sierra canyon

Nobody knows why cramps really happen, but Friday night’s Gardena Serra-Sierra Canyon high school football game took the issue to an unprecedented level.

Serra players kept cramping on defense, repeatedly slowing down Sierra Canyon’s up-tempo offense. By the end of the third quarter, Sierra Canyon coach Jon Ellinghouse had seen enough. His 11 offensive players, at his direction, simultaneously went to the ground and engaged in fake cramping.

That caused an enraged Serra coach Scott Altenberg to go on the field and be held back by others. Officials halted the game briefly and called 15-yard penalties on Sierra Canyon and Serra.

Ellinghouse said after his team’s 30-0 victory that he was frustrated with the repeated game stoppages and in hindsight, regrets having his players engage in the fake cramps.

Altenberg said he was never angrier in 27 years of coaching. He denied his team was faking cramps to influence the game. “I’m not that kind of coach,” he said.

It wasn’t the only controversy on Friday night. Salesian scored 91 points to beat Cantwell-Sacred Heart 91-13. It was 84-7 at halftime.

Salesian coach Anthony Atkins said he started substituting in the first quarter. There was no running clock until the third quarter. Cantwell-Sacred Heart apparently didn’t ask for a running clock in the first half.

In a text message, Atkins said, “I went back and watched the film just to make sure there wasn’t any malice or that it didn’t look like we were trying to run up the score. Honestly, there was nothing more we could have done short of sitting our guys for the entire game.”

The Mira Costa-Lawndale game was halted with Mira Costa ahead 14-0 in the first quarter because of a security threat at Mira Costa after a bullet was discovered on campus. Also canceled was a girls’ volleyball tournament.

In a developing story, standout quarterback Brady Smigiel of Newbury Park was injured in a game against Santa Barbara and left in the second half. Smigiel, who has committed to Michigan, was expected to get an MRI exam on a knee on Saturday.

Caleb Sanchez, a Cali boy, packed his memories of sunshine, beaches and In-N-Out burgers to get an Ivy League education and football experience at Columbia University in New York.

He became one of the most talked about freshman quarterbacks at the end of last season, passing for 241 yards and three touchdowns in a 21-12 win over Brown and passing for 201 yards in a 19-11 win over Cornell that helped Columbia win the Ivy League title.

Then came the real challenge — snow, a blizzard and freezing temperatures.

“I was very shocked,” he said. “I was warned every day the winter would be hard. I didn’t expect it to be as cold as it was.”

It wasn’t cold enough to discourage Sanchez from continuing his quest to balance athletics and academics. He began his sophomore season on Saturday as the backup quarterback in Columbia’s 38-14 loss to Lafayette. It’s another experience that he got used to at St. John Bosco, waiting until his senior year to become the starting quarterback and prove his ability,

Quarterback Caleb Sanchez of St. John Bosco.

(Craig Weston)

He’s one of 39 graduates of Southern Section schools to be playing Ivy League football this season. Harvard-Westlake and Loyola have the most with five players each.

There’s going to be standouts, such as Princeton defensive back Tahj Owens (Loyola), heading into his fourth season, and Yale receiver Nico Brown (Edison), who had five catches for 119 yards and one touchdown in his season debut against Holy Cross on Saturday.

Sanchez was able to redshirt last season as a freshman, having played only in the final three games, and the goal is to be a standout the next three seasons, earn his valuable Columbia degree and spend a fifth year at perhaps a big-time college program.

He has no regrets of seeking out an Ivy League experience after helping St. John Bosco reach the Division 1 championship game in 2023.

“I’ll leave here with one of the top degrees in the world,” he said.

That’s the attraction in a league where the eight schools don’t participate in NIL revenue sharing with students but will finally let football teams participate in the FCS playoffs this season.

The students have to be all in for academics and athletics.

“We’re 100% in school, 100% in football,” Sanchez said. “There’s no help for football players. Professors don’t care. They treat you as normal students.”

