HUDSON, Fla. — No Hudson High football game can begin before the head coach and team manager meet up.
What You Need To Know
Cobras head coach Timothy Hicks can’t kick off until he’s taken the handoff from Hudson senior Dakota Schull with the list of winning plays
Dakota suffers from Prader-Willi syndrome, a disorder that affects his physical and mental development
He is living his best high school life by showing the true meaning of team
Cobras head coach Timothy Hicks can’t kick off until he’s taken the handoff from Hudson senior Dakota Schull with the list of winning plays.
Dakota works hard on those plays. He meticulously writes each one down on a piece of paper. And even though he’s never played a down of football, he knows the sport. And he’d give anything to be able to play it. But Dakota suffers from Prader-Willi syndrome, a disorder that affects his physical and mental development.
“What he’s gaining out of this is memories and experiences,” Dakota’s mom Wanda said. “He knows he can’t play, but he feels like he is.”
That’s the key, being a part of something. Being accepted by his peers. And being celebrated for the miracle that he is. Wanda Schull was told her son wouldn’t live past the age of 10. His disorder causes low muscle tone and that includes his heart. His rare genetic disorder can cause congenital heart defects. But Dakota has continually shown he’s all heart.
“They told us he wasn’t going to make it,” Wanda said. “And here we are senior year, gonna graduate and we are blessed.”
Dakota has never taken a snap and run the football. He’s never made a tackle. But he is just as much a part of the team as every player on the roster.
“It means the world for a child to be a part of something, any child,” Wanda said. “So we are just blessed because we are accepted whether we can do it or not. And that’s what means a lot. It really means a whole lot.”
Dakota’s living his best high school life by showing the true meaning of team.
WE’LL GO THROUGH THE SEVEN DAY FORECAST IN ABOUT 20 MINUTES. ALL RIGHT. SOUNDS GOOD. HEATHER. THANKS. ALL RIGHT. A MODESTO TEEN FOOTBALL PLAYER IS BREAKING BARRIERS AT SEVEN YEARS OLD. JASON BRACEY LOST HIS VISION THAT DID NOT STOP HIM FROM BECOMING A HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PLAYER. KCRA 3’S CATALINA ESTRADA HAS HIS STORY. ESPARTA 18 YEAR OLD JASON BRACEY IS UNSTOPPABLE ON THE FIELD. IT’S A LOT. I MEAN, FOOTBALL IS. FOOTBALL IS LIKE WHAT I BREATHE IN AND BREATHE OUT FROM STARTING QUARTERBACK TO NOSE GUARD. HIS GAME PLAN IS ALWAYS TO DEFY THE ODDS. NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES I GET KNOCKED DOWN TO THE GROUND, I’M GOING TO GET BACK UP AND FIGHT. FIGHTING IS PART OF HIS DNA. AT ONE YEAR OLD, JASON WAS DIAGNOSED WITH RETINAL CANCER. HE HAD TUMORS IN THE RETINAS OF BOTH OF HIS EYES. BY THE TIME HE TURNED SEVEN, HE WAS BLIND. WALK UP, WALK UP RIGHT THERE. STILL, THAT DIDN’T STOP HIM FROM PURSUING HIS DREAM TO PLAY FOOTBALL. NUMBER 15. HE WANTED TO PLAY. HE WAS HIS OWN ADVOCATE. ONCE HE BECAME OLD ENOUGH AND STARTED CALLING AROUND TO SOME OF THE LOCAL YOUTH TEAMS, THE MODESTO RAIDERS WAS THE ONLY TEAM THAT GAVE HIM AN OPPORTUNITY DOING WHAT HE LOVES TAKES PRACTICE ON AND OFF THE FIELD, BRACEY MEMORIZES EVERY PLAY AND WHERE THE PLAYERS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE. I CAN’T SEE THE PLAYERS SO REPS IS. I HAVE A CONSISTENT AMOUNT OF REPS AND LEARN EVERY TIME I TAKE A REP TO, HEY, OKAY, SO THIS PLAY, MAKE SURE YOU DO THIS, DO THIS. MORE ON THIS PLAY. MAKE SURE YOU DO THAT. MORE FROM THE SIDELINES. HIS FATHER GUIDES HIM THROUGH A HEARING DEVICE IN HIS HELMET. GO PASS PASS PASS. LEFT LEFT LEFT. BASICALLY WHAT I TRY TO DO IS PAINT A MENTAL PICTURE FOR HIM OF WHAT EVERYBODY ELSE IS SEEING OUT ON THE FIELD. HE’S PROVEN TO BE AN OUTSTANDING PLAYER WITH HIS HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL TEAM. THE EAGLES AND MODESTO. YOU CAN DO WHATEVER YOU PUT YOUR MIND TO AND I MEAN THAT FOR ME FOR A LOT OF THINGS. AND SO BASICALLY, BASICALLY, IT’S NOT OVER UNTIL YOU SAY IT’S OVER. AS HIS TIME AS AN EAGLE COMES TO AN END, THIS SEASON, HE SAYS HIS FUTURE IN FOOTBALL IS JUST BEGINNING. GO TO COLLEGE AND TAKE MY, YOU KNOW, SKILLS TO THE NEXT LEVEL. IMPROVE AND GO TO THE NFL FROM THERE. BE OUT THERE AND MAKE IT HAPPEN. BROTHER. LOVE YOU MAN. IN TURLOCK CAROLINA ESTRADA KCRA THREE NEWS AND JASON BRACEY WILL BE GRADUATIN
