Riley punt block
Conor Tackling on the Right FRONT page of the OC Register
More milestones, momentum for JSerra
October 31, 2014 12:15 AM
STAFF WRITER
COSTA MESA - JSerra passed its first test as Orange County’s top-ranked team, but the Lions took a giant step toward a more important landmark Thursday night in the Trinity League.
With their faithful chanting “CIF! CIF! CIF!” from the stands in the closing seconds, the Lions held off No. 5 Orange Lutheran, 24-20, at Orange Coast College to move closer to the first playoff berth in school history.
JSerra (8-1) won its school-record eighth game, but more importantly, it improved to 3-1 in the Trinity League with a finale against Servite on the schedule for next week at Saddleback College.
“Hopefully this was enough to get in (CIF),” JSerra coach Jim Hartigan said. “Our No. 1 goal this year was to make the playoffs. … Hats off to our kids. They played hard.”
Orange Lutheran (4-5, 0-4) likely had its postseason chances ended. The Lancers lost another close game and their fans voiced displeasure with a turn of events in the final minute or so.
The Lancers cut JSerra’s lead to 24-20 with 1:17 left in the fourth quarter on a spectacular, 55-yard TD pass from quarterback LJ Northington to wide receiver Hudson Hankins. After the PAT sailed wide, the Lancers recovered the onside kick but were flagged for illegal batting the ball forward, Hartigan said.
On the onside play, the Lancers’ Austin Liles leaped along the JSerra sideline to hit the high-bouncing kick to a teammate who recovered the ball. But JSerra took possession and ran out the clock.
“It was forward,” Hartigan said of tip. “(But) very scary. We had an onside kick against (St. John) Bosco on this same field that we didn't get in our favor. ... I didn't want to have another one of those.”
Orange Lutheran coach Chuck Petersen said the onside play didn't decide the outcome and gave credit to JSerra.
"I've never heard of that call ... but that's not the reason we lost the game," he said. "JSerra played better than us. They coached better than us, and there were many opportunities in that ballgame for us to make some plays."
Quarterback Nick Robinson scored two 1-yard TD runs in the second half for the Lions, who never trailed and led, 10-7, at halftime. The senior also passed for 218 yards, including a 17-yard TD on a fly-pitch to Isaiah Diego-Williams (eight catches for 104 yards).
Robinson scored one of his TDs one play after being flipped onto his head attempting to dive over multiple defenders into the end zone.
"I'm just glad he got back up," Hartigan said. "He's a tough kid. That's Nick."
JSerra’s defense made its biggest stand of the fourth by forcing Orange Lutheran to turn the ball over on downs at the Lions 22 with 4:32 left. Safety Conor O’Brien (two interceptions) broke up a fourth-down pass and lineman Daniel Bailey (sack) made a tackle for loss on third down as JSerra protected a then, 24-14 lead. Bailey finished with two tackles for losses and added one quarterback hurry.
Orange Lutheran's four-point loss joins a ledger that include two three-point losses and one one-point defeat.
"It just says how good our league is," Petersen said. "You've got a four-loss team and they've been competitive. ... It says a lot about our kids that through disappointment and adversity, they continue to really fight. They've come back every time I've asked them to."
Orange Lutheran slightly outgained JSerra, 338-329, but the Lions didn't commit a turnover and forced two.
JSerra led, 10-7, at halftime thanks in large part to a couple interceptions by O’Brien. The senior intercepted passes at his 1 and 9 to wipe away scoring chances by the Lancers.
O’Brien's brother, Riley, also blocked a punt on Orange Lutheran’s game-opening possession, leading to a 30-yard field goal by Ethan Worden for an early 3-0 lead.
JSerra extended its lead to 10-0 on Robinson's 17-yard TD pass to Diego-Williams with 4:33 left in the half. Diego-Williams flashed his speed on the play. He came in motion from his receiver position and took a short pitch in front of Robinson and raced around the edge into the end zone.
A 26-yard punt return by Ethan Aguayo to the Lancers 42 gave the Lions good starting position for the scoring drive.
Orange Lutheran responded with a 56-yard scoring drive capped by a 1-yard TD sneak by Northington with 53 seconds left. Markell Quinn put the Lancers in good field position for the drive with a 43-yard kickoff return.
Contact the writer: dalbano@ocregister.com
Conor had an amazing game against OLU!
VICTORY 24-20
Check out the link below Conor made UTR Top Nation Performer of the week!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JjONdb6j6M&feature=youtu.be
