DOWNEY — Downey football coach Jack Williams knew exactly what he was doing when he scheduled Sierra Canyon in a nonleague game.
He wanted to see how his team, that lost in the first round of the CIF-Southern Section Division 2 playoffs, would handle playing against a Division 1 opponent.
“We’re just trying to put our guys in some situations to get us prepped for the playoffs,” Downey football coach Jack Williams said before the game. “Some adversity spots to see how our guys react, not only players but coaches.”
However, Sierra Canyon’s high powered offense, which gained 394 yards (161 passing, 233 rushing) and scored six touchdowns before halftime, was too much for the Vikings to handle in a 49-7 loss Friday night.
“We didn’t play to our potential,” said Downey senior quarterback Oscar Rios, who completed 3 of 12 passes for 32 yards, one touchdown and one interception. “We didn’t play to our full get go but I feel like we have a strong team so we didn’t point at each other. The outcome doesn’t define our team.”
The Trailblazers, who led 42-7 at halftime, improved to 4-0.
“I thought we handled some things good and some things not so good,” Williams shared after the game. “They’re a really good football team. I’ve been doing this a long time. I would probably say this is the best defense that we’ve ever faced.”
Meanwhile, Sierra Canyon coach Jon Ellinghouse believes his undefeated team that made the Division 1 quarterfinals last season is building towards something special this season.
“I think this team has the ability to do something great,” Ellinghouse said. “We’ve got our goals and we’ll let those be our goals but this is a great group of kids. I’ve enjoyed every minute of coaching with them and it’s one of those groups that just has a special chemistry and I think that’s why we’ve been able to do the things we’ve done so far and that’s the reason why we have big goals and I’m a big part of thinking that we can achieve those.”
Downey, which dropped to 3-1, began the game with an unsuccessful onside kick.
Sierra Canyon took advantage of the short field and scored on a five play drive that began at their own 42 and ended with a 23-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback Laird Finkel to senior receiver De’Markus Barnes for a 7-0 lead with 10:10 left in the first quarter.
Finkel threw a 64-yard touchdown pass on a swing route to Barnes, who scurried up the sideline for a 14-0 lead with 8:02 left in the first.
“I feel like I’m the fastest guy on the field, no matter whoever we’re playing,” said Barnes who finished with five receptions for 117 yards and two touchdown catches.
The Trailblazers defense had consecutive sacks, which forced another Downey punt, which landed at the Sierra Canyon 4-yard line.
Downey’s defense took advantage and forced a short punt, which they landed out of bounds at the Sierra Canyon 30.
Rios, who is committed to Arizona, threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to senior running back Gavin Ingram, which cut Sierra Canyon’s lead to 14-7 with 3:25 left in the first. To that point off the season, Sierra Canyon had outscored their opponents by a margin of 159-0.
“I wasn’t distraught about it,” Barnes continued. “All my teammates could hear me screaming on the sideline, don’t be distraught.”
Downey tried to catch Sierra Canyon off guard with a pooch kick, put the Trailblazers pounced on the errant ball.
Sierra Canyon junior receiver Myles Baker, the team’s wildcat quarterback, scored on a 54-yard touchdown run. The Trailblazers led 21-7 with 1:35 left in the first.
Sierra Canyon senior running back Jerod Terry Jr.’s 40-yard touchdown run made it 28-7 with 8:34 left in the second quarter.
After calling a timeout to talk it over, Sierra Canyon converted a fourth-and-three from the Downey 38 with a 13-yard catch by senior receiver Ja’Myron Baker (USC commit). Junior running back Jaxsen Stokes’ 25-yard run put the Trailblazers up 35-7 with 5:57 left in the second.
Stokes’ 15-yard run put Sierra Canyon up 42-7 with 26 seconds to go before halftime.
Barnes’ 33-yard interception return for touchdown put the Trailblazers up 49-7 early in the third quarter.
Sierra Canyon will play on the road against Orange Lutheran Sept. 18.
Downey will host Inglewood on Sept. 19.
“We just have to come out with more energy,” Rios explained. “We have to come more aggressive and that’s what we’re going to do.”
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