‘I can’t see the players’: Blind high school football player breaks barriers
Updated: 8:51 PM EDT Nov 2, 2024
Jasen Bracy’s game plan is always to defy the odds. The 18-year-old high school football player is completely blind, but that doesn’t stop him from going out to the football field to do what he loves. “Football is like what I breathe in, breathe out,” said Bracy. At a young age, Bracy was diagnosed with retinal cancer. His father, Jasen Bracy Sr., said he had tumors in the retinas of both eyes and by the time he turned 7 years old, he was blind. “Now, he’s just in complete darkness,” said Bracy Sr. At the age of 13, Bracy Jr. knew he wanted to become a football player, so he took matters into his own hands. “Once he became old enough and started calling around to some of the local youth teams, the Modesto Raiders was the only team that gave him a opportunity,” said Bracy Sr.Doing what he loves takes practice on and off the field. Bracy Jr. memorizes every play and where the players are supposed to be. “Reps is a big thing for football and for me, especially reps because I can’t see the players,” said Bracy Jr. From the sidelines, his father guides him through a hearing device in his helmet. “Basically, what I try to do is paint a mental picture for him of what everybody else is seeing out on the field,” said Bracy Sr.Bracy Jr. has been a starting quarterback and is now a nose guard with his high school football team, the Enochs Eagles, in Modesto, California.”You can do whatever you put your mind to,” said Bracy Jr.Friday night was his last game with the Enoch Eagles before he graduates next year, but he said his football career is just beginning. “Go to college and take my, you know, skills to the next level, improve and go to NFL from there,” said Bracy Jr.
Jasen Bracy’s game plan is always to defy the odds.
The 18-year-old high school football player is completely blind, but that doesn’t stop him from going out to the football field to do what he loves.
“Football is like what I breathe in, breathe out,” said Bracy.
At a young age, Bracy was diagnosed with retinal cancer.
His father, Jasen Bracy Sr., said he had tumors in the retinas of both eyes and by the time he turned 7 years old, he was blind.
“Now, he’s just in complete darkness,” said Bracy Sr.
At the age of 13, Bracy Jr. knew he wanted to become a football player, so he took matters into his own hands.
“Once he became old enough and started calling around to some of the local youth teams, the Modesto Raiders was the only team that gave him a opportunity,” said Bracy Sr.
Doing what he loves takes practice on and off the field. Bracy Jr. memorizes every play and where the players are supposed to be.
“Reps is a big thing for football and for me, especially reps because I can’t see the players,” said Bracy Jr.
From the sidelines, his father guides him through a hearing device in his helmet.
“Basically, what I try to do is paint a mental picture for him of what everybody else is seeing out on the field,” said Bracy Sr.
Bracy Jr. has been a starting quarterback and is now a nose guard with his high school football team, the Enochs Eagles, in Modesto, California.
“You can do whatever you put your mind to,” said Bracy Jr.
Friday night was his last game with the Enoch Eagles before he graduates next year, but he said his football career is just beginning.
“Go to college and take my, you know, skills to the next level, improve and go to NFL from there,” said Bracy Jr.
VALENCIA — “Now it’s just survive and advance. One week at a time, one week at a time, we gotta get better. Just survive and advance every week. Wherever we go, we’re happy to be in the playoffs and go and represent the Santa Clarita Valley.”
That’s what Valencia High football coach Larry Muir said after his team defeated West Ranch, 35-0, on Friday night, finishing an undefeated Foothill League campaign in the process and heading into the playoffs with a statement victory.
