Orange Outlasts Santa Ana in a Mistake-Filled Game : Football: Teams combine for eight fumbles, three interceptions and 174 yards in penalties. Panthers come out on top, 30-7.

There are usually one or two games each season in which the winner looks nearly as bad as the loser.

That would describe Thursday’s game between Orange and Santa Ana, won by the Panthers, 30-7, in front of 1,200 at El Modena High.

Don’t be fooled by the final score.

While Orange (2-2) was indeed the better team, the Panthers often allowed Santa Ana (1-3) to drag them down to the Saints’ level. The teams combined for eight fumbles, three interceptions, 174 yards in penalties, numerous late hits and plenty of hard stares by the time the game was over.

Orange Coach Dick Hill, who at one time coached at Santa Ana during his long career, had trouble finding any highlights in the victory.

The Panthers did get two touchdown passes from Shawn McCraw to Anthony Adame, and running back Markus Garza gained 91 yards and scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns.

“A very sloppy night,” Hill said. “We’ve got quite a few things to correct. We’ve got to keep our intensity the whole game. Sometimes, with an inexperienced team, that’s going to happen.”

When Santa Ana wasn’t stopping itself with five fumbles (one lost) and an interception, it was struggling to create running room for Ladon Robinson, who pretty much was the offense with 107 yards. His 19-yard scoring run in fourth quarter kept the Saints from being shut out.

Hanging onto the ball should have been the Saints first order of business.

Santa Ana came into the game having committed 17 turnovers, which, in Coach Robert Hinman’s mind, was the reason for two of the Saints’ defeats.

“If we can eliminate the turnovers, I feel we can play with anyone,” said Hinman, who promised to “do some chewing out” at the team’s next practice.

Santa Ana had a chance to take an early lead when the Saints recovered a Panther fumble at the Orange 17. But they gave it right back when quarterback Frank Martinez fumbled at the six.

The Saints were hurt first when they didn’t drop the ball.

With fewer than 30 seconds remaining in the first quarter, Martinez faded back nine yards from his own 12-yard line and tried to pass. The ball was knocked backward, and Martinez made the mistake of catching it in his end zone, where he was tackled by Jay Norman for a safety and a 2-0 Orange lead.