James Leicester set a new record for receiving touchdowns at Dana Hills High during the Dolphins’ 49-28 Homecoming romp over Orange High in a Foxtrot League matchup on Friday, Oct. 10.
The victory kept the Dolphins (7-0, 2-0) unbeaten, while the Panthers (4-3, 1-1) suffered their first league loss. Leicester contributed 68 receiving yards and two touchdowns in the game, bringing his career total to 22 touchdowns, surpassing the previous record of 21 receiving TDs set by 2022 graduate Omarjaye Black.
Dolphins head coach Tony Henney called Leicester a “steady” player who has been a productive player over the past two years. “I’m just happy for him,” Henney said.
Dana Hills’ defense put points on the board first with a pick-six from senior linebacker William Reardon, whose 25-yard interception return gave the Dolphins a 7-0 lead. Reardon made an impact all night and is leading the team with 71 total tackles.
Henney described Reardon as a “heart and soul” player who has given the defense a boost this season, adding he’s a well-prepared player and brings violence to the unit.Â
The Panthers tied the game with a touchdown drive on their second offensive possession, with sophomore dual-threat quarterback Star Thomas throwing a 5-yard touchdown to senior Wesley Lundell.
Then Dolphins sophomore quarterback Carter Anderson and the offense went back to work. Anderson threw a 10-yard touchdown to Leicester to culminate the drive for a 14-7 Dana Hills lead.
After a quick defensive stop, Dana Hills handed the ball off to senior Radley Geiss for a 2-yard touchdown before the end of the first quarter for a 21-7 lead.
Senior linebacker William Reardon (with football) celebrates in the end zone with his teammates after his 25-yard interception return gave the Dolphins a 7-0 lead on the way to a 49-28 win over Orange on Friday, Oct. 10.
Photo: Don August
Soon after, Anderson and Leicester connected for their second score and a 28-7 lead, officially making the senior receiver a record breaker for the second time this season—Leicester became the all-time receiving yards leader last month against Esperanza High. He has 613 yards and seven touchdowns in 2025.
Dana Hills added its fifth touchdown of the first half on Anderson’s 8-yard pass to senior tight end Trevor Dean, who dove into the end zone to make it 35-7. Just before halftime, Thomas threw a touchdown to sophomore Dylan Stone to trim Orange’s deficit to 35-14 at the intermission.
After the Homecoming festivities, Panthers sophomore running back Benjamin Lafferre scored a rushing touchdown to make it 35-21. Lafferre was effective on the ground, averaging 7.7 yards per carry and finishing with 131 rushing yards.
At the beginning of the fourth quarter, Geiss had his second rushing touchdown, his eighth of the season. He finished with 75 rushing yards on 18 carries in his second game back from an ankle injury.Â
Junior Jack Norman leaps in the back of the end zone to catch a touchdown pass from Carter Anderson in the fourth quarter of the undefeated Dolphins’ decisive win on Oct. 10.
Photo: Don August
Anderson threw his fourth touchdown pass to junior standout Jack Norman to put the game out of reach at 49-21. It was the fourth time this season the Dana Hills quarterback has thrown three or more TD passes in a game, upping his season totals to 19 TD passes for 1,460 yards.
“He’s just constantly improving,” Henney said about Anderson. “As he’s getting more familiar with the offense and being on varsity, he’s getting more comfortable and making good decisions.”
Orange scored a touchdown in the final moments of the game, as Thomas (255 yards, 3 TDs passing) hooked up again with Stone, who caught five passes for 152 yards and two scores.
After a six-sack performance against Aliso Niguel High, the Dolphins racked up five sacks against Orange, with senior Trevor Blackmore getting two, and sophomore Noah Carter and senior Micah Langohr getting 1.5 apiece.
Senior wide receiver James Leicester grabs the pass that set a school record for career TD receptions in Dana Hills’ 49-28 Homecoming romp over Orange on Oct. 10.Â
Photo: Don August
“They were a really good football team,” Henney said about Orange. “They have a lot of speed, and a lot of really good young players; some of them are probably going to play on TV on Saturdays at some point.”
Up Next for Dolphins: With a showdown looming against defending league champion Laguna Beach (7-0, 2-0) on Oct. 24 – a home game that likely will decide the Foxtrot League title — Dana Hills will host a struggling Fountain Valley High (1-6, 0-2) this Friday, Oct. 17. The Barons won their season opener, but have lost six consecutive games, including losses to Orange (52-14) and Laguna Beach High (63-18). They have been outscored by 139 points this season.
Henney stressed the importance of preparation ahead of their third league game. He mentioned all-time greats such as Tom Brady and Kobe Bryant, and how they would approach every game as if it were the championship.
“Preparation has to stay the same,” he said. “We’ve got to treat all opponents with respect, and that us getting better is the most important thing and that complacency is the enemy.”
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