Valencia (6-4 overall, 6-0 Foothill) came out strong in the first quarter and led 21-0 at the end of the period. Senior wide receiver Nick Seymour started the scoring with an 88-yard touchdown three minutes into the game. Running back Brian Bonner broke a tackle and raced 38 yards for another score just over a minute later, a touchdown set up by a Ronald Bruner interception. After that, junior quarterback Brady Bretthauer found a wide-open Logan Thompson in the back of the end zone for a 13-yard touchdown.
The Vikings led 35-0 at halftime after adding touchdown runs from Bonner and Isaac Shin, who scored from 13 yards out.
It was a banner night for Bretthauer, who passed for more than 350 yards and the two touchdowns, but one of the biggest stories proved to be a standout performance from Valencia’s defense.
The unit has been inconsistent at times this season, but it completely stifled a West Ranch team that was looking to improve its resume for a potential at-large playoff berth.
Bruner had two interceptions against the Wildcats, Seymour had one in the first quarter, and West Ranch could never find any rhythm on offense.
“It was a rough start, but we have a very young defense. But each week, we didn’t let that define us. We just kept getting better and better, and now we’re pretty good,” the senior captain said with a chuckle.
Now both Valencia and West Ranch can only wait to see how the remainder of their seasons shake out.
Valencia is guaranteed a postseason spot, while West Ranch (4-6, 2-4) needs to hope for an at-large berth after finishing fourth in the league.
Senior running back Luke DePerno was injured in the first quarter, and sophomore quarterback Blake Johnson threw three interceptions.
The CIF-Southern Section playoff brackets will be released on Sunday at 10 a.m.
And with the regular season wrapped up for Valencia, Muir – who simultaneously addressed both his team and an excited student section during a postgame huddle – reiterated his appreciation for the school.
“This is a great school. We have a great student body, we have great kids here, great support, and I was just appreciative of everybody here,” he said.
Friday Night Hits: All game recaps and scores of Central Florida high school football
Updated: 12:07 AM EDT Nov 2, 2024
WELCOME TO FRIDAY NIGHT HITS ALONGSIDE KRISTEN LAGO. I AM DAREN STOLZFUS IT IS THE FINAL WEEK OF THE REGULAR SEASON. WEEK 11 AND ANOTHER HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL SEASON COMING TO AN END. IT IS FOR SOME TONIGHT. IT’S KIND OF CRAZY THAT WE’RE HERE ALREADY. WE DO HAVE SOME MAKEUP GAMES NEXT THURSDAY THANKS TO HURRICANE MILTON, BUT YES, TONIGHT SUPPOSED TO BE THE REGULAR SEASON FINALE AND THE SCHEDULE DEFINITELY REFLECTED THAT. ABSOLUTELY. SOME FANTASTIC RIVALRY SHOWDOWNS ON THE SLATE FOR TONIGHT, INCLUDING OUR GAME OF THE WEEK. DOCTOR PHILLIPS, THE SCHOOL THAT SPLIT OFF FROM WEST ORANGE