Orange Lutheran

Something strange happened Friday night at Cerritos College. I kept seeing players named Pauu all over the field for Anaheim Servite. Butch Pauu is Servite's indestructible, immovable senior middle linebacker. For 36 consecutive games, he has answered the call of duty, lining up as a starter for Servite's defense. He was hammering Orange Lutheran ballcarriers all night. But in the second quarter, on a decisive 93-yard, 15-play scoring drive, Butch; his younger brother, Neil, a sophomore; and cousin Mana, a junior, all made major contributions to ignite No. 1-ranked Servite during a 21-8 victory over Orange Lutheran (5-1)

Thursday Santa Margarita (5-0) vs. Santa Ana Mater Dei (2-3) at Santa Ana Stadium, 7:30 p.m. Mater Dei thrives in its underdog role, so don't think for a minute that the Monarchs can't pull off the upset in this Trinity League opener. They have won two in a row after an 0-3 start. Quarterback Ryan McMahon and his young teammates are getting better every week. Santa Margarita will rely on its huge offensive line to provide openings for quarterback Johnny Stanton and running back Ryan Wolpin.

They're the biggest teenagers on a high school football field, the offensive linemen, and no one seems to notice them until they're called for a holding penalty. But after an exhausting weekend of driving around Southern California and watching five games in three days while getting about six hours of sleep each night, my first impression is there are some very good offensive lines this season. The quarterbacks and running backs at Anaheim Servite, Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, Orange Lutheran and Gardena Serra are going to appreciate the big bodies up front.

As if the Trinity League wasn't tough enough in football with No. 1-ranked Anaheim Servite and No. 5-ranked Santa Margarita, Orange Lutheran sent a message in its opener Saturday that it is ready to rejoin the elite. Playing a Bingham (Utah) team that had already played and won its first two games, Orange Lutheran received three touchdown passes from quarterback Conner Sullivan and outstanding defensive play from linebacker Deion Williams in a 42-7 victory at the Mission Viejo Football Classic.

Steve Lambright, the veteran Huntington Beach Edison coach, decided to bring up the names of the two best baseball players in Southern California the last two years, Tyler Matzek and Cory Hahn, in an effort to motivate his standout pitcher, Henry Owens. "I challenged him to be Cory Hahn-Tyler Matzek-like on the mound," Lambright said. Owens responded with one of the best pitching performances of his already memorable prep career, throwing a no-hitter Friday to help top-seeded Edison defeat Corona Santiago, 11-0, in a Southern Section Division 1 playoff opener.

Despite trailing by three points heading into the fourth quarter of the Southern Section Division 4AA championship game Wednesday night, the Orange Lutheran High boys' basketball team didn't panic. Instead, the adversity only strengthened the Lancers' resolve and their mental toughness showed down the stretch in a 78-71 victory over Los Angeles Windward at the Anaheim Convention Center. Senior guard James Douglas made four free throws in the final minute to keep top-seeded Orange Lutheran ahead after the Wildcats had pulled to within four points.

BOYS Southern Section Division 4AA Orange Lutheran (26-6) vs. Los Angeles Windward (23-7), 6:30 p.m. at Anaheim Arena ? Both schools come from tough leagues and have played challenging schedules. Lutheran knocked off Santa Ana Mater Dei and Westchester during the regular season. The Lancers rely on point guard James Douglas (16.3 points a game) and shooting guard Gabe York (18.8). Windward won the Alpha League and almost upset state power San Diego Lincoln in a tournament game.

For those who anticipated Santa Ana Mater Dei going through a rebuilding season after losing five basketball starters to graduation, forget it. Gary McKnight, the winningest coach in California prep history, has his young team at 20-2 and in position to win a 23rd consecutive league championship. "They've exceeded what I thought we'd do," McKnight said. With a little more improvement, the Monarchs could join Long Beach Poly, Etiwanda and Corona Centennial in the mix for the Southern Section Division 1AA championship.

Cory Thomson scored three touchdowns and Santa Margarita's defense forced five turnovers in a 27-15 victory over Orange Lutheran in a Trinity League opener Friday night at Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa. It was an emotional game for the Eagles (5-1), playing for the first time since Coach Harry Welch had surgery for prostate cancer Oct. 4. He was back on the sideline Friday and his team needed every bit of his football wisdom to beat a determined opponent that had won its previous three meetings against Santa Margarita by an average of 17.6 points.

Friday's top high school football games: No. 23 Encino Crespi (5-1) at No. 8 La Puente Bishop Amat (6-0), 7 p.m. ? Crespi has been the odd team out of the playoffs from the Serra League the last two years, but the Celts have hung tough with Bishop Amat. In 2008, Crespi lost by one point to the Lancers, and last year the Celts handed the Serra League champions their only league defeat. Crespi has reeled off five consecutive victories since a season-opening loss to Compton Dominguez, with quarterback Kenny Stenhouse passing for 364 yards and a school-record six touchdowns last week during a 53-47 victory over Woodland Hills Taft.