JOHNNY HA ran for three touchdowns as Westminster High defeated Orange High 35-29 in a key Golden West League game Friday night at Boswell Field (Orange County Tribune photos).

Johnny Ha’s 5-yard touchdown run with less than a minute to play lifted the Westminster High Lions to a 35-29 victory over the previously unbeaten Orange High Panthers Friday night at Boswell Field.

The homecoming crowd viewed a back-and-forth contest whose result kept Golden West League title hopes alive for WHS. Westminster is now 5-2 overall and 1-1 in league. Orange is 6-1 and 1-1.

JASON WILKINSON passed for two touchdowns for Orange High.

Ha was the star for the Lions, scoring on three touchdown runs and catching a TD pass . Quarterback Noah Melbon passed for two scores for Westminster. Jason Wilkinson threw for two scores for Orange.

The game was close throughout, with Westminster ahead 15-14 at halftime, but just barely. The Panthers completed a pass to the 1-yard line in the final seconds, but the receiver was knocked out of bounds before he could cross the goal line.

Orange had a 22-15 lead in the third quarter, but the Lions got the equalizer on a Melbon to Ha pass. Another Melbon pass – this time to Chris Hamilton  – put WHS back on top at 29-22, but the visitors again answered the bell on a Wilkinson to Jordan Schmidt score with three minutes remaining in the fourth quarter to knot the game up at 29-all.

Next Friday the Lions will host Ocean View (4-3, 0-2) while Orange visits Segerstrom, which is 6-1 (2-0 in league) after defeating Loara 42-3.

Here are results from Friday night games.

EMPIRE LEAGUE

Cypress 47, Pacifica 26: The Mariners saw their undefeated run end at Bolsa Grande Stadium as the Centurions defeated them in an Empire League contest. The M’s scored first but the visitors dominated after the first quarter. Ben Jefferson ran for a score for PHS and threw for two TDs and Issac Torres threw for a TD. Pacifica is now 6-1 overall at 1-1 in league play.

GARDEN GROVE LEAGUE

La Quinta 37, Santiago 26: Michael Nadeau threw for two touchdowns and ran for a third as the Aztecs bounced back from last week’s loss to Garden Grove. The Aztecs are now 6-1 overall and 1-1 in league. Santiago goes to 4-3 and 1-1.

GOLDEN WEST LEAGUE

Santa Ana 51, Ocean View 6: After a 3-0 start, the Seahawks continue to struggle. The loss dropped their overall mark to 4-3 and 0-2 in GWL action.

Westminster 35, Orange 29: The Lions win the seesaw battle at Boswell Field (see story above).

SUNSET LEAGUE

Edison 48, Newport Harbor 0: Griffin O’Connor passed for three touchdowns and ran for two more as the Chargers improved their record to 5-2 (2-0 in league).

Huntington Beach 21, Fountain Valley 14: Having lost five of their first six games, the Oilers were underdogs against a 5-1 Fountain Valley team, but pulled off the upset. They are now 2-5 overall and 1-1 in league.