Lancers Flex Their Muscles, Pound Eagles

It’s just a hunch, but Orange Lutheran probably has the county’s strongest cheerleaders.

After every score by their Lancers, the squad does the number of push-ups equaling the team’s total points.

Thursday, against Calvary Chapel in the Olympic League opener, they were starting to look pretty buffed.

Orange Lutheran posted a 48-0 victory--that’s 194 push-ups--over the Eagles in front of about 1,000 at Brea Olinda High.

As busy as the cheerleaders were, it could have been worse. Two apparent touchdowns by Dee Meza--a 16-yard run and a 70-yard pass reception--were nullified by penalties in the first half.

Still, the Lancers (3-1, 1-0) dominated in every way. They scored 21 points in the first half and outgained the Eagles, 209-43. It could be argued that at that point, it was still a game. But barely.

Quarterback Jason Whieldon had touchdown runs of five and one yards. He rushed six times for 76 yards in the first half en route to 95 yards in eight carries.

Whieldon also had a big night passing. He completed nine of 17 passes (one interception) for 164 yards and two touchdowns--37 yards to Jeff Renevier and 13 to Mike Bristol.

Renevier, one of the county’s leading receivers, caught only two passes for 52 yards, but Tim Fleming caught five for 79 and killed the Eagles (2-1-1, 0-1).

Orange Lutheran is averaging 33.5 points per game.

Though the offensive show was impressive, it was the Lancers’ defense that really flexed its muscles.

It clamped down on tailback Keith Short--one of the league’s outstanding offensive threats--and held him to 16 yards in 11 carries, and that included a seven-yard gain. Short was averaging 137.7 yards per game.

The play of linemen Adam Schulte (two sacks), Scott Venator (one sack) and Austin Kenney, and linebackers Pat Salyer and Matt Griswold, helped keep Short from breaking a big play.

“No matter what Short had rushing the ball, he’s better than that,” Orange Lutheran Coach Jim Kuneau said. “He’s one of the best players in the county.”

The Lancers, however, rendered Short and the rest of the Calvary Chapel offense useless. The Eagles gained only 97 yards, 55 on the final drive when the reserves were playing.

Ethan Williams had an interception at the 13 that set up the scoring pass to Bristol, which made it 21-0 with 10:31 left in the first half.