Meza’s 192 Yards Lead Lancers

Saturday night’s nonleague football game between Orange Lutheran and Troy belonged to the running backs.

But if you ask Dee Meza of Orange Lutheran how things went, he’ll tell you he didn’t think much of his two touchdown, 192-yard performance.

Nevertheless, it played a major role in Orange Lutheran’s 28-19 nonleague football victory at Brea Olinda High.

Meza scored on runs of 20 and four yards and his ability to cut back against the grain all night delighted supporters with long runs of 47 and 42 yards that set up scoring opportunities.

“I didn’t play very well and I fumbled the ball a couple of times,” Meza said.

Perhaps too hard on himself?

“He’s upset with the fumbles,” Lancer Coach Jim Kunau said. “But I’ll tell you, I think he’s one of the finest players in the county and we’re obviously very fortunate to have him.”

Orange Lutheran quarterback Jason Whieldon ran the option well, too, gaining 91 yards in 11 carries.

Troy’s ground game was a little less flashy, but it wasn’t all that shabby, either. Fullback Todd Frazier played the role of the bruiser, breaking tackles on dives up the middle for 75 yards in 13 carries and tailback Jesse Petersen had 43 yards in 11 carries before leaving the game with a back injury just before halftime.

Orange Lutheran (2-1) put two quick scores on the board in the third quarter and took a 28-7 lead before Troy (1-1) figured out a way to move the ball without Petersen in the backfield.

Orange Lutheran took a 14-point, first-half lead on two quick offensive thrusts. Ryan Nath’s interception set up the Lancers at the Troy 49. Whieldon threw 25 yards to Renevier on the first play, then three plays later Meza capped the drive with a 20-yard run around right end.

When the Lancers’ defense held Troy on four downs on the next series, Orange Lutheran was in business again on its 37. Meza did most of the work in the four-play drive, racing 47 yards to the Troy 16-yard line on the first play. Three plays later reserve fullback Mark Staake scored from two yards.

Troy benefited from an unsportsmanlike conduct and pass interference penalty on Orange Lutheran to move 48-yards in 11 plays for its only score of the first half. But a Orange Lutheran goal-line stand forced Troy to take five attempts inside the Lancer two-yard line before Petersen punched it in from just inside the two.

The Lancers opened the third quarter with an eight-play, 61-yard scoring drive highlighted by a 27-yard sweep around right end by Whieldon and an 11-yard pass from Whieldon to Tim Fleming. Meza capped the drive with a four-yard scoring run up the middle to make it 21-7.

Meza’s 42-yard run on Orange Lutheran’s next possession was the key in a nine-play, 84-yard Lancer drive that made it 28-7. Whieldon finished the drive with a four-yard scoring run around right end.