Savanna Shares Orange League Title

Savanna High School defeated Western, 14-13, for its greatest victory of this or any other season Friday at Glover Stadium.

The victory gave Savanna a share of the Orange League championship, its first league title in the school’s 27-year existence. The Rebels (6-3-1 overall, 4-0-1 in league play) are co-champions with Valencia.

Savanna won a postgame coin flip and will advance to the Southern Section Division VI playoffs as the league No. 1 representative. Valencia is No. 2 and Western (7-3, 3-2) No. 3.

The Southern Section playoff pairings will be announced on Sunday.

It was big news when Savanna clinched a spot in the playoffs with a victory over Anaheim last week. Last season, Savanna was 1-9 and was outscored, 334-55. In the past five seasons, the Rebels had won just six games.

Kenison PoChing, a burly running back/linebacker, had been the Rebels’ main man in the last few seasons. When the game was over, PoChing said he broke down and cried.

“It feels great,” PoChing said. “Savanna’s never done this.”

PoChing made sure the Rebels would not let their chance for a league co-championship slip away. He gained 92 hard-fought yards and scored two touchdowns, including the game-winner with 2:03 left, in 28 carries.

A 12-yard scoring run by PoChing, capped a 95-yard, 15-play drive that took 6:23.

“We got a couple of breaks, we blocked real well and the kids rose to the occasion,” said Savanna Coach Fred DiPalma, who in his first season at the school, turned the program around.

“We went into the season with three goals,” he said. “No. 1 was to go to the playoffs. No. 2 was to win the league championship. And No. 3 was win a game in the playoffs.”

Savanna is two for its first three.

In winning, the Rebels had to overcome two big plays that resulted in touchdowns for Western. The first was a simple-looking screen pass that went for a 61 yards from quarterback Gilbert Brito to running back Corey Manliguis. The second was a 65-yard run on a draw play by Barry Howell.

But Jason Bell’s extra point sailed wide left and Western led, 13-7.

In the fourth quarter, Savanna drove 95 yards to score and share in its first league championship in 27 years.