Tarek’s Takes: Sierra Canyon football eyes Mission League title after 2-4 start

A look at how Sierra Canyon turned its season around, and a glimpse at games with playoff implications in Week 10.

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Tarek’s Takes is a weekly review of my high school football predictions from the week before. Where I was right and where I was wrong, and why.

I predicted the outcome of five Week 9 games and went 3-2, including a swing and miss at the Game of the Week between Sierra Canyon and Chaminade. The Trailblazers are reaching their potential and it could mean a post season run.

Right picks: Birmingham over El Camino Real (27-20); Oaks Christian over Simi Valley (42-14); Village Christian over Heritage Christian (34-6)

Wrong picks: Sierra Canyon over Chaminade (49-14); Bishop Amat over Notre Dame (42-21)

2022 pick record: 42-17 | Game of the Week: 5-4

Tarek’s Takes

SIERRA CANYON’S TURNAROUND

I was standing on the field when Sierra Canyon scored on its first four drives of the game in its Mission League opener against Bishop Amat. I remember thinking, “Who’s going to beat this Sierra Canyon team?”

The Trailblazers took a 28-14 lead into halftime before an eventual 31-28 double-overtime loss at home. In one half, the team’s emotions spanned each side of the spectrum, from high to low. The loss dropped their record to 2-4. So much talent, but it wasn’t churning out wins.

“We had a rough start,” coach Jon Ellinghouse said. “Our youth and inexperience were getting the best of us. There were a lot of haters out there saying stuff about us. But these kids kept their heads down, showed up to work with great attitudes, and knew they were going to be a great team.”

Slowly but surely, Sierra Canyon (5-4, 3-1 Mission League) chipped away. A win over Alemany 42-0. A win at Gardena Serra 35-21. Then, a culminating 49-14 victory at Chaminade that gave off the impression that the Trailblazers might be playing its best football at the right time.

A large part of the recent success has been the play of sophomore Dane Dunn and junior Terrell Cooks Jr out of the backfield. Cooks has been battling to get to full health this season, and finally has the last four games.

“There’s no better one-two punch than those two,” Ellinghouse said. “Having both of them out there at 100% the last three, four games is a whole different thing to defend.”

In Mission League play, Cooks has tallied 402 yards and two touchdowns while Dunn has notched 354 yards rushing and seven scores. The dominant running game has allowed for a more efficient passing game from sophomore quarterback Alonzo Esparza, who’s been a combined 19 of 26 passing the last two games with two touchdowns and no interceptions.

Sierra Canyon (5-4) is one win away from being the Mission League champion with a road game at Notre Dame Sherman Oaks left to play Friday night. The Trailblazers will share the crown with Chaminade, if the Eagles beat Serra. But if Serra prevails, Sierra Canyon will be the outright champion in its first year in the league.

“I’m a big believer that the game of football teaches you life lessons,” Ellinghouse said of the season. “Life isn’t easy and neither is football. But these kids kept showing up. It’s been cool to see them have success the last few weeks. We’re starting to play good football.”

LEAGUE TITLES, PLAYOFF BIDS UP FOR GRABS

There is a crop of games that will have league title and playoff implications Friday night, which marks the last week of the regular season.

Here are some games to keep an eye on and what’s at stake.

Oaks Christian will play at St. Bonaventure Thursday night for a winner-takes-all Marmonte League championship. The loser will finish second and automatically qualify to the playoffs. However, third place (the last automatic qualifying spot) is still up for grabs.

If Simi Valley beats Bishop Diego and Calabasas beats Westlake it would mean a three-way tie for third place (at 2-3) between Simi Valley, Calabasas and Bishop Diego. The final spot would be determined by a coinflip.

It’s all moot if Bishop Diego beats Simi Valley, locking up sole possession of third place.

In the Foothill League, the third-place finisher could also come down to a coinflip if Hart (2-3 Foothill) beats Castaic (0-5) and Valencia (2-3) beats Canyon (1-5) with a Golden Valley (3-2) loss to Saugus (4-1). That scenario would put Golden Valley, Hart and Valencia tied for third.

It’s all moot if Golden Valley beats Saugus, locking up sole possession of third place.

In the Canyon League, Newbury Park and Camarillo – both with just one loss in league play – will fight for sole possession of second place behind league champion Thousand Oaks.