McCraw Outshines Droughns as Orange Outlasts Anaheim, 44-30

Reuben Droughns of Anaheim continued his move up the Orange County all-time rushing list, but Orange quarterback Shawn McCraw had a career-best game in leading the Panthers to a 44-30 nonleague victory Thursday at Glover Stadium.

McCraw, a senior quarterback, completed 13 of 16 passes for 271 yards. He had three touchdowns and no interceptions.

“He had an excellent game,” Orange Coach Dick Hill said. “And we needed him to.”

McCraw’s most important pass came late in the game.

Orange had scored three times in the third quarter to take a 37-14 lead, but Anaheim rallied with a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns and two-point conversions to trail, 37-30.

Orange (3-2) was faced with a third and 22 at its 36 when McCraw rolled out and completed a 49-yard pass to Derald Deason for a first down at the Anaheim 15. Marcus Garza scored on a two-yard run four plays later to put Orange ahead, 44-30, with one minute 29 seconds left.

Droughns, a senior, had 179 yards and two touchdowns and is tied for fifth on the all-time list. He and Santa Ana’s Robert Lee (1985-87) have 4,401 yards. Droughns showed his strength breaking tackles on a 30-yard touchdown run early in the first quarter. He then called on his speed and went on an 80-yard dash around right end that put Anaheim ahead, 14-10, late in the first half.

Carlos Heard scored on a six-yard run with about a minute left in the half as Orange went ahead, 17-10.

McCraw and Terrence Williams connected on touchdown passes of 58 and 35 yards in the third quarter. On the 58-yard play, Williams slipped behind the Anaheim defense and no Colonist was within 10 yards of him as he waited to catch McCraw’s floating pass.

“I was so surprised [he was that open],” McCraw said. “It was an ugly pass but it got there.”

Williams had five catches for 134 yards before leaving the game after taking a blow to the head.