Conor O'Brien

Spring Break! BEST UBER DRIVER EVER!

2020-03-11T12:38:00.001-07:00

UPENN Article 9-13-2018

2018-09-13T17:32:00.000-07:00

Penn article 9-13-2018

PENN QUAKERS

Five high school teammates ride a cross-country pipeline to Penn | Football season preview

Posted: 2 hours ago

John Smallwood | @SmallTerp | smallwj@phillynews.com

PENN ATHLETICS

The odds of five teammates from one high school football team ending up in the same college program aren't high.

Add in the facts that the college is an Ivy League school and the players are all from California, and the odds jump to the level of "Say that again."

That, however, is exactly what the University of Pennsylvania has as it opens its 2018 schedule Saturday against visiting Bucknell.

Senior strong safety Sam Philippi, junior defensive back Conor O'Brien, junior quarterback Nick Robinson, sophomore defensive back Riley O'Brien and freshman punter Jake Haggard all played at JSerra Catholic High School in San Juan Capistrano, Calif.

STEVEN M. FALK / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Conor O’Brien started all 10 games for the Quakers in 2017.

"Pretty crazy," said Conor O'Brien, who started all 10 games in 2017. "It started with Sam Philippi.

"He was first, and when he would come back home during his freshman year, he'd always say how great it was at Penn. He talked to the [JSerra] players and the coaches. People started thinking about it and it just started a pipeline.

"Now it's like we're one family. It makes us like a close niche while we're on the other side of the country."

Word of mouth concerning personal experience is still one of the best forms of advertisement.

STEVEN M. FALK / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Defensive back Sam Philippi helped spread the word among his classmates at his southern California high school.

Philippi, a preseason first-team All-Ivy pick who was second-team All-Ivy in 2017, said his parents had always stressed the value of education, and he decided early on that he wanted to go to an Ivy League school.

Penn was the only one that actively recruited him, and he signed the day after his official visit to Philadelphia.

"Ever since I set foot on campus I felt this will always be the best decision I make in life from this point on," Philippi said. "It's kind of cliché, but being at this school and being on the football team is like one giant family. My dad said to go to a city on the East Coast, to get out of California for a while, it's going to give you a whole different outlook on life. And that's what it's done."

Phillipi said he wasn't planning on recruiting for Penn when he told his friends about the great experience he was having. He just wanted them to know if they had the opportunity, they'd likely enjoy it as much.

Conor O'Brien was sure Philippi would not steer them wrong and committed to Penn in 2015.

Robinson took a couple of connecting flights, first spending 2015 on the scout team at the University of Georgia and then playing at Saddlebrook Community College before landing at Penn in 2017, the same year Riley O'Brien joined his older brother as a Quaker.

This season Haggard decided to try Philadelphia.

STEVEN M. FALK / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Penn quarterback Nick Robinson spent a season on the Georgia scout team and time at a junior college before landing in Philly.

"The opportunity just to have a chance to go to a school like [Penn] is one in a million," said Robinson. "This is such a difficult school to get into.

"So first to be able to get an education like this and then to be able to play for a championship-caliber football program is what you ask for. Penn is a program that has already had so much success. The bar is set high and we want to help to continue to keep raising it."

California has been an important recruiting state for fourth-year Penn coach Ray Priore. With 14 players, California ranks second only to New Jersey (16) as the home state for players on the roster.

"For a long time, I've recruited out in California," said Priore, who has been on the Penn coaching staff since 1987 and whose Quakers were picked to finish fourth by the league coaches. "We have some great friendships with coaches out there and people that we know.

"We built a relationship with [JSerra] and the kids kind of feed off themselves – one brings the next best one in."

It may continue for a long time.

"I think Penn is a school and program that's become fairly well known at JSerra," O'Brien said.

Penn season preview

2017 Record: 6-4, 4-3 (4^th in Ivy League)

Head Coach: Ray Priore – 20-10 overall, 16-5 in Ivy

Players to watch: Linebacker Nick Miller (2017 All-Ivy); safety Sam Philippi (2017 second-team All-Ivy); running back Karekin Brooks (840 yards, 9 touchdowns).

UPENN football- Article 2018

2018-08-10T12:43:00.002-07:00

13 Football Players Earn Preseason Recognition From Phil Steele's FCS Preview

Football

August 10, 2018

PHIL STEELE FCS PREVIEW

PHILADELPHIA -- With the first day of preseason camp one week away, the University of Pennsylvania football team will enter camp with 13 players recognized as preseason All-Ivy by Phil Steele's annual FCS Preview Magazine.

Six Quakers were preseason first team selections, led by Phil Steele's Preseason Defensive Player of the Year Nick Miller. Three Quakers were preseason second team selections, and four earned third team honors.

Joining Miller on the first team were running back Karekin Brooks, offensive lineman Tommy Dennis, linebacker Jay Cammon, Jr., safety Sam Philippi and kicker Jack Soslow. All six were All-Ivy honorees at the end of the 2017 season.

Offensive lineman Greg Begnoche was a second-team All-Ivy pick by Phil Steele, joined by defensive lineman Cooper Gardner and linebacker Connor Jangro. Begnoche and Jangro have previously earned All-Ivy honors during their careers.

Jeff Gibbs was a third-team All-Ivy choice by Phil Steele, giving Penn three total offensive lineman among the honorees. Gibbs is joined by wide receiver Christian Pearson, defensive back Conor O'Brien, and returner Isaiah Malcome.

The Quakers have their first official practice on August 18, leading up to the home opener on September 15 against Bucknell at 3 p.m.

#FightOnPenn
#UPrising

https://pennathletics.com/news/2018/8/10/13-football-players-earn-preseason-recognition-from-phil-steeles-fcs-preview.aspx

The Daily Pennsylvania - Conor O'Brien

2016-06-02T18:59:00.002-07:00

Class of 2020 football recruit ready to make an immediate impact

High school teammate of sophomore defensive back to reunite and defend Ivy title

A lot of athletes might say they were born to play their respective sport.

