Back-up defensive plan paying dividends for Sunny Hills football team

Jun Ahn of Sunny Hills tries to evade a tackle by Brea Olinda’s Eugene Kim defends Friday night. (Photo courtesy Jim McCormack, For OC Sports Zone).

Having his quarterback and leading rusher on the field on defense wasn’t Plan A for Sunny Hills football coach Pete Karavedas.

It wasn’t even Plan B or C. It was more like Plan D, as in desperation.

“We’ve had kind of a perfect storm at safety,” Karavedas explained. “We had one player leave in the summer and two of safeties have been hurt.”

And when the Lancers were torched for nearly 500 yards in total offense by a talented Aliso Niguel team in their opener, Karavedas knew he had to do something.

That something was to have his quarterback, Luke Duxbury, and his leading rusher, Jun Ahn, in the Lancer secondary for Sunny Hills’ game last Friday night at Brea Olinda. The same plan will be in play Friday when Sunny Hills hosts Gahr in a non-league game at Buena Park High School.

“We knew the Brea game would be a dogfight and it was,” Karavedas said. “And it will be the same thing with Gahr. But these guys are gamers. They’d rather be exhausted and win, than less tired and lose.”

Sunny Hills began the season with two two-way players. Currently it has five … Duxbury, Ahn, Vince Silva, Wilson Cal and Miller Brown.

In the win over Brea Olinda, Ahn’s game bordered on the unbelievable. The 5-6, 175-pound Ahn rushed 35 times for 209 yards and the game-winning touchdown. Exhausted, Ahn had to be helped off the field after suffering a hamstring cramp making a tackle with minutes left in the game.

“It felt like I’d been tasered,” Ahn said, walking gingerly off the field after the win.

 Ahn has recovered nicely and is expected to see heavy duty Friday night.

The good news is that this is not a season-long plan. Brandon Roberts, a transfer from Mater Dei, will be eligible in a couple of weeks and one of the injured safeties may be available at about the same time. Additionally, other players are being coached to play the positions.

Until then, it’s all hands on deck.

–Courtesy Jim McCormack, For OC Sports Zone