Sanchez, 20, rarely has free time. It’s classes, meetings, homework, practices, watching film, then sleep. His transition last year was challenging in that the Columbia offense was much different than that of St. John Bosco. He had to learn plays needing 20 to 30 words to call from a listening device in his helmet where just four words were used to call plays at St. John Bosco.

He’s 6 feet 3½ and 217 pounds, and could be preparing to have a season that will draw lots of attention. Certainly looking on and rooting from home will be his younger brother, Ryu, a seventh-grader with a future in football and academics.

Look for lots of good news from the Sanchez brothers in the coming years.

As for the coming weather change, Sanchez said he’s ready.

“I’m prepared now. Winter is not going to shock me.”

Can anyone deliver In-N-Out to New York?

Brown: DB Elias Archie, St. John Bosco; OL Kai Faucher, Harvard-Westlake; DL Mitch Mooney, San Marino; DL Caden Harman, Sierra Canyon.

Columbia: WR Caden Butler, Chaparral; DB Ethan Fullerton, Sherman Oaks Notre Dame; QB Caleb Sanchez, St. John Bosco; LB Patrick Sodl, Loyola; DL Will Matthew, Orange Vista; TE Santiago Hernandez, Harvard-Westlake; WR Elliot Cooper, Sherman Oaks Notre Dame; DL Shawn Lin, Loyola; DL Austin Coronado, Glendora.

Cornell: DB Rayjohn White, Bishop Amat; DB Brayon Crawford, Village Christian; WR AJ Holmes, Harvard-Westlake; QB Cameron Shannon, Riverside North; LB Darryl Davis, Culver City; LB Connor Klein, Loyola; TE Brandon Gilbert, Murrieta Valley.

Dartmouth: RB Desmin Jackson, Orange Lutheran; OL Ryan Turk, Loyola.

Harvard: K Dylan Fingersh, Capistrano Valley.

Pennsylvania: RB Julien Stokes, Grace Brethren; DB Alec Wills, Los Alamitos; LB Trevor Pajak, Mater Dei; WR Dylan Karz, Brentwood; K Josh Barnavon, Harvard-Westlake.

Princeton: DB Tahj Owens, Loyola; RB Kai Honda, Gardena Serra; DB D’Shawn Jones, Sierra Canyon; LB Jalen Jones, Santa Margarita; DB Justice Croffie, Los Alamitos.

Yale: WR Nico Brown, Edison; QB Marshall Howe, Harvard-Westlake; DL Ezekiel Larry, Sierra Canyon; DB Dillon Rickenbacker, St. John Bosco; TE Scott Truninger, Corona del Mar; WR Davis Wong, Brentwood.

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.”

It’s Viva Las Vegas for the top girls volleyball teams in Southern California. They’ll be in Las Vegas this weekend for the 30th Durango Classic that will be played at four sites beginning Friday.

Seven of MaxPreps’ top 10 teams nationally are scheduled to compete, including Sierra Canyon, Mater Dei, Redondo Union, Marymount and Mira Costa.

Sierra Canyon is ranked No. 1 in the Southern Section power rankings after knocking off Redondo Union last week.

It’s also one of the first chances to see teams strengthened by players who had to sit out the first half of the season after transferring without moving. The sit-out period ended Sept. 13. …

The Ivy League football season begins on Saturday, and there are 39 players from Southern Section high school teams listed on Ivy League rosters.

This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email [email protected].

Pow! Bam! Whack!

Sierra Canyon has a defense in high school football that needs comic book treatment.

Call them “The Kaboom Squad.”

At any moment, whether it’s a lineman, linebacker or defensive back delivering the blow, be prepared to be wowed.

With size, quickness and depth, the Trailblazers have shut out opponents for 12 consecutive quarters. The opponents haven’t been bad: JSerra, Oaks Christian and Honolulu Punahou.

Will they go through their 10-game regular-season schedule unscored upon? Absolutely not. But the reason they have three shutouts in lopsided victories is that the second stringers are performing as well as first stringers when coach Jon Ellinghouse clears the bench.

Their 63-0 win over Oaks Christian broadcast on Spectrum only added to the Trailblazers’ reputation.

