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 Orange Lutheran players and coaches celebrate after winning the state championship Sunday at Anaheim Ice.
Orange Lutheran players and coaches celebrate after winning the state championship Sunday at Anaheim Ice.
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After being the top-ranked team in the state all year, Orange Lutheran coach Dan Adams implored the Lancers to leave no doubts during the CAHA State Playoffs.

The Lancers lived up to their ranking while advancing to the championship game this past Sunday at Anaheim Ice. And after they defeated Santa Margarita, 3-1, in the final, the players celebrated earning the first state title in the program’s five-year history.

“It’s a huge accomplishment for us,” Adams said, “to go to the national championship as the No. 1 team in California. We’ve been No. 1 throughout the whole season. It meant a lot for us as a team.”

Orange Lutheran reached state final last year, but lost to JSerra. Their success in the state tournament last season helped them get invited to the national tournament.

This season, the Lancers (36-4) will head to the national tournament as California’s top-seeded representative. The tournament runs March 19-23 in St. Louis.

The Lancers’ hopes of winning this year’s state title were dealt a blow when Santa Margarita beat them, 3-0, in the first game of the tournament. Orange Lutheran rebounded with wins against Bellarmine of San Jose and JSerra to reach the final round.

In the championship game, the Lancers’ Jakob Nelson and Jacob Furry scored goals 30 seconds apart in the second period, and Parker Brakebill added a goal in the third.

AJ Frosh was dynamic in net, allowing just one goal, on a power play, to Santa Margarita’s Tyler Gebauer.

Orange Lutheran has been playing without Jacob Heller, the Anaheim Ducks High School Hockey League’s leading scorer. Heller broke his arm in a game, but Adams says there is a chance he might be able to play at nationals.

“We are very excited at the potential to have him,” Adams said. “He’s one of those guys that was good for two points a game, so it was really tough to lose him.”

Heller still leads the league with 27 points despite missing the last five weeks.