Hungry Lions feast on sixth straight section title

Oaks Christian clubs Serra 63-28 in Northwest Division final


WENDY PIERRO/Acorn Newspapers PARTY TIME IN WESTLAKE—Oaks Christian seniors Landen Hamilton, front right, and Chris Judge, No. 1, lead the celebration following the Lions' win over Serra last Friday night at OCHS.

WENDY PIERRO/Acorn Newspapers PARTY TIME IN WESTLAKE—Oaks Christian seniors Landen Hamilton, front right, and Chris Judge, No. 1, lead the celebration following the Lions’ win over Serra last Friday night at OCHS.


Great coaches make great calls, and great players execute those calls.

On Friday, with the Oaks Christian football team up seven points against Serra High and backed against its own 35-yard line with 31 seconds to play in the first half of the CIFSouthern Section Northwest Division title game, Lions head coach Bill Redell was forced to make a decision.

OCHS offensive coordinator Mark Bates walked down the sideline and calmly asked Redell if he wanted to have junior quarterback Nick Montana kneel down to let time run out in the half.

Redell, however, had other ideas.

The head coach decided to take Bates’ second option—a toss play to junior running back Malcolm Jones.

Jones took the handoff and ran 65 yards to pay dirt for his fourth touchdown of the contest, putting the Lions up 2814 with 13 seconds remaining in the half.

From that point forward it was all Oaks Christian en route to a 63-28 championship triumph to claim a recordsetting sixth CIFSS banner in a row.

After the game, Redell talked about the gamealtering call before halftime.

“I was never hesitant to make that call, but in a way it was a lucky guess,” Redell said.

“I wasn’t sure if we would score, but I thought we could at least get another first down and we’d go from there. That was the big play of the game, a real momentum changer.”

Bates was thrilled with the decision and how Jones executed the play.

“I thought (Redell) would have us take a knee, because he hates calling toss,” Bates said with a laugh.

“The thing with Jones is that he’s the type of player that can make something out of nothing. I think (Jones) and (Robert) Woods of Serra are the two best juniors in the state.”

Jones finished with 20 rushes for 208 yards.

“On the 65-yard run I was just trying to go off the outside blockers,” Jones said. “Once I broke a couple tackles, I could see the whole field real well, and I scored.”

Jones’ offensive assault came through the air as well, catching four passes for 94 yards.

In the first quarter, he was the recipient of a 40-yard pass from Montana on a third-and-long play that set up a 12-yard run to tie the game. With two and half minutes in the first quarter, Jones caught a 27-yard touchdown pass to put OCHS up 14-7.

“This game proved that not only can I make huge plays on the ground, but I can also catch the ball as well,” Jones said.

Lion junior offensive lineman Erik Kohler was impressed with Jones’ performance.

“He’s the best, the No. 1 running back in the area,” Kohler said. “He’s always great, whether it’s on the field during a game or at practice. He always gives it everything he has. I love blocking for him.”

Once Oaks Christian had Serra on the ropes, the Lions wasted no time putting the game away.

With 11:08 remaining in the third quarter, senior running back Ryan Landseadel scored on a 5yard run to put OCHS up 21 points.

Four minutes later, Montana found freshman Jordan Payton open in the end zone for a 42-14 lead.

The Lions capped their thirdquarter scoring binge on a Montana keeper from a yard out.

Landseadel would add another score in the fourth quarter on a 2yard pass from Montana, while senior running back Jordan Morrison tallied Oaks Christian’s final touchdown with a 22-yard run in the waning minutes.

The OCHS defense was stellar, too, with sacks being registered by juniors Cassius Marsh and Zac Stout, as well as senior Nick Nugwynne.

The Lions didn’t allow a Serra first down during the second half until there was a minute remaining in the game.

At that point, the only drama was when Redell would be showered with Gatorade. With 28 seconds left, he was drenched.

“Coach Redell deserves all the credit in the world. All the coaches have done such a great job preparing us for this game,” senior wide receiver Brian Owusu said.

“It feels great to be a part of history and win our sixth straight championship.”

No state title game appearance for OCHS

Oaks Christian has been shut out of the CIF State Division III Bowl game.

St. Bonaventure, which won the CIFSouthern Section Northern Division championship against Moorpark, earned the SoCal bid and will play Cardinal Newman of Santa Rosa at Home Depot Center Saturday at noon.

Redell was disappointed his squad didn’t get the bid, but said St. Bonaventure was equally deserving.

“Our goal was to win a CIF championship, because you can’t get in the state game without doing that,” Redell said.

“We weren’t surprised St. Bonaventure earned the right to play because they’re a good team, and we felt they had to lose to Moorpark for us to get in. With a 14-0 season and a sixth straight championship, we’re still happy with our season.”

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