ORANGE LEAGUE : Savanna Roars Past Brea-Olinda

Savanna was big on shoulder shrugging and short on answers when it came to explaining what overcame the Rebels in a Orange League game Friday night at Western High.

After halftime that is, when Savanna went on a scoring tear and walked away with a 35-7 victory against Brea-Olinda.

For the first two quarters, Savanna stumbled in its passing game--passes were dropped or caught out of bounds--fumbled in its running game, was called for some knucklehead penalties and couldn’t capitalize when Brea gave the Rebels a golden opportunity.

“Luckily, we were able to keep it close,” Savanna Coach Fred Di Palma said. “I thought we’d be able to come out and do some things, but I didn’t expect that much of a margin against a team as good as Brea.”

The 7-7 tie held until 4:58 was left in the third. Savanna started to drive on its 36-yard line. Interspersed with some short running carries, the Rebels’ biggest gains came when quarterback Paul Waldrop found receiver Rani Kohouch on three occasions for gains of 25, six and seven yards. Savanna’s Canhhuy Nguyen scored from two yards out for the 14-7 lead.

Kohouch, who was named homecoming king during halftime, was instrumental in keeping the Wildcats from tying it up on Brea’s next possession, when the senior two-way player reached up and tipped a pass attempt from Paul Chiotti when Brea went for it on fourth and 11.

That gave Savanna the ball at its 28 at the start of the fourth. The Rebels started the drive with another short running gain, but Waldrop went to the air again and connected with Kohouch for a 23-yard gain. Four plays later, Kohouch scored on a 37-yard pass play when Waldrop spotted Kohouch streaking down the right sideline.

The Wildcats’ next possession ended when junior defensive back Dedrick Ennis intercepted a pass by Chiotti and returned it 30 yards for a Savanna touchdown and the 28-7 lead.

“Our defense did a great job and our passing came together,” said Waldrop, who finished with 168 yards on 11-of-15 passing and was almost perfect (seven of eight) in the second half.

“We knew we could get it going,” said Kohouch, who finished with nine receptions for 135 yards. “But it was still just an average night.”

Savanna (7-2, 2-2) is in a better playoff position, with a key league game against Anaheim Thursday.

Brea (3-6, 1-3) scored first when Kevin Peterson caught a three-yard pass from Chiotti. Savanna tied it up later in the quarter when Waldrop found Barry Michael on a 25-yard pass play.