PHOTOS: Big first half powers Calvary Chapel past Saddleback on homecoming

Saddleback quarterback Adam Casteneda is stopped by No. 3 Gavin Ghahyasi, Eric Rommel and Sam Lara of Calvary Chapel Thursday night. (Photos courtesy Bill Russell).

Calvary Chapel High School’s football team captured its second straight shutout in Orange Coast League play, defeating Saddleback 41-0 Thursday night on homecoming at Segerstrom, the Eagles home field.

The stands were packed on the Calvary Chapel side.

The Eagles (4-2, 2-0) opened league play defeating Costa Mesa 50-0 last week.

Senior quarterback Matt Peters threw three touchdown passes in the first half and also had a 44-yard TD run to help Calvary Chapel sprint to a 35-0 lead at halftime.

To see the slide show, click on the first photo:

The entire second half was played with a running clock. Saddleback (0-5, 0-2) returned to action after forfeiting a league game vs. Orange due to lack of available players.

“Coach Paige (Nobles) is really doing a great job over at Saddleback, they’re fighting hard and they have some great potential coming forward,” said Calvary Chapel Coach Jack McInally. “Hats off to them, they fought until the final whistle.

“But our guys came out and executed, I’m really proud of my guys. Matt did a great job leading the team, but hats off to Jorge Brito, he had two interceptions and he’s a freshman, so we think we have a gem in him. We’re really fired up for Santa Ana this week (Friday, Sept. 29 at Segerstrom).”

Brito had an interception on Saddleback’s opening drive, giving the Eagles possession at the Roadrunners’ 19 yard line. Two plays later, Peters hooked up with Matthew Lux on a 19-yard TD pass.

Peters TD run made it 14-0. Then he finished the first half with a TD passes to Noah Bethel (24 yards) and Caleb Ferraro (17 yards). Samuel Lara had a 22-yard TD to end the half. Peters had five completions for 58 yards in just two quarters of play.

Back-up quarterback Quinlan Russell led the Eagles to a nifty drive opening the second half. He had a 27-yard run and eventually scored on a 1-yard QB keeper, his first varsity touchdown, to make it 41-0. The Eagles missed the PAT.

Then it was up to the defense to preserve the Eagles third shutout of the year.

McInally was also pleased with the defense of Anthony Gonzalez and Gavin Ghahyasi

“As a unit we played well, whenever you get a zero that means we were really locked in all week,” McInally said.”

Saddleback was led by quarterback Adam Castenada who passed for 117 yards and receiver Victor Carranza, who had four catches for 51 yards.

The Roadrunners advanced the ball to Calvary Chapel 14 yard line late in the game but the second interception by Brito ended the drive.

“Calvary is a good team,” Nobles said. “I thought we would be able to hang with them for a little while, but they have experience and we don’t, we’re young. Come look at us in a couple years, we will be a formidable opponent in a couple years. When you’re starting almost all sophomores against teams that are all seniors, it’s hard, I just feel bad for these kids. They’ve gone through so much.

“We just got to keep going and moving forward, we keep trying different combinations. I’ve changed my offense four or five times, that hasn’t worked. It just comes down to experience and we lack that.

“Adam (the QB) did a great job today, I was very impressed with Adam. He was poised in the pocket when he needed to be and took off when he had to. I was super impressed with Victor Carranza, he did an amazing job getting open and sacrificing his body on a couple routes over the middle.”

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