Football: This Lemon aids Lutheran amid claims of undue influence

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Gabe Lemon, a junior who played defensive back and wide receiver for Trabuco Hills, has transferred to Orange Lutheran.

Lemon, a first-team DB on The Register’s All-Orange County team, had nine interceptions last season, a fumble recovery and a blocked kick.

He leaves a team that lost to El Dorado, 13-12, in the Southern Section Southwest Division championship. He joins a team that lost in the Pac-5 semifinals, 2-0, to eventual champion Long Beach Poly.

The message boards have lit up over this one.

‘The only thing that’s true about any of that nonsense is that he did transfer,’ said Jim Kunau, Orange Lutheran’s coach.

There have been anonymous claims of a free apartment and tuition paid for by boosters, and supposed eyewitness accounts of outright begging at the All-County photo shoot by Lutheran parents/players that Lemon transfer. Steve Fryer certainly puts to end the latter claim.

Lutheran has been successful at every level. And when Times player of the year Aaron Corp graduated after guiding the team to the first Pac-5 title, the Lancers didn’t fall back into the woodwork but instead followed up with a trip to the semifinals, where they very nearly beat Poly.

It is a non-Catholic private school alternative -- the only one in the Pac-5 -- playing big-time high school football. It doesn’t need to recruit players because the program’s success recruits itself.

-- Martin Henderson

-- Image from www.boygeniusreport.com