Orange Glen Runs Poway into Ground

The numbers from Orange Glen’s 18-6 Palomar League victory Friday night over Poway were simply scary.

Eighth-ranked Poway (6-2, 4-1) had surrendered only 994 yards on defense in its seven previous games. Tenth-ranked Orange Glen (5-3, 3-2) gained 420 alone. The Patriots gained 198 yards rushing, 222 passing. They were the preseason favorite because of their balance, and they fell on hard times, losing three in a row, because they went to a more pass-oriented attack.

“I think I read the offense wrong early on,” OG Coach Rob Gilster said. “If we were a ball-control offense all year, we would be in a lot better position.”

Orange Glen is in third place behind unbeaten Mt. Carmel and Poway with two games to play. If they continue to play as they did against Poway, which had allowed as many as two touchdowns in a game only once, they will be quite a chore for the teams they face in the playoffs.

Although the scoring won’t reflect it, the offensive star was Joaquin Randall, who rushed 29 times for 174 yards. He carried eight times for 50 yards on an 11-play, 69-yard drive that gave OG a 12-0 lead, and he rushed five times for 33 yards on a 13-play, 84-yard drive that gave the Patriots an 18-0 lead with 10:07 left in the game.

Orange Glen converted none of its extra-point attempts.

Brady Batten, who completed 11 of 19 passes, passed 12 yards to Chris Buddin for a 6-0 lead. The drive was kept alive by a third-down pass interference against the Titans.

Earl Callandar scored from five yards on Orange Glen’s opening drive of the second half, and Batten went over from one yard in the fourth.

“At halftime, Bob Williams told us he thought we could run over his side of the ball,” Gilster said. “So I took Bob and (Jeff Johnson’s) word. I told Joaquin, run right behind Bobby.”

Williams (6-foot-2, 295 pounds) and Johnson (6-0, 230) are on a line that has three three-year varsity starters and a four-year starter.

“In the second half, we couldn’t control them, we couldn’t get the ball back,” Poway Coach John Self said. “They did an outstanding job and we didn’t.

“The kids played hard for the first six games and for whatever reason, we didn’t.

“At the start of the year, I said Orange Glen was the No. 1 team in the league. They’re getting it together.”