Oaks Christian suffers close setback at Oaks Christian
By Jacob H. Pollon
Sierra Canyon Athletics Dept.
Staff Writer
WESTLAKE VILLAGE — The Sierra Canyon football team let a golden opportunity to really show it belongs in the Div. 1 playoffs slip away Friday night after a disappointing 21-14 loss against Oaks Christian.
Oaks Christian reached las year’s Div. 1 semifinals before losing to national juggernaut St. John Bosco.
The Trailblazers were in prime position for a program changing road victory leading 14-7 midway through the third quarter.
However, everything changed when Oaks Christian standout two-way player Mister Williams went down to the turf on a running play with a neck injury. Williams laid motionless and an ambulance was brought on the field. The ambulance drove to the baseball field where Williams was then airlifted to UCLA out of an abundance of caution.
The Lions rallied around the incident and scored two fourth quarter touchdowns to pull out the tough nonleague victory.
Reseda-transfer Derek Boyd scored both times, from one yard out and from 10 yards. Boyd’s 10-yard score with 2:17 remaining was the difference.
Sierra Canyon converted on 4th-and-20 from the 22-yard line to keep its last drive alive but couldn’t convert another fourth down attempt with under one minute to go.
Sierra Canyon quarterback Chayden Peery was 24 of 40 for 215 yards and two touchdowns. Peery connected with Micah Robinson for a 17-yard touchdown in the first quarter and hit Terrell Long for an 11-yard touchdown in the third quarter to go ahead 14-7.
The Trailblazers (2-1) did a good job moving the ball between the 20-yard lines but had trouble executing in the red zone. Kicker Josh Bryan had a field goal blocked and missed a 41-yard attempt, hitting the left post.
JD “Quatro” Sumlin, Brendan Gamble and sophomore Jason Jones, Jr. had little success running the ball against a stout Oaks Chr. defensive line.
Williams gained 81 yards before the injury and Boyd finished with 54 yards.
Sierra Canyon hosts Valencia next Saturday at Granada Hills while Oaks Chr. travels to Alemany for an intriguing nonleague contest Friday.
