘Any time you play a team the same as Poly played the team, that’s impressive. Valencia played Birmingham tough. I know, because I watched the film three times.’
Despite outscoring opponents, 101-14, Kunau says the Lancers have found plenty of things to work on. The offensive line still must step up after allowing three sacks last week in a 35-0 victory over Tesoro. ‘I think that’s a lot,’ said Kunau, who no longer has the benefit of Aaron Corp in the backfield, but instead first-year varsity starter Blake Hyepock, a senior. ‘None of those were cases where they were coverage sacks, they were instances where our guys got beat. We take those to heart.’
The two returning starters to the offensive line, left guard Don Williams and left tackle Lance Barker, have been terrific thus far. Right guard Aaron Prindle, a starter last season as a sophomore, hyperextended his elbow a few days before the first game but hopes to be back for the game against No. 19 Los Alamitos on Sept. 28.
Hyepock, though, has done everything he’s been asked. He has completed 31 of 57 passes for 666 yards and five touchdowns. ‘All we’ve asked him to do every week is improve and not have any turnovers,’ Kunau said. ‘That’s all we want to see. He’s a good character kid, and the other players rally around him.’
But can he rally the team in a clutch situation? Through no fault of his own, that’s something Lutheran has yet to learn.
- Martin Henderson