NEARLY 40 YEARS AGO, HOSTING THE WARRIORS. THE BATTLE FOR THE OLD ORANGE CRATE. THEY’VE MET EIGHT TIMES IN THE LAST DECADE. EACH SCHOOL WINNING FOUR TIMES. AND THIS YEAR, BOTH WITH JUST ONE LOSS. ENTERING TONIGHT’S CLASH. THAT ORANGE CRATE? WHO DOESN’T WANT TO WIN THAT OUT IN THE SHADOWS OF UNIVERSAL STUDIOS? ONLY ONE CAN CLAIM THE CRATE HERE IN 2024. EARLY FIRST QUARTER STANLEY ANDERSON LOFTON LOOKING DEEP. HE FINDS HIS MAN CAM DIXON REELS IT IN, DOES THE REST. PANTHERS UP SEVEN TO NOTHING. A LITTLE BIT LATER, THE HANDOFF WILL GO TO KEN WHITE. HE’LL PLUNGE IN FROM ABOUT A YARD OUT. MISS PATTY MADE IT A 13 THREE LEAD FOR DP. THIRD QUARTER. THIS WAS A WEIRD ONE. DOCTOR PHILLIPS DIDN’T HAVE A SINGLE POSSESSION. WEST ORANGE CAPITALIZING ON A NEARLY TEN MINUTE DRIVE WHEN BRIAN DILLARD FINDS RYAN BROWN FOR THE SCORE. BUT DOCTOR PHILLIPS JUST TOO MUCH FOR THE WARRIORS TO HANDLE IN THIS ONE. FOURTH QUARTER. ANDERSON LOFTON WILL FIND DIXON ONCE AGAIN. SECOND TOUCHDOWN OF THE DAY FOR THOSE TWO. THE OLD ORANGE CRATE STILL BELONGS TO THE PANTHERS. WITH MORE FROM OUR GAME OF THE WEEK. HERE’S WESH 2’S ZACH MASKAVICH. HEY THERE DAREN AND CHRISTOPHER. WE TALKED ABOUT IT EARLIER. THIS MIGHT BE ONE OF THE COOLEST RIVALRY NICKNAMES IN ALL OF CENTRAL FLORIDA. THE BATTLE FOR THE OLD ORANGE CRATE. IT’S A RIVALRY THAT DATES BACK TO 1987. IN THAT VERY FIRST MEETING, IT WAS WEST ORANGE THAT CAME AWAY WITH A SEVEN NOTHING WIN. AND FAST FORWARD TO THE 2024 VERSION AND IT’S DOCTOR PHILLIPS THAT WILL KEEP THE OLD ORANGE CRATE HERE IN THE SHADOWS OF UNIVERSAL STUDIOS. AND YOU CAN TELL HOW MUCH A RIVALRY WIN OF THIS MAGNITUDE MEANS TO THE PLAYERS AND THE COACHES. IT’S A BIG GAME, BIG RIVALRY. LIKE I SAID, PREGAME, I PLAYED IN THIS GAME WHEN I WAS 15 YEARS OLD. I HELD THAT CRATE WHEN I WAS 15 AND BE 30 YEARS LATER. IT’S SOMETHING SPECIAL TO US ALL. IT MEANS A LOT TO BE ABLE TO INK OURSELVES ON THAT CRATE MY SENIOR YEAR. IT MEANS EVERYTHING TO ME. WE CAME INTO THIS WEEK KNOWING WE HAD TO MAKE UP FOR THE LOSS THAT WE HAD AGAINST EDGEWATER, WHICH WAS WEEKS PAST. WE’RE STILL TRYING TO GET BETTER EVERY DAY. THIS IS ONE STEP TOWARDS PERFECTION, SO NOW IT’S PLAYOFF TIME FOR BOTH OF THESE TEAMS. DOCTOR PHILLIPS HEADS INTO THE PLAYOFFS, FINISHING THE REGULAR SEASON EIGHT AND ONE ON THE YEAR. MEANWHILE, WEST ORANGE WILL LOOK TO BOUNCE BACK IN WEEK ONE OF THE PLAYOFFS. THEY FINISHED THE REGULAR SEASON SEVEN AND TWO ON THE SEASON AT OUR GAME OF THE WEEK AT DOCTOR PHILLIPS HIGH SCHOOL ZACH MASKAVICH WESH TWO SPORTS. THANK YOU ZACH OUR FAN PICK POLL. ANOTHER TIGHT RACE ON WESH.COM LESS THAN TEN VOTES DECIDED THIS ONE. I LOVE A CLOSE ONE, BUT BISHOP MOORE AT LAKE MARY THE GAME THAT WILL GET A LITTLE EXTRA LOVE TONIGHT. A BATTLE OF BIG TIME QUARTERBACKS IN THIS ONE. YEAH. ROSCOE THE RAM BETTING ON NOAA GRUBBS AND LAKE MARY TO FINISH OUT THE REGULAR SEASON WITH A DUB. BUT BJORN JORGENSEN AND THE