But a kid related to both the NCAA’s Division I-A single-season touchdown passing record holder and the winningest quarterback in Stanford history might have a slightly better argument.

Such is life for California native and safety Conor O’Brien, who is one of 29 recruits joining Penn football’s Class of 2020 looking to help the Quakers begin their title defense.

Needless to say, O’Brien needed no help being introduced to the sport. In his extended family are former Hawaii and Washington Redskins QB Colt Brennan – whose 58 touchdown passes in 2006 is a Division I-A record – and former Stanford and current Kansas City Chiefs QB Kevin Hogan, whose 36 career collegiate wins surpassed Andrew Luck for the Cardinal’s all-time record.

On a more immediate level, O’Brien’s father and uncle played high school ball at Mater Dei and Santa Margarita, respectively — a pair of Orange County powerhouses that have combined to produce the likes of Matt Leinart, Matt Barkley, Brennan and Carson Palmer. Both schools are in the same ultra-competitive Trinity League in which O’Brien made a name for himself at JSerra Catholic High School.

“My grandfather, uncles, cousins, we all played – the sport has helped shape me into who I am today and who I am going to be in the future,” O’Brien said. “I never felt a pressure to ‘live up’ to the standards they set. We chose JSerra because it was a new school and I would have the opportunity to leave my own legacy.”

Indeed, O’Brien wasted no time making his mark on the JSerra program. After earning a starting role as a sophomore in 2013 and securing 64 tackles, he exploded with four interceptions and 77 tackles – tied with then-senior and now-Penn starting safety Sam Philippi for his team’s lead – in 2014, securing a first-team all-league spot and forming an all-star safety pairing that will soon re-unite in University City.

“Sam’s a great friend of mine,” O’Brien said. “Off the field we hang out, go fishing, etc., and as teammates we competed for playing time, which helped us both earn starting jobs on both sides of the ball. We play well together.”

Just about any football player coming to Penn put up gaudy stats in his high school career, and O’Brien – who finished his career with another first-team all-league selection in 2015 – was clearly no exception.

But where O’Brien differs from the rest of the pack is the caliber of competition he dominated.

The Trinity League, for those unfamiliar with high school football, is a different beast. According to MaxPreps’ Freeman Ratings, it was ranked as the best league nationwide in 2013, and the second-best in both 2014 and 2015.

A “who’s who” of the quarterbacks O’Brien squared off against just in his five annual league games includes Josh Rosen – who started at UCLA as a true freshman and threw for 3,688 yards and 23 touchdowns en route to 2015 Sporting News Freshman of the Year status – Travis Waller – who now goes by Travis Jonsen and is expected to battle with Dakota Prukop to fill Oregon’s QB vacancy – and KJ Costello, a Stanford commit ranked as the third best pro-style QB in the Class of 2016 by 247sports.com.

“The Trinity League, top to bottom, has incredible talent and top notch coaches. It is unbelievable, and I definitely feel playing in Pac-5 and Trinity League is an advantage,” O’Brien said. “ I was never the biggest guy on the field, so playing against big, talented players has definitely prepared me for FCS football.”

And still, even against such stacked opponents, O’Brien helped take his Lions’ program to the top. Before his arrival to the varsity program in 2013, JSerra had not qualified for the CIF Southern Section playoffs or won more than six games in any season in school history.

But head coach Jim Hartigan – who happened to coach O’Brien’s father and uncle at their respective high schools – led a transformation, with O’Brien at the forefront. In O’Brien’s three seasons, the team went 24-8 overall and finished in the top 21 teams in California according to MaxPreps every year, including a CIF-SS Pac-5 quarterfinal appearance in 2014.

“I think Sam’s class was the real turning point for JSerra; they raised us to the next level,” O’Brien said. “We’d never made it to the playoffs before 2014, so I feel very good about where the program is going and I’m proud to be a part of that.”

One by-product of JSerra’s newfound success is that the school has become a pipeline to Penn. After sending Philippi – who immediately earned a starting role and contributed with 46 tackles and a team-leading four interceptions last fall – to the Class of 2019, O’Brien will join the team this fall.

And that’s not all, as O’Brien’s younger brother Riley, a defensive back and rising JSerra senior, also has committed to join Penn’s Class of 2021.

“I’m very excited that Riley has chosen to attend Penn. We have a great relationship, but very competitive,” O’Brien said. “A pipeline should be established; JSerra has some kids who can flat out play. They may not be the biggest or the fastest in the Trinity league, but they are the toughest, that’s for sure.”

At first glance, immediately cracking the rotation for a Penn defensive backs unit that returns three of its four starters in rising sophomores Philippi, Jyron Walker and Mason Williams might seem like a daunting challenge.

But for a kid who has spent his childhood learning from former Heisman candidates and his last three years going toe-to-toe with potential future ones, it’d be a foolish move to count him out.

Prom JSerra 2016

2016-05-19T11:01:00.000-07:00

Conor and Emily Moran

2016 Senior Plunge

2016-05-18T08:35:00.000-07:00

Nick finally jumped in!

2016 Senior last Mass day

2016-05-18T08:31:00.000-07:00

The Traditional Senior Walk through campus to Mass

Conor receives the JSerra Senior Scholar Athlete Award for his class

2016 Senior Camino Capistrano Walk to the Abbey

2016-05-16T08:01:00.000-07:00

The Walk begins at JSerra only 16 miles to go

Half way mark!

The whole gang!

Mom was there at the end to feed you!! Love you!!!

Mom had to call and get Michael and Nick out of bed, but they made it for the second half!

Way to go!! You all made it!!!

