ORLAND >> Orland High School quarterback Luke Schager ran for a single-game rushing record of 417 yards and four touchdowns in the Trojans’ 42-6 victory against Pierce on Friday night in the Northern Section Division III quarterfinals.

At halftime, with the Trojans leading the Bears 7-6, Orland head coach Nick Velazquez approached offensive coordinator Larenzo Garth and told him, “Quit messing around, give Luke the ball.” Garth told Velazquez he was afraid of Schager getting injured, but Velazquez responded by saying, “We ain’t playing next week if he ain’t running the ball. What’s the point?”

Garth listened to Velasquez, Schager accepted the challenge, and the junior QB led the Trojans to victory. After 21 carries for 117 yards in the first half, Schager had five carries for 300 yards and three TDs in the second half. He finished with 417 of Orland’s 514 yards of offense.

According to Orland statistician Randy Royce, Schager broke a school record that dates to 1954, when quarterback Steve Bates had 15 carries for 334 yards against Willows. Schager’s 417 yards is fourth-best in Northern Section single-game history, trailing Big Valley’s Chris Dehart’s 459 yards in 1971, Foothill’s Jake Pettengill’s 455 in 2002 and West Valley’s Austin Clark’s 418 in 2013. He’s just the sixth ever player to rush for 400-or-more yards in a single game in Northern Section history.

“Very, very proud of that kid,” Velasquez said of Schager. “He’s the best athlete in the program, and now you’re seeing it. In our offense, you put your best athlete at quarterback. He’s a gamer and tough as (heck). Most baseball kids are not tough, but that kid is tough and can run like the wind.”

The Trojans opened the second half with the ball at their own 20-yard line. They had their first play called back due to a holding call, then two runs for 5 yards, before Schager ran 85 yards for a touchdown. That was the second TD of the game for Schager, who had the Trojans’ first score on a 16-yard run with 8 minutes and 8 seconds remaining in the second quarter.

“I know my line is strong and physical, and they’re going to make a hole; I just have to be patient and wait for it,” Schager said.

After Pierce got the ball to the Orland 1-yard line before fumbling into the end zone, Schager needed just one play and ran 80 yards to give the Trojans a 21-6 lead. The Trojans forced a turnover on downs on Pierce’s ensuing possession, and then Zane Frailey had a 51-yard TD run on the first play for Orland’s offense once it took over.

The Trojans then got another fourth down stop with 1:36 left in the third quarter, and Schager then ran 40 yards for a TD on the Trojans’ sixth play of the quarter to increase Orland’s lead to 35-6. The Trojans scored four times on six plays in the third quarter.

In the fourth quarter, the Trojans did not let up. Their defense got another fourth down stop, and Schager nearly got his fifth TD on a 87-yard run up the middle to the Pierce 7-yard on the offense’s first play. Four plays later, Frailey ran it up the middle for a 3-yard TD to give the Trojans a 42-6 victory.

The Orland defense — which did not allow a point (Pierce’s lone score came on a fumble returned for a touchdown) — sealed the game with a fumble forced by David Albarran and recovered by Hunter Taipale. Orland’s defense forced four fumbles and had one sack, and Ezequiel Caro blocked a punt in the second quarter.

“Very proud of them,” Velasquez said, who also calls the defensive plays in addition to head coaching duties. “Since we went into league (play), our defense has played very well. If we can go on the road with a defense and a run game, we have a shot.”

With Friday’s win, the No. 2 seed Orland (9-2) will face No. 6 Corning (5-6) at 7 p.m. Nov. 22 in Orland. Corning upset No. 3 Yreka 24-20. The winner between Orland and Corning will face the winner between No. 1 Lassen (8-3) and No. 5 Gridley (8-3).

“Our eyes are on the section championship,” Velasquez said. “I don’t care who we play. We have momentum right now, and that’s a huge thing.”

Orland has been a strong second-half team but has not started the way it’s finished. Velasquez said with a young team, that starts with the coaches. Schager said it starts at practice.

“All week, we’re trying to push for great practices,” Schager said. “It’s about fighting all the way through the two hours and trying to push ourselves in pregame. We’ve got to get everyone fired up pregame and start smacking.”