Eagles’ effort crushed by Orange

Rick Devereux

There were not going to be many surprises in the Golden West League

opener for Estancia High and Orange Friday night at Newport Harbor

High. The Panthers, ranked No. 4 in CIF Southern Section Division

VII, were going to run the ball right at Estancia and pound away an

easy victory.

The Eagles, however, had other plans.

Even though Estancia lost, 23-21, Coach Craig Fertig can take

pride in the fact his team gave the defending league champions a

scare.

“I felt we would give a tremendous effort and we did,” Fertig

said. “I am very pleased with the way our boys played.”

Orange (4-1 overall) has beaten Estancia (2-2) five straight

years, but the margin of victory Friday was the closest since a 14-12

Eagle victory in 1977.

The Panthers took a 14-0 lead in the first half on a nine-play,

53-yard drive capped off by running back Lamon Davis’ 10-yard run in

the first quarter and running back Matthew Contreras’ 12-yard run on

the first play of the second quarter.

Costa Mesa transfer Daniel Cheesboro returned the ensuing kickoff

97 yards for a touchdown. Cheesboro, a senior, jetted up the middle,

veered to the right sideline close to the Estancia 30, then cut back

across the field near the Orange 40, and outraced the final Panther

for a score.

Cheesboro was not done.

On the ensuing Panther drive, Cheesboro darted in front of a

receiver in the flat to intercept a pass and returned it 56 yards to

tie the score, 14-14, with 8:29 left in the half.

“I just want to give my heart and soul to this team,” Cheesboro

said. “Everyone can tell Estancia is a different team than what it

has been in the past.”

The Eagles attempted a 36-yard field goal at the end of the half,

but it was blocked. Still, Estancia showed it could hold its own

against a quality opponent.

“Our guys were fired up [at halftime],” Fertig said. “We didn’t

even need a rest. We were ready to go out and play.”

The Eagle defense contained the vaunted Orange running game, which

has gained close to 1,000 rushing yards in the first four games, on

the first series of the third quarter, forcing a punt. But a fumble

on the Estancia 9 resulted in great field possession for the Panthers

and, three plays later, Contreras gave Orange a 20-14 lead on a

3-yard sweep. The kick was no good.

The Eagle defense once again stopped the Orange offense, forcing a

25-yard field goal at the start of the fourth quarter.

It looked as if the Panthers would prevail, 23-14, by forcing a punt, but Estancia eventually got the ball back on its own 11 with

3:16 left in the game. Senior quarterback Nick Cox ran a hurry-up

offense, completing six of his eight passes for 72 yards, including a

2-yard shovel pass to running back Bryce McKendry for a touchdown

with 0:49 left. Cox finished 9 of 16 for 87 yards.

The subsequent onside kick was recovered by the Panthers, who ran

out the clock.

“Sometimes they’re not always pretty,” Orange Coach Greg Gibson

said, “but I’ll take a ‘W’ every time. A victory’s a victory, and

we’re 1-0 in league.”

Estancia center and defensive end Nelson Leon was taken off the

field on a stretcher in the fourth quarter. Fertig said the junior

was taken to Hoag Hospital.

“It may be a pinched nerve in his neck,” Fertig said. “We’re

hoping it’s just a stinger, but you don’t want to chance these

things.”