Confirmation St. Edwards

2016-05-15T21:29:00.000-07:00

Conor and Riley get confirmed

Mr. Monnette is there Sponsor

JSerra Varsity Lacrosse

2016-04-29T07:45:00.000-07:00

SENIORS LACROSSE

Conor plays Lacrosse for the first time and loved it!

JSerra Winter Formal 2016

2016-02-06T18:36:00.000-08:00

Austin & Conor

Davis, Nathan, Conor

Michael Zabran & Conor

Michael, Nathan, Conor, Austin

Conor & Nick Harris

Catherine (Cat) & Conor

Cat, Conor, Brittany

Gemma & Conor

Conor & Alyssa

Kelsey, Conor, Alyssa

Signing Day Conor O'Brien

2016-02-03T20:05:00.000-08:00

Conor sign's to go to UPENN!

San Juan Hills Winter Formal 2016

2016-01-22T13:31:00.000-08:00

Winter Formal with Devynn Madrid

O.C.'s Top 51 Recruits for Class of 2016

2016-01-06T09:16:00.003-08:00

Updated: O.C.'s Top 51 recruits for Class of 2016

January 02, 2016 11:25 AM

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BY DAN ALBANO

STAFF WRITER

The 2015 high school season is over but the recruiting season is heating up with news about offers and recruiting trips. The National Signing Day for football is Feb. 3.

Here is Dan Albano's latest ranking of Orange County's top senior football recruits for current seniors (Class of 2016):

ORANGE COUNTY'S TOP FOOTBALL RECRUITS: CLASS OF 2016

1. KJ Costello, Santa Margarita, 6-5, 218, QBComment: Stanford commit is still well-regarded despite the Eagles' struggles in '15. U.S. Army All-American Bowl awaits Jan. 9 as a chance to bounce back

2. Curtis Robinson, Mater Dei, 6-3, 225, OLB
Comment: Stanford commit and U.S. Army All-American finished 2015 strong and made first-team All-County.

3. Frank Martin, Mater Dei, 6-6, 295, OL
Comment: First-team All-County pick and U.S. Army All-American remains a strong USC commit.

4. Luke Wattenberg, JSerra, 6-5, 270, OT
Comment: First-team All-County selection is headed to U.S. Army All-American game.

5. Devon Modster, Tesoro, 6-2, 190, QB
Comment: First-team All-County quarterback de-committed to Arizona on Dec. 31. Oklahoma State recently offered

6. Patrick O’Brien, San Juan Hills, 6-4, 225, QB
Comment: Nebraska commit is set to enroll early at the Big Ten school

7. Dylan Crawford, Santa Margarita, 6-1, 185, WR
Comment: Some of the latest buzz links the U.S. Army All-American to Michigan.

8. Logan Bathke, Orange Lutheran, 6-5, 250, OL
Comment: Oregon commit is played in the Semper Fidelis All-American Bowl on Jan. 3 in Carson.

9. Cole Fotheringham, San Clemente, 6-4, 215, TE
Comment: Utah commit is very athletic for this size.

10. Tucker Scott, San Clemente, 6-5, 265, OL
Comment: Utah commit made first-team All-County.

11. Jake Colacion, La Habra, 6-2, 209, OLB
Comment: Injury ended a promising season for the Arizona commit.

12. Chris Yaghi, Foothill, 6-4, 275, DT
Comment: Cal commit had a solid campaign.

13. Alema Pilimai, Tustin, 6-4, 200, ATH
Comment: Athletic Utah commit could be one of the county's sleepers.

14. Nick Harris, JSerra, 6-2, 275, C
Comment: Washington commit showed he was legit in 2015.

15. Keyon Riley, Servite, 6-2, 190, S
Comment: After landing a UCLA offer in the summer, Riley emerged as one of the Friars' top players.

16. Donte Harrington, San Clemente, 6-3, 295, OL
Comment: Boise State, New Mexico recently offered the fast-rising guard.

17. Liam Jimmons, Huntington Beach, 6-4, 240, DE
Comment: USC commit and the Oilers had a somewhat quiet season.

18. Carter Hartmann, Mission Viejo, 6-3, 270, DL
Comment: Harvard commit flashed talent above the Ivy League, so Crimson must be thrilled.

19. Alec Stewart, Santa Margarita, 6-5, 240, DL
Comment: The senior delivered a breakout fall and reportedly has offers from San Diego State and Wyoming among others.

20. Eric Barriere, La Habra, 6-0, 188, QB
Comment: The talented dual-threat will make Eastern Washington. his first official trip in January.

21. Brennan Corbin, Villa Park, 6-4, 190, WR
Comment: Colorado State has offered the athletic and multi-skilled Corbin.

22. AJ Collins, Mater Dei, 6-5, 195, WR
Comment: A potential sleeper, Collins recently was offered by Sacramento State.

23. Tanner Matthews, Santa Margarita, 6-2, 225, OLB
Comment: Navy commit proved to be a physical force in 2015.

24. Nick Crabtree, Huntington Beach, 6-6, 250, TE
Comment: Boise State commit did some of his best work in '15 with punishing blocking.

25. Andrew Wright, Buena Park, 6-4, 211, LB
Comment: Aggressive defender has been offered by Fresno State.

26. Sam Loy, Santa Margarita, 6-0, 165, KO/P
Comment: SEC Vanderbilt offered Loy a full-ride for his leg and the first-team All-County pick committed.

27. Garrett White, Edison, 6-2, 190, WR
Comment: Yale commit flashed his potential with a dominant game vs. Mater Dei; slowed late by an injury.

28. Brenden Schooler, Mission Viejo, 6-3, 185, S
Comment: The first-team All-County pick emerged as a play-making machine on offense, defense and special teams; showed physical side on defense.

