Brea Wins Game, Title in 2nd Half

Brea-Olinda High School defeated Western, 37-14, Friday night at Brea-Olinda to win the Orange League football title.

The Wildcats (7-3-1, 4-0-1), who scored three second-half touchdowns to break open a close game, are the first team other than Valencia to win the league title in eight years.

Brea led 16-14 at halftime but scored twice within 56 seconds in the third quarter to put the game out of reach.

“We were very tentative in the first half,” Brea Coach Jon Looney said. “I told the kids at halftime, if you want to win championships, you have to get after it, and we certainly did in the second half.”

Midway through the third quarter, Lew Morales ran 14 yards for a touchdown, and Brea led, 23-14. On the ensuing kickoff, the ball bounced off a Western player, and the Wildcats recovered. That led to a 10-yard touchdown pass from Jason Luevanos to Shawn Bickel that made it 30-14 with 3:31 left in the third.

Western (3-7, 1-4) stayed close with two first-half touchdowns, on John Walder’s 93-yard kickoff return and Mike Brito’s four-yard run.

But Brea’s defense shut Western down in the second half, limiting the Pioneers to just two first downs and 86 yards.