St. John Bosco vs. Orange Lutheran Game Preview
Written by Ryan Wright
Twitter: @RyanWrightRNG
Photo credit: Raymond Joyce Photography
Twitter: @RJPSports
Anytime Trinity League teams square off, it has a Clash of the Titans feel to it. The Trinity League is a rarity at the high school, a SEC equivalent to the collegiate ranks, with at least three teams, maybe five, that could end up competing for a California state title and/or a national title depending how the season plays out. Two of the high school heavyweight programs out of the Trinity League throw down on Friday night when the St. John Bosco Braves (4-1) travel to face the Orange Lutheran Lancers (5-0) giving a thrill for football fans.
St. John Bosco enters the game with a 4-1 record, but having played one of the most difficult schedules in the nation to start the season. The Braves opened with a tough 9-3 overtime loss to St. Thomas Aquinas, a Top 25 team, in Fort Lauderdale (FL). The following game was an anger releasing 63-0 win over Garces Memorial before hosting another nationally Top 25 ranked team, Chaminade. The Braves downed the Eagles 31-17 and then squared off against one of the top Los Anegeles City teams, Dorsey, winning 69-14. For a second time this season, Bosco traveled cross country proving they will take on anyone anywhere downing St. John’s, the MaxPreps No. 1 ranked team in Maryland, 21-17.
The Lancers started their season with three consecutive road games pitching shutouts in the first two contests downing La Mirada 35-0 and Cathedral Catholic 37-0. The offense has continued to impress taking down Vista Murrieta 40-20, Norco 41-28, and Heritage 34-21. The Lancers take the field on Friday with revenge on their minds. The Braves hosted the Lancers in the regular season finale last year winning 47-28 on their way to a California state title and an end of the season No. 2 national ranking.
Game Details
Date: Friday, October 6, 2017
Kickoff: 7:00 p.m. PT
Location: Orange Coast College
St. John Bosco
Offense
If you find yourself on the St. John Bosco sidelines, you are surrounded with a roster filled with collegiate talent. The list of 4- and 3-star talents fill uniforms on both sides of the ball. The offense is helmed by senior dual-threat quarterback Re-al Mitchell and sophomore DJ Uiagalelei. Mitchell has completed 60-of-92 passes for 883 yards with six touchdowns this season and has ran for 189 yards finding the end zone three more times. Uiagalelei is a budding talent with a five-star makeup. The super sophomore has connected on 18-of-27 passes for 315 yards with four touchdowns against zero picks.
The ground attack has been handed over to junior tailback George Holani. Holani, stepping in for injured four-star senior talent Demetrious Flowers, has 215 yards off 35 carries with a team-high four rushing scores.
When the receivers are called upon to produce, there is talent everywhere. Senior receiver Devon Cooley is tied for the team lead with 19 passes hauled in for 246 yards and a score. Josh Delgado leads the team with 284 receiving yards off 19 receptions tied with George Holani for a team-high two receiving scores. Receivers Jake Bailey, Eli DeRoon, and Colby Bowman are difference makers in the air attack as well as big junior tight end Jude Wolfe.
Defense
The Braves defense is battle tested, lean and mean. Two teams have hit the 17-point mark against Bosco this season – that is it. Through five games, the Braves are allowing an average of 11 points per game, mostly allowed by the second-string unit. Senior leadership on defense includes lineman Sal Spina, linebackers Kedron Williams and Spencer Gilbert, and defensive backs Stephan Blaylock, Level Price, and Jaiden Woodbey. The 2019 class is equally as talented with Chris Steele and Paul Edwards in the secondary, Ralen Goforth at linebacker, and Sua’ava Poti on the line.
Orange Lutheran
Offense
The heart and soul of the Lancers offense is Class of 2019 quarterback Ryan Hilinski. Hilinski has taken big steps forward in his overall game during the 2017 season filling the stat sheet with an impressive 1,752 yards off 123-of-164 passing with 16 touchdowns against just one pick. Not a true-dual threat, but Hilinski can move the chains with his legs adding 54 yards to the stat line with a touchdown.
Much like Bosco’s roster, when Hilinski drops back to pass, he has a wealth of talent on-hand. The team is led by junior receiver Kyle Ford. Ford has 36 receptions for 620 yards celebrating six times in the end zone. Sophomore receiver Logan Loya is second on the team in receptions (22) and yards (326) tied with Ford in receiving touchdowns. Jojo Hawkins (18 rec./245 yds/2 TDs), Cam Gardner (19/217), and Elijah Mojarro (16/235/1) can all get it done from anywhere on the field. Also like Bosco, OLU has their own rising star at tight end, sophomore Ender Aguilar. Aguilar is still more of a blocking option, but has two receptions for 41 yards.
Reginald Strong is the Lancers run game. The junior has 55 carries for 282 yards with three touchdowns.
Defense
Be prepared to hear Jackson Cloyd’s name repeatedly on Friday. The Class of 2019 tackling machine has 53 total stops, 11 solo, a pick, a forced fumble, six tackles for a loss, and four sacks on the year. Not only does Jojo Hawkins shine on offense, but he is also a ball hawk at corner with a team-high two picks on the season. Senior linebacker Talik Sekona and junior strong safety Drew Ramirez make their presence felt in each game.
The Players Said It
St. John Bosco QB Re-al Mitchell: “I’m really looking forward to starting league play off with OLU this Friday night. Everyone in league is playing at a really high level right now so all of Bosco is excited to attack these next five weeks and get after it!”
Orange Lutheran QB Ryan Hilinski: “I’m excited for this week, super pumped up. I’m excited to go out there with my boys and play a very good Bosco team. It’s going to be a very good test for us. We just have to play like we have been playing week in and week out and it will be a great game! We’ve got dudes, they’ve got dudes and it’s going to be a great matchup in the Trinity League.”
2016 Review
Bosco came out firing on all cylinders scoring 14 in the opening frame extending their lead to 27-0 at halftime. OLU got on the board in the third quarter scoring 21 points in the fourth. Re-al Mitchell completed 16-of-24 passes for 246 yards with four touchdowns tossed and ran eight times for 61 yards. Josh Delgado had a 24-yard reception in the game. Class of 2017 athlete, Stan Berryhill, did most of the damage for OLU rushing for 21 yards and a touchdown and pulled in 13 Cole Capen passes for 246 yards and two more scores. Class of 2019 cornerback Chris Steele was tied for a game-high seven tackles.
Overview
Neither St. John Bosco or Orange Lutheran will take this game lightly, three of their Trinity League counterparts are currently undefeated; Mater Dei (5-0), Servite (5-0), and JSerra Catholic (5-0). League play begins on Friday with every game counting. All roads to a league title may appear to run through No. 1 nationally ranked Mater Dei, but Bosco and Orange Lutheran could have something to say about that based on Friday’s outcome.
Expect running between the tackles to be tight. Whichever quarterback can get the ball into their playmaker’s hands will be the tipping point. One missed tackle or just one turnover could change the outcome on Friday.
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