Orange Defense Stops Saddleback

Orange Coach Dick Hill, the winningest coach in Orange County history, enjoyed victory No. 197 Thursday by watching his stingy defense key the Panthers’ 35-0 triumph over Saddleback at Santa Ana Stadium.

Orange’s defense forced three turnovers and Anthony Adame and Markus Garza each scored two touchdowns to lead an opportunistic offense.

Linebacker Brian Maize capped the victory for the Panthers (1-1), by plucking Saddleback quarterback Brian Killingbeck’s pitch in mid-air and racing 41 yards for the final touchdown with 3 minutes 28 seconds remaining.

“Our linebackers played well,” Hill said. “We feel good about how the kids came back.”

Newport Harbor beat Orange, 28-10, in the season opener last week and three Newport Harbor running backs rushed for a combined 229 yards.

But Thursday was a different story with Orange forcing six fumbles while keeping Saddleback out of the end zone.

Late in the second quarter, linebacker Aaron Alvarado gave Orange its first break by intercepting a pass from Killingbeck at the Saddleback 47 and returning it to the 18.

On the next play, Garza, who rushed for 78 yards in 12 carries, plunged over the left side of the line behind Adam Dodge and George Hernandez for an 18-yard touchdown run with 1:43 remaining in the second quarter.

Orange forced Saddleback’s Omar Palacios to fumble on the Roadrunners’ next play from scrimmage and Carlos Heard recovered for the Panthers at the Saddleback 31.

Three plays later, Orange quarterback Andy Lauridsen, who completed nine of 12 passes for 97 yards, lofted a perfect 15-yard touchdown pass to Adame in the corner of the end zone with 33 seconds remaining in the half.

Lauridsen found Adame for a 13-yard touchdown pass with 4:41 remaining in the third quarter and Shawn O’Malley’s conversion gave Orange a 21-0 lead. On the Panthers’ next possession, Garza carried the ball on seven of the eight plays, ending the drive with a two-yard touchdown run.

The Roadrunners (0-2) had their best drive early in the second quarter, moving 75 yards in 13 plays to the Orange 10, before misfiring on a field-goal attempt.