HORNETS WOULD HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY ABOUT IT. OPENING DRIVE HANDOFF GOES TO AMARI JOHNSON. UP THE GUT. AND IN FOR SIX. HE GOES. HORNETS WERE BUZZING IN THE FIRST QUARTER. BISHOP MOORE WOULD DOUBLE THE LEAD RIGHT HERE. JURGENSEN ON THE KEEPER. TOUCHDOWN HORNETS. LAKE MARY DOWN 14 TO 3 BEFORE THE OFFENSE FINALLY CAME TO LIFE. FIRST GRUBBS AT THE GOAL LINE TO GIVE THE RAMS SOME ENERGY. AND THEN A LITTLE LATER HE DECIDES TO SHOW OFF THE ARM AS WELL. FAKES THE HANDOFF AND SLINGS IT TO CARSON FREEMAN. WATCH THIS. HE WILL NOT GO DOWN WITHOUT A FIGHT. MAKES HIS WAY ALL THE WAY INTO THE END ZONE. RAMS BATTLING BACK TO TAKE DOWN THE HORNETS 34 TO 16 IS THE FINAL. LITERALLY FIGHTING OCOEE LOOKING TO SPOIL JONES IS UNDEFEATED SEASON TONIGHT. FIGHTING TIGERS JUST TWO WINS AWAY FROM ACHIEVING THEIR FIRST TEN ZERO SEASON SINCE 1968. KNIGHTS PRETTY FIRED UP FOR THIS ONE, THOUGH. FIRST PASS PLAY OF THE GAME JONES QUARTERBACK TO DARIAN COLEMAN LAUNCHES IT, BUT HOW ABOUT OCOEE’S JOSH GREER WHO COMES UP WITH IT. THAT’S AN INTERCEPTION. KNIGHTS OFFENSE THOUGH CANNOT PUT TOGETHER A SCORING DRIVE. SCORELESS AFTER THE FIRST QUARTER. FIGHTING TIGERS GOING BACK TO THE RUN THIS TIME. JAQUEL SMITH WILL MUSCLE HIS WAY IN FOR THE SCORE. THAT’S HALF THE TOUCHDOWNS TONIGHT. SEVEN NOTHING AT THE BREAK. THEY HANG ON. IT IS A 14 NOTHING WIN JONES IS STILL UNDEFEATED. ALL RIGHT. FLYING OVER EVANS. OR EXCUSE ME EVANS COMING OFF BACK TO BACK LOSSES TAKING OUT THEIR FRUSTRATIONS. YEAH YOU COULD SAY THAT ON OAK RIDGE TONIGHT. PIONEERS PUNTING. NOBODY WILL PICK IT UP UNTIL DAREN ROGERS SAYS I’LL TAKE THAT. NOBODY EVEN TOUCHES HIM. TAKES IT ALL THE WAY TO THE HOUSE TO PUT THE TROJANS IN FRONT. AT THAT POINT, IT WAS 63 TO NOTHING MORE FROM EVANS, THOUGH, WAS COMING. NASIR MCMILLAN BACK TO PASS. NOBODY OPEN. SO HE TUCKS IT AND SCORES IT. NOBODY TOUCHES HIM EITHER. EVANS WITH A HUGE WIN TONIGHT 69 TO NOTHING IS THE FINAL SCORE. WHO GOT A D UP. ALL RIGHT. ONE OF THE LONGEST RUNNING RIVALRIES IN CENTRAL FLORIDA IS ONE OF THE MOST SPIRITED ONES. AS WELL. BOONE AND EDGEWATER CLOSING OUT THE REGULAR SEASON AGAINST EACH OTHER AS THEY TYPICALLY DO LOVE THESE RIVALRIES. BOONE TRYING TO BREAK THROUGH THE BRAIN. BRAIN, THE BRAINS BRAVES HAD LOST SIX STRAIGHT TO THE EAGLES, ENTERING TONIGHT, HAD IT KNOCKED OFF EDGEWATER SINCE 2017. THAT MEANS THE SPIRIT BARREL. THERE IT IS. HAS RESIDED AT EDGEWATER FOR QUITE A WHILE. EAGLES HOPING TO KEEP THAT ON THEIR SIDELINE AT NIGHT’S END. BUT BOONE WAS FEELING GOOD. HAD ONLY ALLOWED THREE POINTS IN THE LAST THREE GAMES COMBINED COMING INTO THIS ONE, BUT EDGEWATER TOPPED THAT THEIR OPENING DRIVE. CARTER EMANUEL, QUARTERBACK KEEPER MAKES IT SEVEN TO NOTHING ENSUING DRIVE. BRAVES GO FOR IT ON FOURTH DOWN IN EAGLES TERRITORY AS XAVIER DENMARK SAYS NO, NO, NO. THAT WOULD LEAD TO A QUICK SCORE HERE. JULIAN PRIME PUTTING SIX ON THE BOARD. A FEW