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Read more Orange Lutheran football puts it all together in victory over Basha
JSerra’s quarterback Jack Hilgenberg (12) runs with the ball as Crean Lutheran Kinley Victorian-Young (8) tries to stop him during a Friday night football game, September, 4, 2026, at Crean Lutheran High in Irvine. (Photo by Steven Georges, Contributing Photographer)
Crean Lutheran Troy Roberts (4) runs the ball for a first down as JSerra Dylan Brown (5) takes him down during a Friday night football game, September, 4, 2026, at Crean Lutheran High in Irvine. (Photo by Steven Georges, Contributing Photographer)
JSerra’s Clark Cokley (1) runs with the ball as Crean Lutheran’s Kinley Victorian-Young (8) tries to take him down during a Friday night football game, September, 4, 2026, at Crean Lutheran High in Irvine. (Photo by Steven Georges, Contributing Photographer)
JSerra’s Hayes Cloutier (9) throws a touchdown pass as Crean Lutheran’s Aidan Smith (21) tries to move in during a Friday night football game, September, 4, 2026, at Crean Lutheran High in Irvine. (Photo by Steven Georges, Contributing Photographer)
JSerra Kai Taylor (14) holds onto the ball as Crean Lutheran’s Aaron Nicasio (22) tries to take him down during a Friday night football game, September, 4, 2026, at Crean Lutheran High in Irvine. (Photo by Steven Georges, Contributing Photographer)
Crean Lutheran’s Troy Roberts (4) runs the ball for a first down as JSerra Deuce Tyus (20) tries to take him down during a Friday night football game, September, 4, 2026, at Crean Lutheran High in Irvine. (Photo by Steven Georges, Contributing Photographer)
JSerra’s Wyatt McKinney (45) holds onto the ball as Crean Lutheran’s Nasir Walker (41) takes him down during a Friday night football game, September, 4, 2026, at Crean Lutheran High in Irvine. (Photo by Steven Georges, Contributing Photographer)
JSerra Kai Taylor (14) runs with the ball as Crean Lutheran’s Aaron Nicasio (22) tries to take him down during a Friday night football game, September, 4, 2026, at Crean Lutheran High in Irvine. (Photo by Steven Georges, Contributing Photographer)
JSerra’s Dylan Brown (5), left, and R.J. Corley (25) of JSerra receives a kick from Crean Lutheran during a Friday night football game, September, 4, 2026, at Crean Lutheran High in Irvine. (Photo by Steven Georges, Contributing Photographer)
JSerra’s Sam Fredericksen (8) is all by himself as he catches a touchdown pass against Crean Lutheran during a Friday night football game, September, 4, 2026, at Crean Lutheran High in Irvine. (Photo by Steven Georges, Contributing Photographer)
Crean Lutheran’s Caden Jones (3) passes the ball for a first down as JSerra Braylin Spencer (7) tries to block during a Friday night football game, September, 4, 2026, at Crean Lutheran High in Irvine. (Photo by Steven Georges, Contributing Photographer)
JSerra’s Evan Leddy (32) scores a ball held by Nico Vartanian (48) during a Friday night football game against Crean Lutheran, September, 4, 2026, at Crean Lutheran High in Irvine. (Photo by Steven Georges, Contributing Photographer)
Crean Lutheran’s Eric Miao (30) scores on a kick held by Nathan Collins (88) during a Friday night football game against JSerra, September, 4, 2026, at Crean Lutheran High in Irvine. (Photo by Steven Georges, Contributing Photographer)
Crean Lutheran’s Song entertains the crowd during their halftime show as Crean Lutheran hosts JSerra during a Friday night football game, September, 4, 2026. (Photo by Steven Georges, Contributing Photographer)
Crean Lutheran’s Cheer squad entertains the crowd during their halftime show as Crean Lutheran hosts JSerra during a Friday night football game, September, 4, 2026. (Photo by Steven Georges, Contributing Photographer)
Crean Lutheran’s Cheer squad entertains the crowd during their halftime show as Crean Lutheran hosts JSerra during a Friday night football game, September, 4, 2026. (Photo by Steven Georges, Contributing Photographer)
Crean Lutheran’s Song entertains the crowd during their halftime show as Crean Lutheran hosts JSerra during a Friday night football game, September, 4, 2026. (Photo by Steven Georges, Contributing Photographer)
IRVINE — JSerra’s identity under first-year football coach Hardy Nickerson unfolded this season with catchy, new uniforms and a focus on forcing takeaways.