It’s kaboom time as Sam Amuti of Sierra Canyon High prepares to level a Punahou ballcarrier.

(Craig Weston)

A combination of returnees and transfers gives the Trailblazers a defense with few weaknesses.

Nobody is perfect, and perhaps Downey and star quarterback Oscar Rios will be the first to end the shutout streak on Friday, but this is Sierra Canyon’s best defense since the spring of the 2021 COVID season when the Trailblazers put together 18 consecutive quarters of allowing zero points and gave a scare to St. John Bosco.

All the Trailblazers’ positions are filled with talented starters and quality backups. The defensive line starts with Texas commit Richard Wesley, wearing No. 99, the number of Rams great Aaron Donald. The linebackers have a smart, fearless tackler in Ronen Zamorano. The secondary has so many college-bound players that the players’ NIL deals could pay for a trip to Hawaii. Madden Riordan (USC), Havon Finney Jr. (Louisiana State) and Brandon Lockhart (USC) lead the way. And coming soon when the sit-out period ends on Sept. 29 is kicker Carter Sobel, who was a standout at Chaminade and will add to bad field position for opposing offenses.

Sierra Canyon’s Spencer Parham gets emotional for a defense that hasn’t allowed any points in 12 quarters.

(Craig Weston)

Having seen the physicality of St. John Bosco’s offensive and defensive lines last week in a 21-14 win over Baltimore St. Frances, Sierra Canyon (3-0) still needs to keep progressing to be on the same level of the Trinity League powers needed to win a Southern Section Division 1 championship.

The Trailblazers are definitely closing the gap with the Braves and No. 1 Mater Dei. They get a good tune-up for the Division 1 playoffs with a matchup against Orange Lutheran on Sept. 18, a team they lost to last season 33-26.

Chris Rizzo, a former Taft head coach, is the Trailblazers’ defensive coordinator. He wears his baseball cap backward on the sideline with sunglasses and has many options for defensive packages.

Asked if the defense has any weaknesses, Rizzo said, “We have some weaknesses. We’re not perfect by any means. We’ve got some things we have to fix and keep getting better.”

The defense is also helping Sierra Canyon’s offense improve because it’s so difficult to move the ball during practices.

“It makes our guys better,” Ellinghouse said.

Rizzo declined to reveal which unit he thinks is best. “The secondary is pretty star-studded,” he said. “The defensive line is deep. They embrace the grind and play for each other.”

Only time will tell whether this defense is as good as some think. There’s plenty of games ahead to prove if the Trailblazers are truly The Kaboom Squad.

Running back Brian Bonner of Valencia High was handed the ball at the five-yard line and halted by Chaminade tacklers at the two. That’s when the pushing began. First there were three teammates, led by quarterback Brady Bretthauer, pushing the pile from behind. Soon there was five, six, seven, eight, nine, 10 teammates offensive players joining in making sure Bonner recorded a touchdown.

“That was fun,” Bonner said. “I didn’t have to do any work. They just pushed me into the end zone.”

It was that kind of a night for Valencia (2-0) in a 34-20 road victory over Chaminade. The Vikings got physical. Bonner, who has committed to Washington, rushed for 159 yards in 21 carries and scored two touchdowns. Bretthauer completed 12 of 16 passes for 244 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another.

“Win the push. That’s what we are all about,” Bretthauer said.

Coach Larry Muir pulled off a trick play his team had been practicing all week. Named “Snake,” Bretthauer took the snap, faked a handoff on a fly sweep, faked a handoff on a reverse and found a wide open Nico Funez for a 41-yard touchdown in the third quarter for a 27-14 lead.

Caysen Badawi led Valencia’s defense with two interceptions. Chaminade got some big plays, including touchdown receptions of 83 and 50 yards from Beau Lindus, but the physicality of the Vikings up front along the offensive and defensive lines made Muir scream to the players in a postgame huddle, “Listen — we got physical.”