29. Malcolm Dixon, Sunny Hills, 6-1, 180, DB
Comment: Yale commit overcame an injury to show his combination of speed and a physical play; most of the teams in Ivy League offered.

30. Keiti Iakopo, Fountain Valley, 6-0, 300, DT
Comment: Southern Utah has offered this defensive beast, who plays bigger than his size.

31. Brock Johnson, Mission Viejo, 6-2, 195, QB
Comment: Register's offensive player of the year showed two characteristics that make him intriguing: great deep ball and tremendous leadership.

32. Lj Northington, Orange Lutheran, 6-2, 190, QBComment: Harvard commit will bring speed, athleticism and leadership to the Ivy League.

33. Ben Sukut, Capistrano Valley Christian, 6-2, 190, S
Comment: Injuries slowed Arkansas State commit.

34. David Garfunkel, Yorba Linda, 6-6, 285, OL
Comment: Intriguing prospect recently visited Illinois and heads to Princeton this weekend.

35. Zack Aylor, Mission Viejo, 6-4, 295, OL
Comment: Suffered injury late in the season.

36. Tre Webb, Servite, 6-1, 175, CB
Comment: San Jose State commit.

37. Adam Heigis, Orange Lutheran, 6-6, 280, OL
Comment: Joins Servite's Tre Webb as a San Jose State commit.

38. Zach Aguirre, Mater Dei, OL
Comment: Offered by Army.

39. Schuyler Whitehead, Los Alamitos, 6-1, 195, S
Comment: Los Al asked Whitehead to do a lot, but he still flashed plenty of potential.

40. Jacob Keller, Los Alamitos, 6-2, 318, OL/DL
Comment: Recently offered by Air Force.

41. Adam Tourville, La Habra, 6-4, 340, OG
Comment: Rugged guard was a big reason for the Highlanders' success.

42. Avery Williams, JSerra, S/RB, 5-9, 190
Comment: First-team All-County pick emerged as one of the top two-way players in the county, so look for interest to rise.

43. Conor O'Brien, JSerra, 5-11, 165, DB
Comment: Recently committed to Penn.

44. Scean Mustin, Orange Lutheran, 6-2, 294, DL
Comment: Sacramento State has offered.

45. Ryan Scotti, Troy, 6-1, 175, WR
Comment: Steady Brown commit hauled in 51 catches in '15.

46. Adam Young, Woodbridge, 6-0, 185, WR/RB
Comment: Joins Edison's White and Sunny Hills' Dixon as a Yale commit.

47. Cole McDonald, Sonora, 6-4, 195, QB
Comment: Recently offered by Alabama A & M.

48. Kyle Adams, JSerra, 6-0, 210, LB
Comment: Recently offered by FCS Stetson in Florida.

49. Corey Selenski, JSerra, 6-2, 220, DE/OLB
Comment: Also offered by FCS Stetson from the Pioneer.

50. Jack Telenko, Los Alamitos, 6-2, 203, QB
Comment: Recently offered by FCS Robert Morris in Pennsylvania.

51. Joel Velazquez, Trabuco Hills, P
Comment: Boise State commit

Conor O'Brien Commits to UPenn!

2015-12-13T19:47:00.000-08:00

Conor, takes an official visit to University of Pennsylvania for the weekend! He absolutely LOVED it! While he was on his official visit the head coach offered Conor a position on the team.

Conor will be attending an IVY League School in the Fall!

http://www.ocvarsity.com/ocvarsity/penn-81647-ivy-football.html

Football recruiting: JSerra's Conor O'Brien commits to Penn

December 18th, 2015, 10:03 am ·

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· posted by DAN ALBANO

JSerra senior defensive back Conor O'Brien has committed to Ivy League contender Penn, Lions football coach Jim Hartigan confirmed.

Penn finished in a three-way tie for first with Dartmouth and Harvard in the FCS league this past season.

2015 All-Trinity League Football

2015-12-08T18:55:00.003-08:00

Football: Sean McGrew, Avery Williams are co-Trinity League MVPs

Eric SondheimerContact Reporter

Running backs Sean McGrew of St. John Bosco and Avery Williams of JSerra have been named the co-players of the year in the Trinity League.

The offensive MVPs were quarterback Quentin Davis of St. John Bosco and running back Brandon LaMarche of Mater Dei. The MVP defenive players were junior Jacob Callier of St. John Bosco and Alec Stewart of Santa Margarita.

The MVP lineman were junior Wyatt Davis of St. John Bosco and Luke Wattenberg of JSerra. The MVP specialists were junior Riley O'Brien of JSerra and Jed Smith of Mater Dei.

First-team all-league

Offense

St. John Bosco_Devin Fleming, Sr.; Jared Harrell, Sr.; Berkeley Holman, Jr.; Matt Smith, Sr.; Mater Dei_Zach Aguirre, Sr.; Frank Martin, Sr.; JT Daniels, Fr.; JSerra_Nick Harris, Sr.; Matt Robinson, So.; Orange Lutheran_LJ Northington, Sr.; Logan Bathke, Sr.; Jerry Fitschen, Sr.; Servite_Michael Bandy, Sr.; Terrell Bynum, Jr.; Santa Margarita_Grant Calcaterra, Jr.; KJ Costello, Sr.

Defense

St. John Bosco_Clive Manalo, Sr.; Traveon Beck, Sr.; Ryan Burke, St. John Bosco; Sal Spina, So.; Mater Dei_Kapono Laguisan, Mater Dei; Curtis Robinson, Sr.; Jalen Cole, Jr.; JSerra_Kyle Adams, Sr.; Conor O'Brien, Sr.; Orange Lutheran_TJ Augustin, Sr.; Brandon McKinney, Jr.; Servite_Conor Airey, Sr.; Keyon Riley, Sr.; Santa Margarita_Matt Mark, Sr.; Tanner Matthews, Sr.; Sam Loy, Sr.

