The following story was written three years ago--November 26, 2016--the day after the St. John Bosco Braves defeated the Corona Centennial Huskies in a semi-final CIF-SS Playoff game in 2016.
November 26, 2016
CERRITOS COLLEGE. (Warning: The following post may contain hyperbole...do not attempt at home.) Last night I witnessed the best high school football game in the universe. After losing the past two years to the Corona-Centennial Huskies in the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF)-Southern Section (SS) Championship game at the Angel Stadium of Anaheim, I began to label the Huskies the Evil Empire of high-school football (Red Sox baseball reference for those dazed and/or confused). Each championship game paired the best teams left in the CIF-SS highest's division--the most competitive playoff division in the country. Each game ended with the Evil Empire winning the game and Bosco football fans going home asking "What if..." and second guessing the best high-school coaching staff in the universe (a la Monday Morning Quarterback).
Two years ago, we had Josh Rosen as our quarterback (with only 1 loss to nationally ranked Las Vegas Bishop Gorman) and lost. Last year, we were undefeated (as were the Huskies) and lost. How many more years will we lose to the Evil Empire? Will my children put flowers and a Bosco championship banner on my tombstone after we finally beat the Evil Empire? The answers to these questions: Zero and No.
However, entering last night's game, the parallels to the previous two championship games were similar. (1) One of the best player's in the country, Ohio State commit Wyatt Davis and Bosco Offensive Lineman, was on the field just like QB Josh Rosen two years ago; (2) over 25 Division One commits were competing on the field just like the past two years; and (3) the winner of this game--the past three years--has played in the State Championship Game (three years ago, Bosco defeated perennial powerhouse Concord De La Salle for a "mythical" national championship while the Huskies have lost the past two years to the same De La Salle team).
Now to last night's game: Because of our loss to Mater Dei this season, we faced the Huskies in the semi-finals rather than in the finals like the past two years. End of parallels and outcome of the past two years? Since we won the coin-flip, it was our home game. The last time we beat the Huskies, it was our home game and the game was at Cerritos College. The last time we beat the Huskies, we were wearing our black uniforms like we did last night (a certain sportswriter perpetually complains about not being able to see the numbers...superstitions supersede number clarity). Hmm...game on!
When last night's game started, it looked like the Huskies brought all levels of their football program to the game (if there is a level below a Freshmen team, they were wearing a Husky uniform last night and on their sidelines) while our beloved Braves were depleted with injuries and sometimes looked like an 8-man football team.
In the blink of an eye, we were down 14-0 to the Evil Empire. Oh no... the past two years, the Huskies jumped to a big lead right away. I was already thinking about how we have had a good season and letting the players know that when I see them on Monday at school. Have faith, we can comeback. The past two years, we uncharacteristically turned the ball over...but not this year...ball security was at a premium.
Uncharacteristically, the Huskies turn the ball over and we score the next 28 points for a 28-14 lead early in the third quarter. Then the Huskies proceed to score the next 20 points for a 34-28 lead with the fourth quarter in its beginning moments. Now, here is where the game becomes the best game in the universe.
Bosco senior and Northwestern commit, Berkeley Holman, returns the ensuing Husky kickoff with a fake reverse to the house. In this last quarter, the lead changed SIX times. Whoever had the ball last, would win. Can we stop the Husky offense? Uncharacteristically, I asked students sitting near me to pray for a Husky 3-and-out.
In a controversial spot of the ball, the Huskies did not get a good spot of the ball with less than 3 minutes left in the game. As a Brave homer, I don't care, it's our ball and we can run out the clock! We did! A 49-47 victory over the Evil Empire. The monkey is off our back! (Was it ever on our back?) They boys celebrated like they won a ring...I totally understand that...but that's next week. Indeed, it felt like a championship game.
In 2004 when the Red Sox came back from a 0-3 game deficit against the "Evil Empire" New York Yankees in the American League Championship Series, the World Series against the St. Louis Cardinals seemed anti-climatic. However, we (yes, I am a Red Sox fan) defeated the Cardinals four games to zero. To be specific in my current analogies (so you don't have to get the Cliffs Notes) the Braves are the Red Sox, the Huskies were the "Evil Empire" Yankees, and hopefully the Mater Dei Monarchs (our next opponent in next week's championship game) are the Cardinals. Go Braves Football! Cheers and thanks to Coach Negro, his staff, and the the boys for giving us the best high-school game ever!
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