Powered by first-half defense, JSerra Catholic (18-0) extended its win streak to 46 games in a row.
Tuesday marked the first time Orange Lutheran has been shut out since September 2023.
JSerra Catholic struck late in the first quarter and early in the second with pick-sixes on three consecutive defensive possessions.
Anna Paquette returned an interception 18 yards for a score to give the Lions a 6-0 lead.
Sophomore
Tessa Russell then turned in back-to-back pick-sixes of her own to close the first quarter and open the second, catapulting the Lions to an 18-0 lead. Russell was named MVP of the MaxPreps Flag Football Showdown earlier this month in Chula Vista.
JSerra Catholic sophomore Tessa Russell had two interception returns for touchdowns to help the No. 1 Lions defeat No. 2 Orange Lutheran 38-0 on Tuesday. (PHOTO: John Luciano)
Orange Lutheran got back-to-back interceptions of its own from
Josie Anderson and
Claire Dahman midway through the second. But the JSerra defense once again held strong, highlighted by a sack from
G.G. Szczuka.
The Lions punched in their first offensive score of the night with 10 seconds before halftime as
Kate Meier ran in a score from eight yards out to give JSerra a 25-0 halftime cushion. Meier entered the week second in the nation with 4,448 passing yards.
JSerra continued to pile on in the third, executing a hook-and-ladder touchdown from Meier,
Sterling Flores and Szczuka to extend the lead to 31-0. Flores added an interception late in the third, leading to a 15-yard receiving score of her own from Meier to make it 38-0 entering the fourth.
The No. 1 spot in the MaxPreps Top 25 has belonged to JSerra since the end of last season after a 28-0 campaign in 2025, which concluded with a Southern Section Division 1 victory over Orange Lutheran. The program's last loss ended its season in 2024, falling 19-14 loss to
Canyon (Anaheim) in the section playoffs.
The Lions are responsible for six of Orange Lutheran's last seven losses dating back to the start of the 2024 season. The Trinity League rivals will meet again to wrap up regular season play Oct. 13.
