Orange Lutheran coach Rod Sherman has known Jon Ellinghouse for a long time.
Before facing Sierra Canyon on Thursday night at Orange Coast College, Sherman said he wouldn’t mind telling the Trailblazers coach directly that he thought Ellinghouse’s team was the best he had seen the school produce.
After No. 2 Sierra Canyon dismantled No. 7 Orange Lutheran 41-9, Sherman was certain.
“No doubt,” he said.
Eric Sondheimer, The Times’ high school sports columnist, nicknamed the Trailblazers’ swarming, antagonizing defense the “Kaboom Squad” — a superhero-like, nonstop force of power, speed and IQ.
How do you stop a defensive front such as Sierra Canyon’s?
Orange Lutheran (3-2) was still searching for an answer in the muggy-air aftermath of a suffocating loss that featured 10 tackles for loss and six sacks.
“There were some unbelievable special plays defensively,” said Ellinghouse after Sierra Canyon improved to 5-0.
Junior defensive back Madden Riordan sealed the game with an interception. Senior defensive lineman Mikhal Johnson recorded two sacks. Junior defensive tackle Kasi Currie had two tackles for loss and an interception over a four-play span in the second quarter.
The Trailblazers sideline shouted in the third quarter when senior defensive back Trey Brown snuck in for a booming sack.
“Everybody was hype for me,” Brown said.
It was relentless. The Lancers completed just five passes on 17 attempts.
Senior defensive end Richard Wesley’s scream in the middle of the postgame huddle said it all.
“I’m happy,” Wesley — who made a sack — roared, extending the “y” for emphasis.
Don’t let the scoreboard fool you; it could have been an Orange Lutheran goose egg — so much so that Ellinghouse said he considered the game a shutout.
The Trailblazers began their first drive with a tipped-pass interception from Lancers freshman defensive back Kiingbaraka Kizzee — stalling in the red zone and settling for a field goal — and ended the first half with a blocked field goal and a 71-yard touchdown return from junior Matthew Zapien.
None of the Lancers’ scores came from a steady drive. On the other hand, the Trailblazers scored with ease.
Ellinghouse called a trick, double-reverse leading to Sierra Canyon senior quarterback Laird Finkel finding big man Brayden Tautolo in the end zone for an eight-yard touchdown to make it 14-3 in the first quarter.
After an Orange Lutheran three-and-out, Louisiana State defensive back commit Havon Finney Jr. scored on a 62-yard punt return. It didn’t let up.
Sierra Canyon junior running back Jaxsen Stokes scored on a 16-yard run in addition to a pair of three-yard touchdown runs. Even Wesley contributed on offense with a 16-yard reception.
A big question remains.
After dominant wins against JSerra, Oaks Christian and Downey, as well as Punahou (Hawaii) — to a 233–16 total points differential — what’s stopping Sierra Canyon from challenging Mater Dei, St. John Bosco, and others for the Southern Section Division 1 crown?
Ellinghouse is ready to see if his team has what it takes to dominate in Mission League play.
And so are his players.
“Me and my teammates were watching that Mater Dei versus Corona Centennial — we just thought to ourselves, why not us this year?” Currie said. “We’re gonna win this year. I believe that; I’m stating that we’re gonna win this year.”
