Back under the Friday night lights, Orange Lutheran football is off to a solid start and looking to make a deep playoff run. Under new head coach Ray Fenton, hired in mid-April, he and his coaching staff have seen tremendous growth from the team in only a few short months.
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"Our football IQ at this school with these kids is just mind-blowing," says Fenton. "I really believe that we've made some incredible strides, not just in the outcome of the game, but the outcome of where these guys are headed in the future as men of faith with Christ in their heart."
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Currently ranked #4 in Orange County and #8 in the state, the Lancers once again have one of the toughest schedules in the nation. But the players are embracing the challenge.
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"Who wouldn't want to play the best and beat the best?" says senior captain and defensive back Matthew Zapien. "We work so hard week in and week out, and beating a really, really good team in a close game, there's no other feeling like that. Knowing every week is an opportunity to win a tough game, it just makes it fun."
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Joining Zapien as part of this season's senior captains are wide receiver and Arizona State commit Nico Bland, wide receiver Chris Flores, linebacker Anthony McClure, offensive tackle and University of Texas commit Lucas Rhoa, and quarterback Reagan Toki.
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"For us, the main goal this year is to dominate, play hard every play and try to win a championship," says Bland. "I feel like we have a really good staff and a really good team. On the field, we can play with any team in the country."
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Also making an impact on the gridiron for the Lancers this year are junior twin defensive backs Anhor The Great Johnson and King Rich Johnson, while sophomore running back Ryan Christianson is poised for a breakout season.
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"We're a young team, but they are experienced," says Fenton. "A lot of them played as freshmen and sophomores, so even though they might be young in their age, I feel like it's a very mature team."
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The Lancers opened the season in Week Zero with a heartbreaking 23-22 loss to Miami Central before bouncing back in Week 1 with a 38-24 victory over Cathedral Catholic. Sophomore quarterback Ezrah Brown led the way over San Diego County's top-ranked team, completing 18 of 19 passes for 253 yards and two touchdowns while adding 59 rushing yards on eight carries. His standout performance earned him Orange County boys athlete of the week honors from OC Varsity.
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Next up, the Lancers face another big test on September 4 when they host Basha, the top-ranked team in Arizona, which edged OLu 30-24 last season. Away games against Serra on September 11 and Sierra Canyon on September 18 round out the nonleague schedule. Trinity League play begins October 2 when OLu hosts Servite.
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With a focus on forgiveness, teaching and redemption, Fenton and his coaching staff are making it their mission to prepare these student athletes not only for the next level, but for life beyond the game.
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"We're not afraid of mistakes," says Fenton. "When you make mistakes or you're facing those hard times, that's where the real growth comes…If we can build our players, our program and the culture of our team around redeeming the mistakes that we make, we're going to be pretty good. If you take care of the players, the score will take care of itself."
