#12 Greg Orlando
Greg had an outstanding game as he led his team into their third consecutive CIF Championship Game by rushing for a career-high 140 yards including an 81-yard touchdown run, and returning a punt 34 yards to set up another score. His effort pushed him over the 1,100 yard mark in career rushing, and gave him the record for most season and career yards rushing by a quarterback. Orlando rushed and passed for one score at Tustin marking the 14 consecutive game that he has either a rushing, passing or receiving touchdown. Greg completed 10 of 13 passes against Aliso Niguel for 145 yards. Orlando displayed his amazing all-around football skills at Irvine in Week 9 as he became the first Eagle to ever have a rushing, passing and receiving touchdown in the same game. In that game Greg completed 9 of 14 passes for 239 yards and a perfectly thrown 71-yard strike to Mike O’Gorman. He rushed for 53 yards and a one-yard score and topped it off with an 80-yard sprint to paydirt from the receiving end of a QB throwback pass. Despite his Week 9 heroics, Greg enjoyed possibly the best game of his career at Newport Harbor in Week 8 as he completed 10 of 14 passes for 205 yards and a career-high 3 touchdowns, and rushed for a career-high 112 yards to lead the team to an important win. Greg also had a fine game in Week 7 vs. CdM as he passed for 135 yards, and rushed for 105 yards including a 68-yard touchdown run. At El Toro he completed seven of 11 passes for 127 yards and two touchdowns, added 21 yards rushing and returned three punts for 27 yards. Greg enjoyed a great all-around game vs. Rancho Bernardo as the he had a 45-yard touchdown run, and completed nine of 17 passes for 94 yards and a score. Greg also blocked a field goal. Greg had 93 yards rushing and completed 11 of 19 passes for 138 yards and one touchdown at San Clemente. Orlando rushed for two touchdowns at Dana Hills. Greg posted career-highs with 17 completions in 23 attempts for 267 yards and two touchdowns, while adding a team-high 49 yards rushing vs. Carlsbad. The 267 yards was the 9th best total in school history. Orlando ran and passed for one TD each vs. Dominguez. His consecutive passes without an interception streak ended at 76 (4th best in school history), and he had previous streaks of 68 and 48. Greg has completed 57.8% of his passes this year, and his 145.6 rating is 6th best in Orange County. 1997: Greg was named Santa Margarita’s Rookie of the Year, and was named to the CIF Division V Team, and to the coaches and the Daily Pilot’s All-Sea View League First Team as a wide receiver. Orlando accounted for 19 Tds in 1997 via rushing (5), passing (6) and receiving (8), and was the first Eagle to have more than one in each category in one season. Greg finished second on the team in blocked kicks (2), rushing (303 yards on 45 carries, a 6.7 average), passing, and in receiving with 37 catches for 723 yards (19.5 average). Orlando saw 20 full quarters worth of action at QB and posted an outstanding record (4-0) as a starter. Greg completed 29 of 51 passes for 584 yards and six Tds without an interception. Greg also had a QB rating of 191.9 which would have been good enough for third in Orange County if he had enough attempts to qualify. Against Tustin, Greg caught five passes for 114 yards, including a 25-yard Td, and added a 12-yard run. It was his third 100-yard game of the season. At Servite, Greg caught four passes for 107 yards and two touchdowns, rushed once for 10 yards, directed two touchdown drives, and blocked two kicks to be named Player of the Game. Against Irvine, Orlando returned a punt 25 yards, caught two touchdown passes and passed for a then career-high 135 yards and two more Tds. In Week 7 against Newport Harbor, Greg caught five passes for 108 yards. At Corona del Mar, Greg caught a career-high six passes. Greg won his first game as an Eagle starting QB against Trabuco Hills as he completed seven of 14 passes for 89 yards and a Td, and added 46 yards rushing on six carries. 1996: Greg caught two passes for 26 yards and recorded 11 tackles on the varsity team, and as the JV QB he led the team to a perfect 10-0 record and the Sea View League Championship. Misc: Orlando was selected as the Sea View League Offensive Player of the Year by the Daily Pilot. Greg has an 13-2 career record as the varsity starting QB. Orlando has accounted for 41 touchdowns in his career (21 passing, 11 rushing and 9 receiving). Greg was named First Team All-Sea View League and All-CIF Division V last year. He has emerged as one of Orange County’s premier all-purpose players and is recognized by Gridiron Magazine as the 4th best quarterback and one of the top receivers in Orange County. Greg has 41 catches for 840 yards in his career which is tied for 9th place on the all-time receiving list. Greg is 7th in career scoring with 132 points, 5th in career rushing with 1,137 yards, 5th in career passing yardage (2,288), 3rd in touchdown passes (21), and second behind Eagle great Carson Palmer in QB rating and career completion percentage. Greg was a member of the Eagles’ 1997 Sea View league Championship baseball team. Orlando runs a 4.53 40, and has posted a 4.15 pro agility time. He can squat 395 and recorded a 30.4" vertical at the Reebok Combine. What others are saying: "Orlando is very athletic and can move. He is like a running back that can throw." – San Clemente Head Coach Mark McElroy. "Orlando is real dangerous running the ball and scrambling." – Corona del Mar Head Coach Dick Freeman. "Orlando is dangerous. We can’t let him run around out there." – Newport Harbor Head Coach Jeff Brinkley. "The thing about Orlando is that he can do so many things very well." – Irvine Head Coach Terry Henigan. "He can be quite effective outside of the pocket with his scrambling ability." – Aliso Niguel Head Coach Joe Wood. |
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