Chaminde drove 80 yards at the end of the first half with less than one minute left to cut its deficit to 20-14 at halftime. Marquis Jones caught a five-yard touchdown pass from Cameron Pooley, who had 267 yards passing in the game. Jones rushed for 82 yards.

Otherwise, it was the Bonner show. He had a 32-yard touchdown run in the first quarter. He had a 44-yard run in the second half in which he turned on his afterburners.

The duo of Bretthauer and Bonner is going to be difficult to deal with all season. Bretthauer’s ability to run and pass, and make decisions when to give the ball to the speedy Bonner, offers options on offense.

“I think he’s a million bucks,” Muir said of Bretthauer. “He does everything well. Every intangible he’s off the charts — competitiveness, leadership, work ethic.”

Valencia is the clear favorite to win the Foothill League and gets a matchup against Bishop Amat next week.

It was a night of intriguing scores. Sierra Canyon’s defense continues to produce shutouts. The latest was a 63-0 win over Oaks Christian. Orange Lutheran rallied for a 27-24 win over Rancho Cucamonga. Orange Lutheran and Sierra Canyon meet Sept. 18. Chaminade (1-1) will next play Servite (1-1), a winner over Murrieta Valley.

The high school football season begins this weekend with Week 0 games. Let’s examine storylines and questions to be answered:

What will it take for a team other than Mater Dei or St. John Bosco to reach the Southern Section Division 1 final?

The answer is luck, because it’s not happening. Every season since 2016, the Monarchs or Braves have won the Southern Section Division 1 title and have met in the finals every season except for 2021, when Servite, led by its two future first-round draft picks, Mason Graham and Teteroia McMillan, beat St. John Bosco in the semifinals. Those two schools have offensive and defensive lines too big, too strong and with too much depth for others to take down in the transfer era. They face off at the end of the regular season on Halloween, then will likely play again four weeks later for the section title.

What will life be like in the City Section after the collapse of Narbonne for rules violations?

It’s back to beating Birmingham if you want to win the City Section Open Division title. The Patriots had their 48-game City winning streak end with a loss to Narbonne but that was turned into a forfeit victory, so the streak is at 49. It’s a wide-open City race. Look for Carson, San Pedro and Palisades to join the Patriots for the right to win a missing trophy (yes, put up a reward to find it).

What’s the strongest position in the Southland this season?

It’s the defensive line. There are so many elite linemen and ends capable of making an impact this season, and beyond that quarterbacks better be warned to wear extra equipment to cushion the blows about to be inflicted. From Mater Dei’s Tomuhini Topui to Gardena Serra’s Khary Wilder, from Sierra Canyon’s Richard Wesley to St. John Bosco’s Dutch Horisk, expect lots of sacks and forced fumbles.

Which teams will be surprise success stories?

A new campus and new football stadium has Compton excited and ready for a big turnaround after going 3-7 last season. Former L.A. Jordan coach Derek Benton has taken over at Fremont, so perhaps the Pathfinders can move up. Sherman Oaks Notre Dame has received some big-time transfers, putting the Knights in position to be competitive with Sierra Canyon and Gardena Serra in the Mission League. Agoura quarterback Gavin Gray is back from a knee injury, so the Chargers are ready to roll. Servite has a group of track athletes to be unleashed in football, and speed can be a game-changer. Cathedral is poised to be a title contender as quarterback Jaden Jefferson receives help on the offensive line. Burbank was impressive in seven-on-seven competitions and will try to prove its linemen can help out.

Which teams must find replacements for big-time players from last season?

Newbury Park needs someone to become the No. 1 receiver for quarterback Brady Smigiel after the graduation of Shane Rosenthal. Mater Dei will be trying out a trio of running backs to take on the role previously held by Jordon Davison, who is now at Oregon. Sierra Canyon’s bid to be a Division 1 contender will come down to play at quarterback (senior Chase Everett, junior Demarco Hernandez and senior Laird Finkel are competing for the starting job). Mission Viejo must find someone to duplicate Jaden Williams’ 23 sacks. JSerra is turning to untested quarterback Koa Smith-Mayall to replace Ryan Hopkins, who left for Mater Dei.

