No. 8 Orange Lutheran 30, No. 7 JSerra Catholic 29 (OT)
JSerra Catholic faced a decision — prolong the tie, or go for the win. The Lions chose the latter and came up short, losing to the Lancers from Orange Lutheran in a heart-stopping affair. Quarterback Matthew Robinson engineered the Lions’ comeback to force overtime, completing 12 of 21 passes for 230 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions in the game, and connecting with senior wideout Riley O’Brien five times for 140 yards and one touchdown. Senior Dominik Austin powered the Lancers’ rushing attack, gaining 124 yards on 26 carries and scoring one touchdown. Sophomore quarterback Ryan Hilinski scored the other two on the ground in the back-and-forth affair, which propelled Orange Lutheran up the Prep2Prep Top 25.
No. 10 Murrieta Valley 42, No. 13 Vista Murrieta 37
This rivalry contest was all about the ground game for Murrieta Valley. Senior running back Olita Palmer rushed for 178 yards and four touchdowns (three in the second half) on 30 carries, and sophomore quarterback Hank Bachmeier used his legs to make an impact (95 yards on 11 carries) as the Nighthawks snapped Vista Murrieta’s Southwestern League winning streak that dated back to 2008. A pass break-up on fourth-and-2 by Murrieta Valley’s Maurice Bell sealed the historic victory for the Nighthawks.
No. 2 St. John Bosco 70, No. 9 Servite 6
So much for a top 10 clash for the ages. St. John Bosco was really never threatened, jumping out to a 49-3 lead at halftime and cruising to a win. The Braves spread 38 carries among eight different ball carriers, gaining a combined total of 371 yards on the ground, with junior Demetrious Flowers leading the way with 111 yards and one touchdown on eight carries. Senior receivers Jonathan Bonds and Kristian Gilbert combined for 95 yards, with Bonds reaching the end zone twice. Mitchell completed 9 of 11 passes for 140 yards and three touchdowns, and the Braves’ defense held Servite to 161 total yards.
No. 20 Charter Oak 27, West Covina 24
The Chargers’ undefeated season continues, but by the slimmest of margins. After West Covina erased Charter Oak’s early lead, it took a stop on fourth-and-1 from Charter Oak’s 12 to secure the win and remain unblemished. Charter Oak’s offense wasn’t exactly explosive, but exceeded 100 yards on the ground and scored four touchdowns by handing the ball to six different rushers in the game. Junior quarterback Matthew Takata made his first start of the season and completed 14 of 31 passes for 210 yards and two interceptions in the win.