For the latest on high school sports, follow @LATSondheimer on Twitter

http://www.latimes.com/sports/highschool/varsity-times/la-sp-vi-football-sean-mcgrew-avery-williams-are-co-trinity-league-mvps-20151208-story.html

2015 Albano's Top 10 vote

2015-12-07T19:06:00.000-08:00

Football: Albano's Top 10 vote

December 07th, 2015, 10:25 am ·

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· posted by DAN ALBANO

I've been wrestling over who should be No. 1 in Orange County football the last few weeks but Mission Viejo gets my vote this week.

I voted Mater Dei No. 1 the past two weeks, giving the Monarchs to promotion after they beat Serra of Gardena on the road and played Centennial of Corona so well in the semifinals. Mater Dei played the Huskies closer and better than St. John Bosco did in the Pac-5 finals Saturday night.

But Mission Viejo won a huge CIF title game on the road at Vista Murrieta on Friday to move to 14-0, a special number in high school football. And while the Diablos' schedule isn't as flashy as Mater Dei's, it's very good and Mission Viejo is perfect. No slips, like Mater Dei had against JSerra.

And when it's a close call, the undefeated team should get the No. 1 spot. Here's my vote

1. Mission Viejo

2. Mater Dei

3. La Habra

4. JSerra

5. OLu

6. Tesoro

7. San Clemente

8. Servite

9. Santa Margarita

10. Edison

Compare Dan's vote to this week's O.C. football top 10.

JSerra vs. OLu 2015 Game Highlights

2015-11-07T20:39:00.002-08:00

JSerra beats Orange Lutheran in a thriller

November 06, 2015 11:43 PM

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By KENNY CONNOLLY

STAFF WRITER

MISSION VIEJO – As far as both JSerra and Orange Lutheran’s sidelines were concerned, their seasons came down to the final play of what was the last guaranteed game remaining on each of their schedules.

Because neither the Lions nor the Lancers had secured a guaranteed playoff spot before Friday night’s regular-season finale, the stage was set for what proved to be nothing short of an instant Trinity League classic.

Seventh-ranked JSerra scored 21 consecutive fourth-quarter points, but ultimately needed to bat down Lj Northington’s 28-yard heave into the end zone on the game’s final play to lock up a thrilling 45-40 victory over No. 3 Orange Lutheran in a Trinity League finale at Saddleback College.

With the win, JSerra (7-3, 2-3) forced a three-way tie for third place in league with the Lancers (5-5, 2-3) and Servite (4-6, 2-3), who lost to St. John Bosco on Friday. A coin flip held after the game determined that Orange Lutheran would go into the playoffs as the league’s No. 3 seed.

The Lions were named the fourth-place team, an ideal spot to be in for one of the Pac-5 Division’s two at-large berths, and the Friars came in at fifth.

“Extremely proud obviously, these games have always come down to the last play, last seconds and this was good for us to get this win,” JSerra coach Jim Hartigan said after the fourth-quarter dramatics. “We were down, had big plays were going against us, but we found a way to rally defensively in the second half and came up with some plays offensively.

“Everybody showed up in the second half. Kind of a slow start, but a strong finish.”

With the score tied 7-7 after the first quarter, the Lions and Lancers combined to score 37 points in a second quarter that saw four touchdowns of at least 50 yards. Orange Lutheran took a 27-24 edge to halftime and extended that to a 10-point lead early in the third quarter on Dominik Austin’s second rushing touchdown of the evening.

JSerra quarterback Riley O’Brien capped a 10-play, 94-yard drive early in the fourth quarter with a 16-yard strike to his brother,Conor, to cut the deficit to 34-31. Riley’s 5-yard touchdown run on the Lions’ next series reclaimed a 38-34 lead, and after the ensuing kickoff, Tristan West’s 23-yard scoop-and-score put an exclamation mark on a 21-0 fourth-quarter run with 3:53 to play.

Brandon McKinney’s 11-yard touchdown run put Orange Lutheran back into the game with 1:43 remaining, but a missed 2-point conversion meant the Lancers needed a touchdown to win.

After stopping JSerra on a fourth-and-one with 44 seconds left, the Lancers needed to drive 60 yards for a go-ahead score. Northington guided the offense down to the JSerra 28 with six ticks remaining, setting up the final incomplete pass.

JSerra vs. OLU 2015

2015-11-07T20:08:00.001-08:00

Football: JSerra Scores Second Straight Upset

By OCSidelines
Updated: 11/07/2015

JSerra’s Avery Williams fights for yards in the Lions 45-40 win over OLu. Photo/Craig Takata.

By Adrian Peters

No. 7 JSerra used a balanced attack and scored 21 unanswered points in a span of 6:37 of the fourth quarter to rally for a 45-40 win over No. 4 Orange Lutheran to put themselves in a position to be selected for a CIF-SS Pac-5 Division at-large berth in the Trnity League finale for both on Friday night at Saddleback College.

The Lions finished with a 7-3 overall record and a 2-3 mark in Trinity League play. Orange Lutheran (5-5, 2-3) won a coin flip after the game to secure the Trinity League’s third and final guaranteed berth in the Pac-5 playoffs, while JSerra as the fourth finisher and Servite (4-6, 2-3) took fifth.

Matthew Robinson (No. 2) switched off at QB with Riley O’Brien in JSerra’s 45-40 win over OLu. Photo/Craig Takata.

After not qualifying for the playoffs in any of their initial 11 seasons, the Lions will be looking to make it in for the second consecutive year. The at-large berths will be announced at 8 a.m. on Sunday, November 8th.

