Orange Lutheran (10-2) vs. L.A. Cathedral (11-0)

By BEN BOLCH

Dec. 1, 2000 12 AM PT

7:30 TONIGHT DOWNEY ST. MATTHIAS HIGH

Cathedral runs difficult-to-defend double-wing and spread offenses, but the Phantoms have struggled at quarterback and are still reeling from the loss of Jabari Jefferson, a 1,000-yard rusher who broke a leg in the first round. Quarterbacks Robby Hobbs and Jason Taylor will split time for Lutheran, and they will both look for receiver Jon Talmage. He was limited to one catch last week because of double coverage, but the ploy backfired because it opened up the rest of the field for the Lancers in a 19-16 win over Santa Paula. Lutheran seeks its first trip to a final since 1995.

KEY PLAYERS

Orange Lutheran

WR Jon Talmage

77 rec., 1,272 yards, 14 TDs

QB Robby Hobbs

58%, 858 yards, 5 TDs

RB Steve Newsome

634 yards, 10 TDs

Cathedral

RB Fernando Castro

912 yards, 10 TDs

QB Johnny Tea

50%, 632 yards, 16 TDs

CB R.T. Cowins

7 interceptions

High School Sports

Ben Bolch

Ben Bolch has been a Los Angeles Times staff writer since 1999. He is serving his second stint as the UCLA beat writer, which seems fitting since he has covered almost every sports beat except hockey and horse racing. Bolch is also the author of the recently released book “100 Things UCLA Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die.” He previously covered UCLA basketball from 2010-11 before going on to cover the NBA and the Clippers for five years. He happily traded in gobs of hotel points and airline miles to return to cover UCLA basketball and football in the summer of 2016. Bolch was once selected by NBA TV’s “The Starters” as the “Worst of the Week” after questioning their celebrity journalism-style questions at an NBA All-Star game and considers it one of his finer moments.

Orange Lutheran (10-2) vs. L.A. Cathedral (11-0)

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