SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO – A football team needs an outstanding defense to succeed in the mighty Trinity League.
JSerra just might have that defense based on the Lions’ 35-7 win over Sierra Canyon on Friday night at JSerra High.
It was the season opener for JSerra, which is No. 5 in the Orange County Top 25 and went into the game No. 8 in the Calpreps state rankings. Sierra Canyon (1-1), which is No. 4 in the Calpreps rankings, won its season opener last week in Hawaii.
JSerra’s, Ryan Hopkins, left, starts on his touchdown run during the first half in the game between Sierra Canyon vs. JSerra in a season-opening high school football game at JSerra High School.Photographed on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
JSerra’s, Darian Webb, left, hauls in a long pass in the first quarter in the game between Sierra Canyon vs. JSerra in a season-opening high school football game at JSerra High School.Photographed on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
JSerra’s Jarod Sersansie, points to the home crowd as he crosses the goal line in a game between Sierra Canyon vs. JSerra in a season-opening high school football game at JSerra High School.Photographed on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
JSerra’s Jarod Sersansie, celebrates his touchdown in a game between Sierra Canyon vs. JSerra in a season-opening high school football game at JSerra High School.Photographed on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
JSerra’s, Demote Katoanga, right, drops Sierra Canyon’s Dane Dunn, left, for a loss in the game between Sierra Canyon vs. JSerra in a season-opening high school football game at JSerra High School.Photographed on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
JSerra’s Sawyer Thomson, right, grabs his second interception of the night during the game between Sierra Canyon vs. JSerra in a season-opening high school football game at JSerra High School.Photographed on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
JSerra’s, Darian Webb, tries to escape the clutches of Sierra Canyon’s defense in a season-opening high school football game at JSerra High School.Photographed on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
Sierra Canyon’s Dino Scordia, left, makes a completion at the 2 yard line before Sierra Canyon scored right before halftime in a game between Sierra Canyon vs. JSerra in a season-opening high school football game at JSerra High School.Photographed on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
JSerra’s Dram Webb, left, avoids the defense in a game between Sierra Canyon vs. JSerra in a season-opening high school football game at JSerra High School.Photographed on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
JSerra’s, Devin Davis, right, tackles Sierra Canyon’s, Wyatt Becker, left, during the game between Sierra Canyon vs. JSerra in a season-opening high school football game at JSerra High School.Photographed on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
JSerra’s Ryan Hopkins weaves between defenders on the way to an 83 yard touchdown in the first half in a game between Sierra Canyon vs. JSerra in a season-opening high school football game at JSerra High School.Photographed on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
JSerra fans release colored smoke during their game against Sierra Canyon vs. JSerra in a season-opening high school football game at JSerra High School.Photographed on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
The JSerra Lions come running through their inflatable mascot before starting their game between Sierra Canyon vs. JSerra in a season-opening high school football game at JSerra High School.Photographed on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
Colored smoke/chalk is released during the start of the game between Sierra Canyon vs. JSerra in a season-opening high school football game at JSerra High School.Photographed on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
The football season started for the JSerra Lions in a game between Sierra Canyon vs. JSerra in a season-opening high school football game at JSerra High School.Photographed on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
JSerra’s, Rocco Tompkins, hits Sierra Canyon’s Wyatt Becker as he releases the ball during the game between Sierra Canyon vs. JSerra in a season-opening high school football game at JSerra High School.Photographed on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
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JSerra’s, Ryan Hopkins, left, starts on his touchdown run during the first half in the game between Sierra Canyon vs. JSerra in a season-opening high school football game at JSerra High School.Photographed on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024. (Photo by Michael Kitada, Contributing Photographer)
The Lion shut out Sierra Canyon in the second half. JSerra junior defensive back Sawyer Thomson had two interceptions.
JSerra junior quarterback Ryan Hopkins turned in an impressive varsity starting debut. He scored on runs of 83 and 12 yards. Hopkins completed his first five pass attempts, finished 11 for 19 for 209 yards and a touchdown.
Junior receiver Jarod Sersansie caught Hopkins’ touchdown pass and finished with three receptions for 88 yards. Sophomore running back Will Fredricksen scored on two 3-yard runs and sophomore running back Darian Webb rushed for 58 yards on 13 carries.
JSerra’s defensive front line of juniors Garrett Dudenhoeffer and Simote Katoanga and sophomore Devin Davis put plenty of pressure on Sierra Canyon senior quarterback Wyatt Becker (Utah commit). Lions senior linebacker Madden Faraimo was in on multiple tackles.
Becker had a fine outing last week when Sierra Canyon (1-1) opened its season with a 30-7 win over Punahou. He threw for 217 yards and a touchdown while completing 18 of 26 passes. On Friday he completed 5 of 18 passes for 78 yards including a 2-yard scoring pass to senior Jaden Nickens.
The Trailblazers’ first offensive possession started at their 20-yard line and ended at their 17, where they had to punt.
Sierra Canyon’s second possession was stopped by Thomson’s first interception. The Trailblazers’ next five first-half possessions were four punts and the other Thomson interception. They scored with 46 seconds left in half on the Becker-to-Nickens touchdown.
JSerra got its offense going quickly. The Lions took the opening kickoff and drove from their 20 to Sierra Canyon’s 20, where they missed a field goal try. The Lions’ second possession ended with Carter Meza’s 28-yard field goal for a 3-0 lead late in the first quarter.
Hopkins found Sernasie open over the middle for a 37-yard touchdown pass with 2:25 to go in the second quarter. The kick missed, so JSerra had a 15-0 lead.
Sierra Canyon then got its points on the Becker-to-Nickens touchdown pass.
In the second half JSerra continued to stop everything Sierra Canyon’s offense attempted.
The Lions made it 22-7 early in the third quarter on Fredricksen’s first 3-yard touchdown run. They extended the lead to 28-7 on his other 3-yard score and concluded the scoring on a Hopkins’ 12-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.
Sierra Canyon plays Oaks Christian at home Friday, Aug. 30. JSerra plays at Aquinas in San Bernardino on Thursday, Aug. 29.
Sierra Canyon beat JSerra 9-7 last year at Sierra Canyon High.