SCORE: JSerra 45, Orange Lutheran 40

RECORDS: JSerra (7-3, 2-3), Orange Lutheran (5-5, 2-3)

KEY STATS: JSerra ran 61 plays for a whopping 540 yards (297 on the ground and 243 through the air) and 25 first downs. … The Lions dominated the time of possession 29:24 to 18:36 and had only four penalties to the Lancers’ nine. … Orange Lutheran had a productive night as well as it 58 plays for 493 yards and had 18 first downs. … There were only two punts in the game –– both by the Lancers. … JSerra’s QB duo of Riley O’Brien and Matthew Robinson alternated series to keep the Lancers off balance. O’Brien finished 9 of 12 for 161 yards and two touchdowns passes, while Robinson was 6 of 8 for 82 yards. O’Brien added 46 yards rushing and a key go-ahead score in the 4th quarter and also had three receptions for 34 yards. Robinson added 38 yards rushing. … Lion running back Avery Williams ran for a game-high 214 yards on 23 carries, while adding a reception and a sack on the night. … Lancer quarterback LJ Northington completed 7 of his 14 passes for 154 yards and one score. He also rushed for a team high 132 yards on 18 carries. … Austin Liles led the visitors with three receptions for 107 yards, while Markell Quinn added 91 yards rushing on 10 carries, including a score.

PIVOTAL MOMENT I: On the game’s final play, LJ Northington launched a pass into the Lion end zone that was in Austin Liles’s hands momentarily before he was hit hard from behind by Nathan Bowman to jar the ball loose and secure the Lion victory.

PIVOTAL MOMENT II: After Riley O’Brien scored to make it 38-34 with 4:06 left, Lion sophomore Tristan West scooped up a Lancer fumble on the ensuing kickoff and ran it back 25 yards to paydirt to make it 45-34 just 13 seconds later. It proved to be the difference.

PIVOTAL MOMENT III: With Orange Lutheran up 34-31 with 7:45 left, Lion Nick Harris stopped Dominik Austin on third down to force a Lancer punt. The Lions then went on an 8-play drive without putting the ball in the air to go up for good.

QUOTABLE I: “Orange Lutheran is a good team,” JSerra coach Jim Hartigan said before the game. “We’ve got to stop the option, not go three-and-out and score in the red zone when we have our chances.” Although Orange Lutheran ran for 339 yards on the night, the Lions didn’t punt and scored on all of their red zone possessions.

QUOTABLE II: “We had a slow start, but we had a strong finish,” Hartigan said. “Our offensive line played well especially our tackles (Jake Parks, Nick Harris and Luke Wattenberg), our protection was good and our guards pulled and made plays. (Offensive Coordinator) Sergio Muniz called a good game and we were able to keep them off balance.”

QUOTABLE III: “We gave up some big plays in the first half but we came out after halftime with energy and kept our composure through the second half,” Hartigan said about his team’s ability to gain control of the game in the second half.

NOTES: After stopping Orange Lutheran on a fourth-and-1 from the Lions’ 27 on the Lancers’ opening drive, the Lions went on a 8-play, 73-yard drive capped by Avery Williams’ 1-yard run with 6:25 left in the first quarter. The Lancers responded by going on a 10-play, 80-yard drive that ended in a Dominik Austin 1-yard TD run to tie it at 7 at the 1:33 mark of the first quarter. … The Lions got a 26-yard field goal from Ethan Worden to make it 10-7 at the 10:31 mark of the second quarter. … On the OLu’s next drive, it went 80 yards again to regain the lead 14-10 when Markell Quinn went in from 17 yards out. … On the JSerra’s very next offensive snap, Williams raced 66 yards for a score to make it 17-14 JSerra. … Then, on the ensuing kickoff, Xavion Steele ran the kick back 95 yards to make it 21-17 in favor of the Lancers. … That was three scores in a span of 50 seconds. … On JSerra’s next drive, a botched fake field goal was converted one play later into a 74-yard touchdown strike from Northington to Liles to get the visitors up 27-17 with 2:23 remaining in the half. … The hosts quickly responded as O’Brien connected with Nathan Bowman on a 50-yard catch and run touchdown pass to close the lead to 27-24 at the half. …

On JSerra’s opening drive of the third quarter, O’Brien was intercepted by Liles who returned it 26 yards to the Lions’ 6 where Austin went in from there to make it 34-24 at the 11:29 mark of the third quarter. … From that point until 1:43 was left in the game, the Lancers had two punts and a turnover to give the Lions the momentum they needed to claw back into the game. …

Riley O’Brien found Conor O’Brien from 16 yards out to close the lead to three at 34-31 with 10:20 left in the game. … The Lions forced a punt and finally took back the lead with 4:06 left on a Riley O’Brien’s 6-yard run to make it 38-34. … On the ensuing kickoff, Tristan West scooped up a fumble and raced in untouched to make it 45-34 Lions just 13 seconds later. … Quinn scored from 10 yards out with 1:43 remaining to cap a 13-play, 80-yard drive and the Lions failed to convert on fourth down after recovering an onside kick with 0:44 left to give the Lancer’s one last chance from their 40 with no time outs. … A Northington to Quinn pass on third-and-3 converted and a Northington scramble for an 18-gain gave the Lancers the ball on the Lions’ 28 with 6 seconds left. … Northington’s pass was on target to Liles, but Bowman’s hit jarred the ball loose and the Lions prevailed. …

The CIF-SS Pac-5 (Division I) Playoffs begin next week. The pairings will be announced at 11 a.m. on Sunday, November 8th. Orange Lutheran received an automatic qualifying berth as the third place Trinity league finisher by virtue of winning a coin flip with JSerra (4th place) and Servite (5th place). … JSerra and Servite will learn at 8 a.m. on Sunday if they have been selected as one (or both) of the two Pac-5 “at-large berths” –– high school speak for “wild cards.”

