Oak Park vs. Oaks Christian: The Trilogy

BILL SPARKES/Acorn Newspapers HEROIC EFFORT-Oak Park linebacker Sean Westgate, right, comes flying in to block a field goal attempt by Covina's Justin De Langis, No. 6, in the first overtime of the teams' semifinal game last Friday. Ohio State won't play Michigan again this season, but fans who love a rematch can see a good one Friday night when football rivals Oak Park High and nationally ranked Oaks Christian square off for the CIF-Southern Section Northwest Division championship.

OPHS will play the Lions for the second time this year, the sixth time in the last four years and the third time for the CIF championship. Oaks Christian has won the previous two title tilts, in 2003 and again in '04. The teams did not play a season ago.

Oak Park enters the matchup riding the momentum of a doubleovertime win against secondseeded Covina in the semifinals.

Like Oaks Christian, Covina came into its game against the Eagles with a highpowered offense. Covina averaged 50 points per contest over its last 10 games, but Oak Park's defense stepped up by forcing six turnovers. Unfortunately, the Eagles' offense committed six turnovers, too.

The game went back and forth with Covina scoring first on a Trevion McNair run with nine seconds left in the first quarter. Oak Park came back in the second quarter to tie the game on a 1-yard run by Kyle Shorten.

The second half was filled with turnovers and heart-stopping moments.

Shorten ran in his second touchdown of the game-this time from 2 yards out-to give the Eagles a lead with six minutes remaining.

Covina, however, would not go away. They tied the game at 14 when Michael McDonough threw a touchdown pass to McNair with 31 seconds remaining in regulation.

Once the game moved into overtime, the Eagles' special teams moved into high gear.

After Oak Park failed to score, Sean Westgate saved the Eagles' season when he blocked a 30-yard field goal attempt by Justin De Langis to send the game into a second overtime.

"I knew he was going to do it," Oak Park wide receiver Logan Ketchum said. "The play was called a 'Do what you want' play, where you line up wherever you want to. Sean's real quick, and I knew he would find a way to block it."

In the second overtime, the Eagles' defense held the Colts scoreless. When Oak Park got the ball back, junior Brett Zeolla kicked an 18-yard field goal to win the game.

"I wasn't really feeling any pressure," Zeolla said. "The kicking coach told me to keep my head down and kick the (stuffing) out of it. The crowd would let me know if it went in or not."

Following the euphoria of last weekend's victory, Oak Park's new reality is that they'll once again come into a game against Oaks Christian as prohibitive underdogs.

On the road last Saturday, the Lions defeated Harvard-Westlake 48-14. Quarterback Jimmy Clausen threw for 258 yards and five touchdowns in the win.

Oaks Christian has been ranked as high as No. 1 in the nation this season. The Eagles were the last team to beat OCHS, but that was over three years ago, and the Lions have won 44 straight games since. Still, Oak Park enters the matchup confident they can pull off an upset.

"I'd rather be the underdog," Ketchum said. "Last time we played each other I got knocked out unconscious during a play, so I'm hoping to get a little revenge next game with a win."

Oak Park head coach Dick Billingsley echoed Ketchum's sentiments.

"We don't really fear them," Billingsley said. "We respect them but don't fear them. I think the game at Moorpark College earlier this year was closer than the score indicated (55-7 Oaks Christian).

"We had four good drives during the game. We scored on one of them, got stopped on fourthandgoal on two of them, and committed a turnover on the other. So it could have been a different game.

"Obviously, in order to win this time, the No. 1 thing we have to do is control the ball and the clock. If we can do that, we have a good chance," Billingsley said.

Although much has been said over the years regarding the two coaches-Billingsley and Oaks Christian head coach Bill Redell- the two insist that the game is a rivalry, but a friendly one. The jabs they take at each

other through the media, the coaches say, should be taken with a grain of salt, and this week was no different.

According to Redell, all of Oak Park's players are on scholarship since their school education is paid for by the state. Billingsley said he loved last week's win from his "hometown players."

"It's a rivalry, but not a heated rivalry," Redell said. "I think around three to four years ago there was some animosity between the players on each team, but now most of the players are friends with each other, there is a mutual respect for one another. I think most of the rivalry comes from just the basic fact that we are a private school and they are a public school.

"I have a lot of respect for Dick Billingsley. He does a good job over there and is a good coach," Redell said.

Ketchum said it was a shame Oaks Christian running back Marc Tyler suffered a broken leg during the first round of the playoffs and would have to miss the game.

"It sucks we can't go against a great player like Marc Tyler, who got hurt and we hope gets better, but we're still going to play our best to get the win," Ketchum said.

Billingsley was courteous as well.

"We have taken our jabs at one another through the years, but in a playful, kidding fashion. We are very cordial toward each other," he said. "I think this game is going to be great for the community. It should be a good one, and we're looking forward to it."

Friday night's game at Oaks Christian's Thornton Stadium begins at 7 p.m.