Which coaches will be under the microscope?

Heisman Trophy winner Carson Palmer takes over at Santa Margarita, having put together a top staff that includes last season’s interim coach, Steve Fifita. No one has a bigger task ahead than Narbonne first-year coach Doug Bledsoe, whose team is ineligible for the postseason and saw an exodus of players. Former NFL defensive back Troy Hill is a first-year coach at St. Bonaventure with no head coaching experience. Rick Clausen takes over at Westlake, which went 0-10 last season. Former Crespi coach Dameon Porter gets a second chance at Harvard-Westlake, which forfeited a game in 2023 because of a lack of players.

Which freshmen could have an impact?

Quarterback Thaddeus Breaux, Hamilton; quarterback Ezrah Brown, Orange Lutheran; quarterback Ford Green, Westlake; quarterback Marcus Washington Jr., Cajon; linebacker Ethan Harrington, Sierra Canyon; tight end Austin Miller, Bellflower; quarterback CJ Woods, Harvard-Westlake; quarterback Evan McCalister, Valencia; safety Tyrin Jefferson, Cathedral; receiver Mason Fowler, Corona Centennial.

What are games you don’t want to miss?

Mission Viejo vs. Santa Margarita at Trabuco Hills, Friday; Mater Dei at Corona Centennial, Sept. 12; Mater Dei at Bishop Gorman, Sept. 19; Gardena Serra at Sierra Canyon, Oct. 3; St. John Bosco vs. Orange Lutheran, Oct. 10; San Clemente at Mission Viejo, Oct. 17; Roosevelt vs. Garfield, Oct. 24; Carson at San Pedro, Oct. 30; Mater Dei at St. John Bosco, Oct. 31.

Which schools have new stadiums to visit?

Garfield, Roosevelt and Hamilton have new stadiums in the City Section. Long Beach Jordan, Hawthorne, Crescenta Valley and El Rancho open new stadiums in the Southern Section.

Eighth in a series of stories profiling top high school football players by position. Today, Jalen Flowers, Palos Verdes defensive back.

Jalen Flowers made a spectacular one-handed interception in a one-on-one drill during the spring. He didn’t run off the field waving his arms wildly or proclaim he’s the greatest lock-down cornerback since Deion Sanders.

“I’m not really a talker,” he said. “I let my game show it.”

He gives Palos Verdes High a 6-foot-2, 175-pound sophomore defensive back with the rare skill of being able to stick with any and all receivers. They can make moves, they can run their best patterns, but escaping Flowers doesn’t happen very often.

His instincts, lanky frame and knowledge from playing receiver come into play at a position in which misjudgments or a failure to respect an opponent can leave the defender getting burned for a touchdown.

“He’s got a knack,” coach Guy Gardner said of Flowers’ ability to cover receivers. “We coach him the best we can, but most of the things he does we didn’t coach. The way he carries himself, covering guys, running routes, things came naturally.”

He showed up during the summer of his freshman season and immediately got noticed as someone with talent. “It was pretty obvious,” Gardner said.

A 16-week season that led to a Division 2-A state championship saw Flowers catch four passes for 58 yards and one touchdown in the final. He finished the season with 26 tackles and one interception in his first full season playing defensive back and was literally growing taller every month.

“We didn’t think about him being a freshman from the midpoint of the season,” Garner said.

Flowers has played football since he was 6, so nothing an opponent tries to do on a football field ever surprises him.

“He really enjoys playing,” Gardner said. “You can see it when he plays. And he has some God-given ability.”

There are so many defensive backs with college football scholarship offers this season in Southern California that you’ll get a different answer every time you ask, “Who’s best?”

Madden Riordan, a USC commit from Sierra Canyon, had 11 interceptions last season. Isala Wily-Ava of St. John Bosco had 72 tackles as a sophomore safety along with seven interceptions. Aaryn Washington, a junior at Mater Dei, had 23 tackles and three interceptions during a 13-0 season. Gardena Serra has a trio of defensive backs headed to the college ranks in Wesley Ace, Marcellous Ryan and Duvay Williams.

