San Jacinto quarterback Dereun Dortch, right, muscles his way into the end zone for a touchdown in the closing minutes of the fourth quarter against Orange in the CIF-SS Division 6 championship in Orange on Friday, November 25, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
By Lou Ponsi | Correspondent / Orange County Register
PUBLISHED: | UPDATED:
ORANGE — A touchdown on the final play of the first half gave the Orange football team the lead at halftime and some momentum Friday night in the CIF Southern Section Division 6 championship game at El Modena High School.
But San Jacinto, led by senior quarterback Dereun Dortch, dominated the second half and beat the Panthers 42-15.
Orange running back Kobe Boykin, right, is stopped by San Jacinto middle linebacker Andrew Rocha, left, and guard Christopher Tautolo, center, in the CIF-SS Division 6 championship in Orange on Friday, November 25, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Orange quarterback Hype Grand finds his way through the San Jacinto defense to set up an Orange touchdown in the CIF-SS Division 6 championship in Orange on Friday, November 25, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Orange running back Ardwon Morris, right, tries to get away from San Jacinto’s Dillon Gresham, left, in the CIF-SS Division 6 championship in Orange on Friday, November 25, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
San Jacinto running back Malachi Brown (26) stays on his feet for more yardage as he drags Orange defenders along in the CIF-SS Division 6 championship in Orange on Friday, November 25, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
San Jacinto wide receiver Dillon Gresham gets into the open to catch a pass in the fourth quarter against Orange in the CIF-SS Division 6 championship in Orange on Friday, November 25, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
San Jacinto quarterback Dereun Dortch, right, muscles his way into the end zone for a touchdown in the closing minutes of the fourth quarter against Orange in the CIF-SS Division 6 championship in Orange on Friday, November 25, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
San Jacinto free safety Rj Guilford gets high-fives from fans after winning the CIF-SS Division 6 championship in Orange on Friday, November 25, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
San Jacinto cornerback Hajani Washington, left, shakes hands with defensive tackle Dre Taylor after winning the CIF-SS Division 6 championship against Orange in Orange on Friday, November 25, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Orange running back Ardwon Morris, left, is brought down by San Jacinto’s Denton Capell, right, but not after gaining yardage in the CIF-SS Division 6 championship in Orange on Friday, November 25, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
San Jacinto cornerback Hajani Washington, right, slaps a pass intended for Orange wide receiver Jonathan Smith jr., left, in the CIF-SS Division 6 championship in Orange on Friday, November 25, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
San Jacinto players celebrate with their coach Aric Galliano after winning the CIF-SS Division 6 championship against Orange in Orange on Friday, November 25, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
San Jacinto wide receiver Dillon Gresham, left, beats Orange cornerback Jett White, right, to pull in a pass and take it in for a touchdown in the fourth quarter in the CIF-SS Division 6 championship in Orange on Friday, November 25, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
The San Jacinto team pose for a photo with their CIF-SS Division 6 championship plaque in Orange on Friday, November 25, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Orange running back Ardwon Morris, tosses the ball away after scoring a touchdown in the second quarter against San Jacinto in the CIF-SS Division 6 championship in Orange on Friday, November 25, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
San Jacinto quarterback Dereun Dortch (3) is surrounded and brought down by Orange’s Jaden Moore, guard Khalil Lawerence and Angelo Adetoye, from left, in the CIF-SS Division 6 championship in Orange on Friday, November 25, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
San Jacinto outside linebacker Rafael Martinez, celebrates with his teammates after winning the CIF-SS Division 6 championship against Orange in Orange on Friday, November 25, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
San Jacinto players get ready to douse coach Aric Galliano after winning the CIF-SS Division 6 championship in Orange on Friday, November 25, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
San Jacinto coach Aric Galliano hugs quarterback Dereun Dortch after winning the CIF-SS Division 6 championship against Orange in Orange on Friday, November 25, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
San Jacinto coach Aric Galliano holds up the CIF-SS Division 6 championship plaque after his team defeated Orange in Orange on Friday, November 25, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
San Jacinto quarterback Dereun Dortch runs around the end on a keeper against Orange in the CIF-SS Division 6 championship in Orange on Friday, November 25, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
San Jacinto wide receiver Vincent Holmes scores a touchdown against Orange in the CIF-SS Division 6 championship in Orange on Friday, November 25, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
The Southern Section title is the first in school history for the Tigers (12-2).
Orange (11-3) trailed by a touchdown late in the second quarter before putting together an 80-yard scoring drive that included two big plays in the final seconds.
The Panthers drove to the Tigers 11 with seven seconds remaining and one timeout remaining.
Sophomore quarterback Hype Grand then ran for 9 yards and the Panthers called their final timeout with one second left.
Running back Ardwon Morris took the snap in the wildcat formation and scored on a 1-yard run, giving the Panthers a 15-14 lead at the half.
The Panthers also received the second-half kickoff and had a chance to extend their lead.
But the Panthers were held to three-and-out, and Dortch was practically unstoppable the rest of the way.
“We had the energy going into the half that we wanted,” Orange coach Robert Pedroza said. “They came out and made more plays in the second half than we did.”
In the second half, Dortch threw for two touchdowns and ran for two scores and finished with four touchdown passes for the game.
“He’s phenomenal,” Pedroza said of the quarterback. “That’s a senior quarterback. He made plays when he needed to, led his team and has great athletes on the outside. They came to play, put a great game plan together.”
After a scoreless opening quarter, the teams combined for four touchdowns in the second.
The Tigers got on the board first with an 18-yard touchdown pass from Dortch to Dillon Gresham.
Grand then ran for an 11-yard touchdown and a 2-point conversion to give the Panthers an 8-7 lead.
Dortch connected with Vincent Holmes for a 17-yard touchdown to put the Tigers back on top.
The last-second touchdown run by Morris wound up being the final points of the season for the Panthers, who had a 10-game winning streak heading into the game.
In the second half, Orange was stopped on fourth-and-7 from the Tigers 15, and the Panthers were stopped on fourth-and-15 from the Tigers 27 in the first quarter.