OC Sidelines- GREAT article JSerra vs. Mater Dei

2015-10-31T15:27:00.001-07:00

Football: JSerra 35, Mater Dei 28

By Carlos Arias
Updated: 10/31/2015

JSerra coach Jim Hartigan (center) celebrates his team’s 35-28 upset of Mater Dei with his staff. Photo/Craig Takata.

JSerra, ranked No. 10 in the OC Sidelines Top 20, gave second-ranked Mater Dei a big dose of the O’Brien brothers on Friday. The Lions were ended a three-game Trinity League losing streak and kept their playoff hopes alive with a 35-28 upset of the Monarchs at Saddleback College.

Mater Dei came into the game ranked No. 6 in the state by Cal-Hi Sports.,

JSerra is in victory formation and QB Matthew Robinson takes a knee to seal the Lions’ 35-28 win over Mater Dei. Photo/Craig Takata.

With the game deadlocked, 21-21, with 5 minutes left, Riley O’Brien blocked a punt in the end zone and Conor O’Brien recovered it for a TD to give the host Lions the lead. Riley O’Brien added a TD pass to Avery Williams with 2:30 left and JSerra held on to upset Mater Dei.

“We designed the punt pressure to attack the left side and Conor, my brother, actually, clamped one of the blockers to get me a free release,” Riley O’Brien said. “I saw the punter had not yet kicked it and I knew that I needed to make a play. I went for it, dove out and made the block.”

The accomplishment wasn’t lost on O’Brien, whose team faces No. 4 Orange Lutheran next week.

“This is huge for our team because it boosts our confidence for next week and increases our chance for playoffs,” he said. “Mater Dei is a very good team, so a win against them is always a huge deal.”

Mater Dei (2-2 in league) fell into a second-place tie with OLu and Servite. JSerra (1-3) pulled into a fifth-place tie with Santa Margarita for what might be the last at-large berth for the Pac-5 playoffs.

JSerra Vs. Mater Dei VICTORY LIONS!!!!!

2015-10-30T02:53:00.000-07:00

JSerra shocks No. 1 Mater Dei with fourth-quarter rally

October 31, 2015 1:10 AM

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By JOHN SCAFETTA

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

MISSION VIEJO – The general consensus diagnosed JSerra’s playoff hopes as dead and gone.

But the boisterous bunch of Lions proved they still have plenty of life left Friday night, even when it meant going toe-to-toe with Orange County’s finest.

Ninth-ranked JSerra mounted an epic fourth-quarter turnaround to upset top-ranked Mater Dei, 35-28, in a Trinity League showdown at Saddleback College.

“It feels amazing,” Lions running back Avery Williams said. “We’ve had two fourth-quarter losses in the Trinity League, it just feels great to push one out and finish. Our season was on the line, and everybody stepped up today.”

The victory gives JSerra’s playoff hopes new life. The Lions defeated Mater Dei, 17-10, last season – the only other time JSerra had defeated the Monarchs. Mater Dei’s only other loss this season was to St. John Bosco, 42-21, on Oct. 16.

Williams accumulated 128 total yards (56 rushing, 72 receiving) and three touchdowns for the Lions (6-3, 1-3). His biggest score came with 2:30 remaining when quarterback Riley O'Brien connected with the shifty running back on a wheel route down the left sideline on third-and-9.

Williams ran untouched into the end zone to give JSerra a 35-21 lead.

But Mater Dei (7-2, 2-2) wouldn’t give up. Eight plays later, freshman quarterback JT Daniels connected with Andre Collinson a long, arching pass for a 22-yard score, cutting the deficit to seven.

On the ensuing onside-kick attempt, it appeared Mater Dei had recovered inside JSerra territory. However, the officials ruled that a Monarchs special teams player had touched the ball at the Mater Dei 49, negating the recovery.

“He said that we touched the ball on the 49-yard line, which we have nine million iPads on the sideline (showing) the ball was past the 10-yard mark,” Mater Dei coach Bruce Rollinson said.

“But that’s not what the game came down to. I take full blame for this, and I give JSerra all the credit.”

Mater Dei led 14-7 at the half on the heels of Faavae Faavae’s 32-yard interception return for a touchdown on JSerra’s opening drive.

But the offense had trouble moving the ball most of the night. Daniels was sacked five times, and JSerra’s swarming defense held the Monarchs to just 65 total yards in the first two quarters.

JSerra tied the game at 14 when Williams’ 1-yard scoring run capped a nearly eight minute third-quarter drive. However, the Monarchs quickly answered with Brandon LaMarche’s 2-yard TD run with 10:42 left.

The Lions then went on to score 21 unanswered points, highlighted by Riley O’Brien’s blocked punt in the endzone, which was recovered for a touchdown by his brother Conor O’ Brien with 4:34 left. The recovery gave the Lions their first lead at 28-21.

JSerra will play Orange Lutheran next week in the season finale.

BEST BIRTHDAY PRESENT EVER!!!!

We LOVE NICK HARRIS!!! GREAT GAME NICK!!!

Thank you Papa and Grandma for always coming to the games!! We love you!

Where has the time gone Conor O'Brien? It's gone way to fast for your Mama!

2015-10-29T15:01:00.002-07:00

Elle, Riley, Conor

Conor loved flag football!

Riley and Conor loved football from an early age!

Conor and Riley have always been great buddy's!

JSerra Vs. Servite 2015

2015-10-09T08:00:00.000-07:00

Simpson, Servite make statement vs. JSerra

October 09, 2015 11:19 PM

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BY DAN ALBANO

STAFF WRITER

NORWALK – Don’t count out Servite in the Trinity League.

The ninth-ranked Friars proved that to themselves and the Pac-5 Division league Friday by rallying in the final seconds to stun No. 5 JSerra, 39-38, on the heroics of backup quarterback Aaron Simpson at Cerritos College.