There are schools with multiple top defensive backs, including St. John Bosco, Serra, Sierra Canyon, Mater Dei and Santa Margarita. No one is perfect. Even the best give up a touchdown on occasion.

But pay attention to what Flowers accomplishes in his sophomore season. Prepare for the bandwagon effect when people realize his gift for sticking close to receivers and start figuring out he’s no fluke.

And Flowers warns he’s not done growing.

“I might have an inch or more in me,” he said.

Said Gardner: “He’s putting in the work ethic with that ability and keeps getting better.”

Wednesday: San Pedro kicker Dylan Moreno.

Defensive backs to watch

Davon Benjamin, Oaks Christian, 6-0, 170, Sr.: Oregon commit returned three interceptions for touchdowns last season

Havon Finney Jr., Sierra Canyon, 6-3, 170, Sr.: LSU commit is terrific cornerback

Jalen Flowers, Palos Verdes, 6-2, 175, So.: He covers receivers so close he knows what gum they are chewing

Josh Holland, St. John Bosco, 6-2, 175, Sr.: USC commit with long arms and deceiving strength

Derrick Johnson, Murrieta Valley, 6-2, 170, Sr.: Oklahoma commit is tall, aggressive cornerback

Jeron Jones, Mission Viejo, 6-0, 195, Sr.: Washington commit makes big plays and big tackles

DeVohn Moutra Jr., Gardena Serra, 5-9, 190, Sr. Defensive player of the year from Mission League

Madden Riordan, Sierra Canyon, 5-11, 164, Sr.: USC commit had 11 interceptions

Aaryn Washington, Mater Dei, 6-0, 160, Jr:. Ready to make a leap in production

Isala Wiley-Ava, St. John Bosco, 6-3, 195, Jr.: Had seven interceptions as a sophomore

Donte Wright, Long Beach Poly, 6-2, 170, Jr. Georgia commit is fast, tough and smart

Sixth in a series of stories profiling top high school football players by position. Today, Mikhal Johnson, Sierra Canyon defensive lineman.

Mikhal Johnson, 6 feet 2 and 255 pounds, has played defense all his football life. Then came the moment last season when Sierra Canyon coach Jon Ellinghouse gave him a chance to catch a pass from quarterback Wyatt Becker in a Mission League championship game against Gardena Serra.

Johnson called it “something out of a movie.”

“We practiced it a couple times during the week,” Johnson said. “Coach called me over, ‘We’re running the play.’ I lined up at tight end. I did a fake block. I go out, nobody is guarding me. This is it. Wyatt throws me the ball over my shoulder. I catch it. It was like, ‘Yes.’ I was so excited. My first ever touchdown the first time I played a skill position in my life.”

Nothing comes as a surprise for Johnson, who also had a baseball game in the spring in which he hit two home runs and had seven RBIs against Camarillo.

Ivy League football schools have been lining up trying to get him to consider their experience of academics and athletics. He had 16 tackles for losses last season.

“I think he’s almost unblockable,” Ellinghouse said. “I’ve seen him screw up several of my practices and go up against some the best high school players in the world. He’s a perfect combination of strength and twitchiness. He has long arms and deceptive strength.”

Johnson is one of many outstanding defensive linemen and edge rushers set to make an impact this season. The position might be the strongest of any in Southern California when considering talent and depth.

Richard Wesley of Sierra Canyon changed his classification to class of 2026 because he’s been a standout since freshman year and is a Texas commit. Mater Dei has the most dominant lineman in Tomuhini Topui, a 315-pound USC commit known for throwing around blockers and running backs.

Khary Wilder of Gardena Serra, an Ohio State commit, is coming off a junior season in which he recorded 11 tackles for losses. Andrew Williams of Fremont is a 6-5, 220-pound USC commit trying to prove you can still make it out of the City Section. Sophomore Marcus Fakatou of Orange Lutheran and junior ElijaHarmon of Inglewood are big, strong and intimidating young stars in the making. Anthony Jones of Crean Lutheran is a UCLA commit known for his pass-rushing skills.

