DUAL THREAT: Quarterback Daylen Pedroza leads Orange’s high-powered offense

Junior quarterback Daylen Pedroza leads Orange’s offense. (Photo Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone)

Orange High’s high powered offense revolves around talented junior quarterback Daylen Pedroza, who has utilized some talented receivers and a solid offensive line to roll up some big numbers this season.

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In five games, the 6-1 Pedroza has passed for 1,004 yards and six touchdowns and also rushed for 386 yards on 39 carries and seven TDs.

Pedroza led the charge Thursday night in the Panthers 60-14 victory over Irvine at Segerstrom, rushing for three TDs and passing for two more. He scored on a 53-yard TD run on the second play from scrimmage to set the stage.

“First off, I want to thank my O-Line, the O-Line did the job,” Pedroza said. “They held their blocks so I could run through a hole and read the blocks and scored.”

Pedroza’s two favorite targets have been seniors Andrew Andrade (18 catches, 404 yards and four TDs) and Isacc Galvan (18 catches, 382 yards and five TDs).

Pedroza said the Panthers (4-1) work extremely hard in practice every week and it’s paid off during games. He said leadership on the team is also instrumental to the Panthers’ success.

“The leaders and the captains, we all just have a big role,” he said.

Pedroza indicated total confidence in the Panther coaches, including head coach Robert Pedroza, who is no relation to the quarterback.

“They ask us to do something and we do it, no questions asked,” Daylen Pedroza said.

Pedroza used the experience of being a starter on last year’s team to get ready to lead the Panthers this season, and he’s made great strides, said Coach Pedroza.

“He’s taken control of the offense,” Coach Pedroza said. “He’s become the leader of the offense. Last year was kind of his learning year and this year he has full control and we trust him with the calls. He does a lot of in game calls that he’s in control of and we like that.”

Pedroza has proved to be a double threat. He passed for 199 yards Thursday night and rushed for 82.

“He runs angry,” Coach Pedroza said. “We always just tell him he runs mad which you got to have in order to play linebacker. And I haven’t put him on any defense yet. That’s his natural position.”

Coach Pedroza said the Panthers, “took some lumps with him last year (as a sophomore).

“There were some bad decisions he made (during games), but he’s such a gamer that he doesn’t let that stuff bother him, he just learns from it and gets better,” he said. “You can see it this year the difference between this year and last year.”

Daylen Pedroza is only a junior but Coach Pedroza said he believes his quarterback can play in college.

“He’s gotten a lot of interest lately and a lot of them are looking for him to play defense as the next level,” Coach Pedroza said. “I know Sacramento State came today to see him. UC Davis likes him a lot. But he’s still has a whole another year to develop and he’s got a bright future. He’s a 4.0 kid, so he’s taking care of all the right things.”

RELATED: (Photos) Orange tops Irvine 60-14

-Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone; timburt@ocsportszone.com