Sierra Canyon and its core of seniors look to finish with a CIF state championship
In the era of transfers, Chatsworth Sierra Canyon High has accomplished a rarity. There are 13 seniors on its 14-0 football team who have been together from start to finish for four seasons.
“These young men have had four years of exactly how we want to do things,” Coach Jon Ellinghouse said. “It’s a unique advantage. It was a great group of kids who bought in and believed in us.”
They get to end their high school career Saturday at noon at Sacramento State, playing San Mateo Serra in the CIF state championship Division 2-A bowl game.
One of those seniors is UCLA-bound offensive lineman Kanan Ray.
“I guess from Day One, we started to bond,” Ray said. “We always talked about how good we would be as seniors and playing for a state championship. We’re all best friends. How far we’ve come is crazy.”
Fast pastor
The senior pastor of the Well Christian Community Church in Livermore is Napoleon Kaufman, the former standout running back from Lompoc High, the University of Washington and the Oakland Raiders. He’s also the football coach at Oakland Bishop O’Dowd, which plays Moreno Valley Valley View for the Division 5-AA title Saturday.
Happy return
San Clemente prides itself on a “one town, one team” mantra. No one ever leaves picturesque, beachside San Clemente, right?
Well, junior strong safety Jack Shippy was one player who got away. He was enrolled at San Juan Capistrano JSerra for two football seasons, choosing to play with his youth football friends.
Then he changed his mind.
“I wanted to be back with the people I grew up with,” he said. “I love my JSerra football team and had no idea I’d get so close to my San Clemente football team.”
Shippy had to sit out the first five games this season after transferring, but he had no indication he’d get the chance to play in 11 games. Yes, the Tritons’ season is still going.
They play in the Division 1-A bowl game Saturday at 4 p.m. against Loomis Del Oro at Sacramento State. And Shippy might have the freshest legs of all.
He leads the team in interceptions with six. He’s having so much fun playing with players he grew up with, and he can’t wait to resume a sport he learned at San Clemente, surfing, early in the morning at the San Clemente Pier.
“Next semester, I don’t have a first period, so I can go surfing every morning, so that’s an amazing opportunity,” he said.
He’s already plotting a Sunday surfing excursion with teammates if the Tritons return home as state champions.
“That would be the best thing I could think of,” he said.
Favored forecast
There is no inclement weather in the forecast for Saturday in Sacramento, and Concord De La Salle Coach Justin Alumbaugh, whose team plays fast and athletic Bellflower St. John Bosco for the Open Division championship, is a little disappointed.
“I was hoping for a snowstorm,” he said.
Sophomore Corey Jones gets two interceptions
Follow Eric Sondheimer on Twitter @latsondheimer
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