Foothill 31, Orange 0--A 68-yard touchdown by...

Foothill 31, Orange 0--A 68-yard touchdown by Adam Pakes on a interception return highlighted a big third quarter for the Knights on their homecoming at Tustin High.

Foothill (5-2, 2-0 in the Century League) built a 10-0 halftime lead on a 25-yard field goal by Jonathan Whiddon and a 26-yard touchdown pass from Tyler Lang to Lawrence Mariner.

Orange (3-4, 1-1) had a chance to cut into that lead when Billy Jones intercepted a pass by Lang on the Knights’ opening drive of the second half.

But two plays later, Panther quarterback James Starr stepped back and threw a pass that Pakes was waiting for.

He ran down the sideline for the touchdown, and the momentum shifted back to Foothill and stayed there.

“I just saw a wall of black,” said Pakes referring to his blockers on the interception return. “It pumped me up.”

The play was the first of three touchdowns the Knights scored in the third quarter.

Franklin Haynes scored on a two-yard run and Lang connected with Matt Hall on a 48-yard pass play.

“Overall, we were as well prepared as we’ve been for a game this year,” Foothill Coach Tom Meiss said. “Orange has a lot of potential, and I think that if they’d have tagged us, they’d be league champs.”

Orange’s Starr completed 17 of 31 passes for 235 yards and Derald Deason caught seven passes for 88 yards.