A Game of Big Numbers

Orange Lutheran plays its home games at Brea Olinda High, but scheduling conflicts forced a move of its first-round Division XI game against Santa Monica St. Monica to Orange Coast College Friday.

“We asked them about playing Thursday night and they understandably said no,” said Jim Kunau, Lancer coach and athletic director.

He said he wasn’t sure how much it cost to rent the 7,500-seat stadium.

“But I think we should get a refund for the [non-functioning] scoreboard,” Kunau said.

The Lancers lit it up, 57-6.

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University senior Bruce Chang had eight carries for 44 yards as the Trojans defeated Los Amigos, 21-13, in a Division IX playoff first-round game Thursday.

Unremarkable numbers? Maybe so, but consider: Chang didn’t have a single carry during the regular season.

“Bruce is a backup on defense,” Coach Mark Cunningham said. “And he’s come in for Jay Nichols a couple of times [at quarterback] late in games. When Nephi [Wheeler] got hurt, we didn’t want to take a chance. Bruce came in and did a good job for us.

“One thing about this team--it’s as much of a team as I have ever had.”

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It was nearly a year ago when Fountain Valley football player Scotty Lang died on the practice field as his team prepared to play Long Beach Poly in the first round of the Division I playoffs.

This past week as the two teams prepared to play each other again, a popular Long Beach Poly teacher died.

Fatiya Abdullah, a science teacher who had taught many of the Poly football players, died Wednesday of complications from Sickle Cell Anemia. Abdullah, 34, was a former track coach and had taught at the school for the past seven years. Her funeral is set for Saturday morning.

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Pacifica running back Javon Smith was held to 66 yards in 23 carries during the Mariner’s 21-17 loss to Valencia Friday, but that was enough to break a 12-year school single-season rushing record. Smith finished the year with 1,353 yards.

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The Sea View and Pacific Coast leagues compete in divisions that are largely comprised of other Orange County schools. But the South Coast League is the only county team in Division II, which includes the San Gabriel Valley, Sierra, Mt. Baldy and Baseline leagues.

“The one bad thing about this division is there aren’t a lot of common opponents, and you don’t get to see them on TV,” said Eric Patton, San Clemente’s coach. “I would like to see us in a primarily Orange County division. It makes more sense to play teams where you can make some geographical connection.”

According to Patton, San Clemente hasn’t advanced beyond the second round of the playoffs since it last reached the section finals in 1979, when it lost to Esperanza in the Central Conference championship game, 14-7.

The Tritons won’t get a chance next week after its loss to Compton Dominguez, 35-28.