The Acorn’s High School Football Game of the Week





Keyshawn Johnson Jr.

Keyshawn Johnson Jr.

Calabasas Coyotes (3-0) vs. Pacifica Tritons (3-0)

Friday, 7 p.m. Calabasas High

The Coyotes have undergone an extreme makeover.

They went from Medusa to Kim Kardashian, an ugly duckling to a graceful swan, Joan Rivers to Joan Rivers.

Calabasas High’s football team, which went 0-10 last season after scrounging two wins together in 2012, is 3-0 and ranked No. 2 in this week’s CIF-Southern Section Western Division coaches’ poll. The Coyotes kicked off the season with a 53-19 win against Rancho of Las Vegas in head coach Casey Clausen’s Aug. 29 debut. They followed up with resounding victories against Burroughs (53-31) and Van Nuys (55-14).

Are they ready to go from worst to first?

Clausen shook his head.

“Slow down. We’re in the infant stages of building a program,” the coach said. “Ask me about those rankings in Week 9 or 10.”

Calabasas welcomed Keyshawn Johnson Jr. to the team. Johnson, a sophomore wide receiver, participated in his first practice with the Coyotes on Monday afternoon.

“We’re excited to see what he can do,” Clausen said of the receiver. “He still has to learn the offense.”

Johnson, who is gleaning interest from Division I outfits, started this season at Mission Viejo. He hopped over to Santa Margarita for a sip of coffee before landing at Calabasas. The 6- foot- 1, 180- pound Coyote has been cleared to play against Pacifica, according to Clausen. The wide receiver is the son of Keyshawn Johnson, an ESPN television personality and former NFL star who helped the Tampa Bay Buccaneers win Super Bowl XXXVII.

Calabasas hopes the younger Johnson adds a dimension to an already dynamic offense.

Tristan Gebbia, a sophomore quarterback transfer from Oaks Christian, controls the offense’s tempo while putting up monster numbers. Gebbia has completed 73 percent of his passes for 699 yards, 11 touchdowns and one interception in three wins. He spread his 17 completions to 10 receivers against Van Nuys. Clausen compared the 6-foot-2 Gebbia to Westlake junior Malik Henry, one of the top QB prospects in the nation. Clausen coached Henry at Oaks Christian during the signal-caller’s freshman year.

“I love distributing the ball to our athletes,” said Gebbia, who also plays basketball. “They make me look good.”

Chris Brooks is an electrifying running back and slot receiver. The sophomore scored touchdowns two of three times he touched the ball last weekend. Erik Hillman, a junior running back, uses a blend of power and speed to rack up yards.

The Coyote defense wants to make a statement against Pacifica, which defeated San Marcos 56-7 last weekend.

“We have to come out and play our best,” said Arthur Kaslow, a junior defensive end and linebacker. The 6-foot-2, 190-pound Kaslow also plays basketball. “I try to play as physical as possible. Hit hard, tackle as best I can.”

Phillip Castro, a freshman who made his first start against Van Nuys, is a rising star at middle linebacker. Michael Cohen, a senior defensive tackle, excels in the trenches.

“We’re just playing hard and giving all our effort,” Cohen said. “ We need our offense to put points up, but we need to shut down their run.”

The Coyotes want student fans in the Pack to fill Keith Ritchie Stadium on Friday.

“The buzz is getting out there,” Clausen said. “This should be a fun, exciting game.”


JUST GIVE ME THE DAMN BALL, PLEASE—Keyshawn Johnson Jr. catches a pass in his first practice with Calabasas High on Monday.

JUST GIVE ME THE DAMN BALL, PLEASE—Keyshawn Johnson Jr. catches a pass in his first practice with Calabasas High on Monday.

 

 

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