Bottom Line? Brea Olinda Can’t Be Beat

There wasn’t much question up on the hill before the season began, what with nine key starters back from a team that lost only twice in 1997, that this year’s Brea Olinda football team had a chance to be one of the better ones in school history.

But just how good depended in large part on how fast its untested offensive line could come around.

“Only one of those guys had half a season of experience,” Coach Jon Looney said.

Well, three weeks into the season the front five, led by junior guards Erik Porter and Scott Hilgenberg, seem to be ahead of schedule. In Brea’s 38-21 victory over Sunny Hills at Buena Park High Friday night, Porter came up with a key block that helped spring running back Scott Lieng on a 51-yard run. It was part of a five-play, 77-yard scoring drive early in the first quarter.

The next time Brea touched the ball, Hilgenberg and company provided the protection for quarterback Travis Blood, who passed to a wide open Ken Washington on a 48-yard scoring strike.

Barely seven minutes into the game, Sunny Hills (1-2), which hadn’t allowed an opponent more than 14 points in its first two games, was down by two touchdowns, and it only got worse.

Brea went on to lead 24-7 at the half, and finished with 297 net yards on the ground, an average of 10 yards per carry. Blood, Lieng and the rest of the first string called it a night with less than three quarters under their belts.

It would be easy for Lieng, who ran for 189 yards and two touchdowns on 11 carries, or Blood, who completed four of five passes for 172 yards and two scores, to stand in the limelight. But Blood would have none of that, heaping praise on an offensive line that also included junior John Pohlen and seniors Martin Alvarado and Justin Brown.

“They have really stepped it up,” Blood said. “Everyone knew the problem with Brea would be its offensive line, but they came off a JV team that was 10-0 and they have really done a great job.

“In football everyone thinks that the position players are the most important,” he said. “But to me, the line is the most important and they’re proving it.”

The Wildcats (3-0) have outscored opponents 127-34.

Looney couldn’t contain his enthusiasm for the way his line performed.

“Those guys were green as can be,” he said. “But they’ve really got on people. They’re very good athletes.”

Jeff Marshall’s 22-yard field goal with 8 minutes 52 seconds left in the half made it 17-0 Brea.

Sunny Hills marched 77 yards in 10 plays for its first score, with Chris Wheaton carrying around right end for 19 yards and the touchdown.