Malik Brooks of St. Pius X-St. Matthias is a 330-pound tackle committed to USC who knows how to take apart double teams. Devyn Blake of Edison has the size to cause havoc. Elijah Staples of Marquez is a defensive end who had 13 sacks as a sophomore. Dutch Horisk of St. John Bosco is an Oregon commit who had four sacks last season.

There’s many defensive linemen this season ready to be difference-makers, and Johnson fits right in.

He has used baseball to help him excel in football.

“I feel they both help me,” he said. “Baseball is good hands-eye coordination and because I’m a defensive linemen I use my hands a lot. Seeing a baseball, the reaction time is like an offensive lineman using their hands.”

Sierra Canyon is still trying to find a way to get past Mater Dei and St. John Bosco in the Southern Section Division 1 playoffs, a roadblock that most teams in Southern California have failed to get through.

“It’s a fire under our butts to keep going,” Johnson said. “We practice hard.”

Monday: Ventura linebacker Tristan Phillips.

Defensive linemen to watch

Malik Brooks, St. Pius X-St. Matthias, 6-4, 330, Sr. USC commit is big roadblock in the middle

Marcus Fakatou, Orange Lutheran, 6-7, 265, So. His talent level is off the charts

Dutch Horisk, St. St. John Bosco, 6-3, 240, Sr. Four-year starter is Oregon commit

Mikhal Johnson, Sierra Canyon, 6-2, 255, Sr. Had 16 tackles for losses

Anthony Jones, Crean Lutheran, 6-4, 285, Sr. UCLA commit keeps building up strength

Simote Katoanga, Santa Margarita, 6-5, 250, Sr. JSerra transfer is physical specimen

Izak Simpson, Simi Valley, 6-3, 260, Sr. Sacramento State commit has 29 sacks the last two years

Tomuhini Topui, Mater Dei, 6-3, 320, Sr. USC commit could play for any college in the country

Richard Wesley, Sierra Canyon, 6-5, 250, Sr. Texas commit had nine sacks last season

Khary Wilder, Gardena Serra, 6-4, 260, Sr. Ohio State commit is four-year starter who shows up every game

Almost every summer, Valencia High football coach Larry Muir tries to make it a mystery as to which of his newcomers projects as a top player. He likes to keep it a secret until after the summer competition is finished.

Well, Valencia is headed on its two-week dead period next week, so Muir couldn’t hide his thrill watching freshman quarterback Evan McCalister unleash a long pass on the final play Saturday in the Simi Valley passing tournament. The ball was caught in the end zone for a dramatic touchdown by sophomore Michael Wilder as Valencia players roared in delight with a victory over Sierra Canyon to complete a 5-1 afternoon.

The 6-foot-2 McCalister, 14, has been getting playing time behind returnee Brady Bretthauer since graduating from middle school. There’s little doubt he has the arm and mental make-up to become Muir’s latest summer sensation, joining the likes of Steven Manfro and Brian Bonner, who were both young, unknown players before using the summer to take off at the running back position.

McCalister moved from Texas and is the younger brother of Denver Broncos defensive back Tanner McCalister.

“He’s very talented,” Muir said. “He sees the field really well. He plays beyond his years.”

Saturday was the busiest day so far for summer football competitions.

Burbank won the Simi Valley championship by beating the host Pioneers in the final of the Platinum Division. The Bulldogs also had wins over Valencia and Sierra Canyon. Junior quarterback Deshawn Laporte led Burbank on offense.

Mission Viejo won its own tournament championship by beating Mater Dei in the final.

San Clemente went unbeaten to win the eight-team St. John Bosco tournament. Damian Martinez had two interceptions in the final game against St. John Bosco and tight end Shane Kiley had the winning touchdown catch.

Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, behind new quarterback Wyatt Brown, defeated Inglewood in the championship of the Baldwin Park tournament.

Torrance went 7-0 at the Troy tournament.