Notre Dame football wants to speed up success with its fast players

Notre Dame High School football hasn’t had a top-three finish in the Mission League since 2018 when it finished second behind Bishop Amat.

“The stigma of Notre Dame is that the football team isn’t very good every year,” Knights receiver Tre Fernandez said. “They kind of just doubt us and count us out. We need to change the narrative.”

That might be an incremental process but the quickness of this year’s passing offense could help speed things up, starting with Friday’s 7 p.m. Mission League opener against Bishop Amat at Notre Dame.

Four football players — quarterback Steele Pizzella, safety Ehimen Oyamendan and receivers Elliot Cooper and Tre Fernandez — placed fourth in the state as part of Notre Dame’s 4×100 relay team last spring in track and field. Now, that group is reaping the benefits of that this football season.

“It just made us all have confidence in each other because we all know what we’re capable of,” Fernandez said. “We all know that each of us can get the job done.”

Pizzella has distributed the ball well among Fernandez, Elliot and Luc Weaver. Each of them is averaging 54.8 receiving yards per game or more and Fernandez leads the group with five touchdown receptions.

They’re built for open spaces, whether that’s in the passing game or on special teams.

“We’ve got some guys that we feel like can create splash, explosive plays and score in a blink of an eye,” Notre Dame head coach Evan Yabu said. “And we’re gonna need those guys to play huge this game. We’re hoping we can get some creases or some edges and let those guys get the chance to get into straight-line mode.”

The 4×100 relay team clocked a season-best 40.97 seconds at the CIF State championships. Additionally, Cooper ran a PR of 10.82 in the 100 meters and Fernandez recorded 10.70 to place fourth in the 100 at the CIF Southern Section finals.

Running was never in Fernandez’s plans. He was a football and baseball player at Chaminade but switched from baseball to track when he transferred to Notre Dame.

“I ended up running track but it’s really just a blessing in disguise,” Fernandez said. “It really helped get me more exposure.”

Notre Dame’s offense will go up against an Amat defense that is well-rounded and disciplined but also gave up 56 points in last week’s loss to St. Mary’s of Stockton. Eight different players have at least one tackle for loss and three different players have had interceptions.

Special teams were the determining factor in Notre Dame’s game against Amat last season. The Lancers blocked a punt to tie the game before going on to win 34-23.

Yabu said that the Knights have been practicing special teams “like crazy” this week as they head into a Mission League schedule that’s a gauntlet.

“With Amat and with every week, we truly have to take this on a game-by-game basis,” Yabu said. “It sounds cliche, but we’re just fighting to stay as present as possible and get as prepared as absolutely possible to get ready to play a team that we know is legit in every way.”

Other area games Friday:

Sierra Canyon (2-3) at Chaminade (1-4), 7 p.m.

For this Mission League opener, the Trailblazers are coming off of a bye week after playing in competitive games against Trinity League opponents St. John Bosco and Orange Lutheran. Dane Dunn is likely to return at running back after missing the last game due to injury. If he does, the rushing attack power can match that of a passing game led by Wyatt Becker’s 161.8 passing yards per game. Richie Wesley leads the defense with four sacks and Madden Riordan has grabbed seven interceptions in five games.

Chaminade also had a bye week to prepare for the league opener. Quarterback Cameron Pooley is averaging 124 passing yards per game and has seven touchdown passes. Devin Olmande is the Eagles’ leading receiver with 47.6 yards per game and four touchdowns while two-way player Logan Carpenter is valuable at receiver and defensive back. Ishmael Gibbs has three interceptions and five pass deflections.

Village Christian (4-1) at Heritage Christian (1-4), 7 p.m.

This is the opening week for the Ironwood League. Heritage Christian goes into the Bible Bowl after holding La Salle to just six points in its previous game. The Warriors have held opponents to nine points or less on four different occasions this season behind linebacker Nicholas Bildt’s 30 total tackles and five tackles for loss. Running back Raphael Graham rushes for 71.3 yards per game and has scored five touchdowns.

Village Christian’s Everson Mathis has thrown for 871 yards in five games with 10 touchdowns and six interceptions. Evan Gonzales and Preston Mathis have each hauled in four touchdown receptions apiece and average 31.8 and 72.2 yards per game, respectively.

Taft (2-3) at El Camino Real (1-4), 7 p.m.

Going into this West Valley League opener for both teams, the Toreadors’ pass-heavy offense has been led by quarterback Nathan Swinson’s 759 passing yards and 12 touchdowns. Four different receivers average 30 yards per game or better and Dakota Garner has four touchdown receptions. Garner also has two interceptions on defense.

Royals quarterback Arturo Acevedo has thrown for 578 yards and four touchdowns while rushing for another 151 yards and one rushing touchdown. Defensive lineman Mason Lewis has 2.5 sacks and defensive end Carter Rubin has four tackles for loss.