On Friday, the Lions showed they can play the role of spoiler, too.
Brothers William and Sam Fredericksen each scored twice and quarterback Hayes Cloutier threw two touchdowns and scrambled for a decisive score as JSerra defeated Crean Lutheran 37-29 in a penalty-filled game at Crean Lutheran High.
While JSerra (2-1) hails from the Trinity League, it entered the schools’ first meeting as the lower ranked team in Orange County. The Lions are ranked No. 9 in Orange County while the Saints (2-1) entered ranked sixth.
“It’s a paradigm shift,” said JSerra running back William Fredericksen, who rushed for 138 yards on 27 carries. “Everything is changing. We want all of it.”
Cloutier helped seal the victory with a 31-yard touchdown run on fourth-and-8 with 6:29 left in the fourth quarter. The senior’s scramble and the extra-point by Evan Leddy gave the Lions a 37-22 lead.
Crean Lutheran quarterback Caden Jones, wide out Troy Roberts and running back Caleb Bey kept the Saints close but the Lions’ ground attack was too much.
“For us, we’re looking to get better and better each outing,” said Nickerson, who took the helm for a team that finished 3-7 last season. “We’re excited to get the win but can’t wait to get back to the drawing board and get back to work.”
JSerra ran the ball on the first six plays of the second half before Cloutier lofted a 24-yard touchdown to a wide open Sam Fredericksen for a 30-14 lead.
Crean Lutheran hung tough behind its core leader Jones. The Arizona commit tossed a 12-yard touchdown to Roberts on fourth-and-4 with 10:18 left in the fourth quarter. Jones connected with Nathan Collins for the 2-point conversion to make it one-score game at 30-22.
After Cloutier’s highlight run, Bey capped the scoring with a 1-yard touchdown run with 2:34 left as the Saints trimmed the Lions’ lead to 37-29.
William Fredericksen helped the Lions run out the clock after they recovered the onside kick.
Crean Lutheran played with transfer defensive end Nasir Walker for the first time. The junior from A.C. Flora in South Carolina was cleared by the CIF-SS earlier in the day.
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But before the game, Saints coach Rick Curtis confirmed the absence of standout wide receiver Ty Johnson, who suffered a broken collarbone last week in a 31-10 victory against Mira Costa.
Nickerson helped select JSerra’s new uniforms, which look similar to the the NFL’s 49ers and include a cross below the jersey neck.
He entered Friday pleased with his team’s seven takeaways but the team took another route to a 24-14 lead at halftime.
The Lions scored on four of their five first-half possessions behind its running game and stingy defense.
William Fredericksen broke a 21-yard TD run to tie the score 7-7 in the middle of the first quarter and added a go-ahead, 2-yard run four minutes into the second quarter.
The latter came on fourth-and-goal after Crean Lutheran was called for consecutive offside penalties, which prompted the Lions to change their plans for a field goal attempt.
The Lions’ large offensive line flexed its muscle during the sequence. The line included tackles Jack Schein and Lincoln Fa’alafi, guards John Sorensen and Cash Lewallen and center Gavin Walters.
JSerra’s defense held on a fourth-down attempt near midfield on the ensuing possession to set up another JSerra score.
Cloutier drove JSerra to the Saints 5. The left-handed passer then rolled to his left to throw a 5-yard touchdown to Sam Fredericksen as the Lions took a 21-7 lead.
Jones answered with his own roll out and a 26-yard TD strike to Roberts with 56 seconds left in the half.
Next week, Crean Lutheran plays host to Oak Ridge of El Dorado Hills on Friday, Sept. 11. Last season, Oak Ridge lost Folsom 21-14 in the CIF Sac-Joaquin Division I final.
JSerra plays host to Oak Hills of Hesperia on Thursday, Sept. 10. Oak Hills defeated Rancho Cucamonga 25-17 on Thursday.
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