Renevier Doesn’t Pass on His Big Chance

ORANGE — It was just another play in a game that Orange Lutheran lost to Ventura St. Bonaventure in last year’s Southern Section Division X semifinals.

But it was everything to one player. Trailing in the fourth quarter, facing a fourth-and-13, the Lancers decided to throw the ball not to the county’s leading receiver, Mike Crawford, but to the other guy in the lineup.

It was the play that changed Jeff Renevier’s football life. Never mind that the outside linebacker tipped the ball away before it reached Renevier, who caught only 14 passes all season.

“We had Mike--he was our go-to guy,” Renevier said this week as Orange Lutheran gets ready for its fourth consecutive appearance in a section semifinal.

“It was late in the game and we called a ‘box route’--15 yards and out--and usually Mike and I would decide in the huddle who would go where. Normally, he would get the pass thrown to him and I would run the fade. But Coach designated me as the box receiver, and as a sophomore, I was freaking out.

“That play changed my whole outlook on the game and my role in football, and has ultimately turned me into the football player that I am.”

Sparked by the confidence given him by the coaching staff, including head Coach Jim Kunau, Renevier worked hard in the off-season to do all the things necessary to be the receiver that Crawford was.

“He’s not quite as polished on his routes as Mike, but he does have the great speed and explosiveness,” Kunau said. “Mike is going to come back [from Texas Christian, where he played considerably last season as a freshman] and work with Jeff to help him smooth out his routes. Jeff has the athleticism to let him play at that high level in college.

“Jeff is going to be, at least, a WAC [Western Athletic Conference] level player.”

Renevier leads Orange Lutheran (9-2-1) into Saturday’s game against Santa Monica St. Monica (9-3) as the county’s second-leading receiver, despite playing only 10 games because of an ankle injury. His 61 catches are nestled between Los Alamitos’ Keenan Howry’s 72 and Blair Havens’ 60. Pretty nice company.

“He’s that good,” Kunau said. “He has tremendous quickness and explosiveness. Let’s put it this way--Northwestern is recruiting him. He was their top receiver at their football camp over the summer.

“I’m not sure he will be offered a scholarship, but if he were Minardi’s size, he’d be locked up.”

Santa Margarita’s John Minardi, who has 56 catches and a 21.1 yards-per-catch average, is 6 feet 3, 187 pounds and headed to Colorado. Renevier is 5-10, 157 pounds--eight fewer than listed in the Orange Lutheran program--and headed into another season of high school football.

“But over the summer, I gained 10 pounds, and I plan on gaining 15 pounds this year in the weight room,” Renevier said. “That will boost me up to 175, 180 pounds, and I can handle that.”

But for now, size is his primary weakness. It certainly isn’t his hands or his attitude--a zest for life that Kunau called “contagious” among his teammates.

Renevier’s 61 catches have resulted in 13 touchdowns, and he returned two punts for touchdowns. He also starts at cornerback and has three interceptions, 52 tackles and one sack. Talk about a triple threat.

He is also the backup quarterback and was pressed into duty this season when Jason Wieldon was injured.

Wieldon is the county’s fourth-leading passer, having thrown for 2,091 yards, 23 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He’s a sophomore, so there’s another season ahead for this passer-catcher combination.

“I find the opening and he gets me the ball at the right time,” Renevier said. “The chemistry is there. It’s got to scare defensive backs because we’re so automatic most of the time, and it starts with the offensive line, because they give Jason the time to throw the ball.

“I think we have a great opportunity to win this thing. I thought all along we had a great chance to win the championship.”