The senior scrambled for a 22-yard touchdown run with six seconds left in the fourth quarter and tossed the winning 2-point conversion coming out of a timeout to tight end Ryan Melvin. Simpson dove into the end zone on his score.

Servite, picked to finish last in the Trinity, bounced a short kickoff that JSerra (5-1, 0-1) recovered at its 41 with no timeouts. On the final play, Servite’s Daniel Garcia tripped a scrambling quarterback Matthew Robinson for the sack to seal a league-opening victory for Servite (3-3, 1-0).

“We’re going to fight every week, 48 minutes,” said first-year Servite coach Scott Meyer, who won his Trinity League debut. “Our guys have a ton of heart. … We played a heck of a (nonleague) schedule (to prepare).”

Meyer said the Friars decided to go for the victory to ride the momentum of Simpson, who came on in the first half in relief ofTyler Lytle (hamstring). Simpson threw two touchdown passes toMichael Bandy and on the winning possession, drove the Friars from their 20 with 35 seconds left.

“It’s great celebrating with these guys,” Simpson said. “(We) loved (the decision to go for the win).”

Added Meyer, “We came here to win. We had a lot of momentum.”

JSerra took a 38-31 lead with 35 seconds left on a 16-yard touchdown pass on a screen from Riley O’Briento Avery Williams, who finished with three touchdowns.

But Servite responded and took the lead for the first time on its final drive. The Lions also led, 31-21, afterConor O’Brien, Riley’s older brother, returned a fumble 1-yard for a touchdown with 3:49 left in the third quarter.

“Disappointing that we didn’t finish,” said JSerra coach Jim Hartigan, whose school had defeated Servite the past two seasons. “We basically let the game get away from us by not executing coverage. Hats off to them. They did a nice job of staying in the game, fighting us.”

Williams rushed for 138 yards in 29 carries and also had four catches for 91 yards.

Simpson passed for 215 yards while Bandy and Terrell Bynum paced the receivers. Outside linebackerConnor Airey led Servite’s defense.

Servite turned a fumble just before halftime into a 2-yard touchdown run by Jackson Taylor and a 21-21 tie with 25 seconds left in the second quarter. Taylor’s run came three plays after a fumble recovery by Airey at the JSerra 15.

The Friars’ defense also received an interception from Jarrett Wesner at his 2 late in the first quarter ,but they couldn’t turn the turnover into points.

JSerra took a 21-14 lead on a spectacular 56-yard catch and run by Williams with 1:57 left in the opening half. The senior took a short out pass from Riley O’Brien near the sideline, made two tacklers miss in the secondary before breaking tackles near the 10 and diving into the end zone.

One of Servite’s top plays in the first half came after Lytle injured his hamstring in open field on a breakaway 39-yard run. On the next play, Simpson used a play-action fake to toss a 25-yard touchdown to Bandy.

Contact the writer: dalbano@ocregister.com

Look at Elle!!!

That is Conor on the ground SO upset for the touchdown.
It was a heartbreak for the boys! They played so hard. Welcome to the Trinity league!!! It is going to be tough but so much fun to watch! Exciting game!!!

Conor O'Brien JSerra photos

2015-10-04T12:32:00.002-07:00

BROTHER TO BROTHER TOSS

Conor and Riley look so happy!

Luke, Avery, Riley and Conor Captains

JSerra vs. Chino Hills 2015

2015-09-05T08:00:00.002-07:00

JSerra runs away from Chino Hills

September 04, 2015 11:59 PM

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BY BRIAN REED-BAIOTTO

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

CHINO HILLS – It’s not often that a team goes into Husky Stadium and shuts down Chino Hills from the start, but that’s exactly what JSerra did Friday night.

Avery Williams scored on a 6-yard touchdown run just more than two minutes into the game and the Lions cruised to a 42-14 nonleague victory.

JSerra’s dual quarterback threat of Riley O’Brien and Matt Robinson accounted for two touchdowns apiece and Williams scored three times.

“We studied them on film and wanted to match their intensity,” JSerra coach Jim Hartigan said. “We got off to a quick start and we’re still testing things out with two quarterbacks. Both Riley and Matt give us different things and Avery ran the ball well.”

Robinson connected with Conor O’Brien on a 2-yard touchdown pass midway through the first quarter, and three minutes later, Riley O’Brien found Williams on a 3-yard touchdown strike to stretch the lead to 21-7.

Robinson also scored on a 31-yard run, while Michael Zabran’s 32-yard touchdown reception from Riley O’Brien gave the Lions a comfortable 35-7 lead by halftime.

Riley O’Brien was 6-of-10 passing for 105 yards and rushed for 45 yards on three carries.

But the highlight of the game was his 50-yard connection to his older brother, Conor.

“That was awesome to throw a long pass to my big brother,” Riley O’Brien said. “We’re playing really well as a team. We’re not intimidating to look at, but we play fundamentally sound football. I don’t mind not getting all the snaps, because it helps give me some rest to play defense.”

Williams finished with 94 yards on 18 carries, including a 16-yard touchdown in the third quarter that extended the lead to 42-7.

Robinson passed for 77 yards and rushed for 47.

Grady O’Donnell supplied Chino Hills’ offense with 164 yards rushing on 17 carries, including touchdowns of 45 and 19 yards.

Conor O'Brien

Spring Break! BEST UBER DRIVER EVER!

UPENN Article 9-13-2018

Five high school teammates ride a cross-country pipeline to Penn | Football season preview

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UPENN football- Article 2018

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JSerra Vs. Mater Dei VICTORY LIONS!!!!!

JSerra shocks No. 1 Mater Dei with fourth-quarter rally

Where has the time gone Conor O'Brien? It's gone way to fast for your Mama!

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Simpson, Servite make statement vs. JSerra

Conor O'Brien JSerra photos

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JSerra runs away from Chino Hills