PLAYS LATER 14 NOTHING. EDGEWATER SECOND QUARTER JOSH PERRY WEAVING HIS WAY THROUGH TRAFFIC IN FOR THE SCORE. THIS WAS ALL EDGEWATER TONIGHT 4214. THE FINAL SCORE ON TO THIS MAYOR’S CUP ON THE LINE AT WEKIVA. STAYING TRYING TO HAND THE BLUE DARTERS THEIR FIFTH STRAIGHT LOSS OF THE SEASON. BUT APOPKA NOT GOING DOWN THAT EASY. BLUE DARTERS WOULD GO UP 13. NOTHING AFTER THE TOUCHDOWN THERE FROM JACKIE SANDERS. WEKIVA CHEERLEADERS TRYING TO GET THE HOME TEAM GOING BUT NOT SURE THIS IS WHAT THEY WANTED. JACKSON KELLER EVADES THE PRESSURE, MAKES THE PASS, BUT INTO THE HANDS OF APOPKA. HENRY PICKARD. IT GOES. INTERCEPTION FOR APOPKA. BIG PLAY BY THE DEFENSE MEETS. BIG PLAY BY THE OFFENSE. TYSON DAVISON DROPS A BEAUTY HERE TO ALEXANDER ROSSI FOR THE SCORE. WEKIVA FIGHTS BACK BUT CAN’T CATCH APOPKA IN THE END. 20 TO 16 IS THE FINAL. WELL THEY SHARE A STADIUM AND A SIMILAR APPRECIATION FOR EACH OTHER. SEABREEZE AND MAINLAND MEETING IN DAYTONA BEACH. THIRD PLAY OF THE GAME SEABREEZE GOING LONG. KWASI KWAKU JUNIOR PICKS IT OFF AND LOOK AT HIM. JUST TAKE HIS TIME. WEAVES HIS WAY BACK 76 YARDS ALL THE WAY TO THE HOUSE. EIGHT GETS SIX. MAINLAND UP SIX TO NOTHING. MAINLAND’S FIRST OFFENSIVE POSSESSION WOULD END IN SIMILAR FASHION. THEY’LL TOSS IT UP HERE. SEBASTIAN JOHNSON TO JAMIL PATRICK FOR 30 YARDS AND A TOUCHDOWN 13 NOTHING 20 NOTHING. BUCKS. IN THE SECOND QUARTER, THE BAND PLENTY TO DANCE ABOUT CHRISTIAN COOPER REELING IN A TOUCHDOWN HERE IN YOUR LIVING ROOM. BUT PRIDE NEVER DIES. AND THEY DON’T ALLOW POINTS EITHER. 53 TO NOTHING. THE FINAL SCORE FLYING OVER OVIEDO NOW THE LIONS ENTERING THE DEN OUT IN EUSTIS TONIGHT EARLY GOING. OVIEDO WILL BE ON THE ATTACK. DYLAN EDWARDS WHO WILL BREAK FREE UNDERNEATH THE TREES. HE WILL GO IN FOR THE SCORE THERE. WE PROMISE YOU. SEVEN TO NOTHING. LIONS TEN NOTHING. OVIEDO. NOW MORE LIONS. HANDOFF JOHNNY COBBS GOES IN FOR SIX. ALL. OVIEDO TONIGHT. THIS IS A THEME. YET ANOTHER SHUTOUT IN CENTRAL FLORIDA. 59 TO NOTHING IS THE FINAL POINTS ON THE BOARD. FLY OVER TO MOUNT DORA HURRICANES HOSTING THE VILLAGES CHARTER HURRICANES HOWLING EARLY DOWN 13. NOTHING. HERE THEY COME. BIG RUN FROM TANNER WEARING FIVE THOUGH WOULD GET SHOVED OUT AT THE FIVE YARD LINE SOON AFTER THOUGH MOUNT DORA WOULD GET IN THE END ZONE THROUGH THE AIR. HURRICANES TRYING TO GET BACK INTO THIS ONE WITH THE VILLAGES CHARTER WOULD ANSWER PATRICK HARDING WILL FIND AMARI HILL IN FOR A LONG TOUCHDOWN. AND GET THIS THE BUFFALO BETTER BY A POINT TONIGHT. EVERY POINT MATTERS. 2726 THE FINAL SCORE SCORES FROM AROUND THE AREA. WINDERMERE PULLS OFF A PERFECT SEASON IN OVERTIME OVER HORIZON 13 SEVEN THE FINAL. THERE WINTER PARK GETS PAST OLYMPIA 2117. AND WE’VE GOT SOME MORE SCORES FOR YOU THIS TIME FROM THE PRIVATE SCHOOLS HERE. MASTERS ACADEMY WITH A BIG TIME WIN, 55 TO 14 OVER LAKE HIGHLAND PREP AND THEN MOUNT DORA FALLING 42 TO 7 TO CHRIST CHURCH ACADEMY. THOSE WERE PLAYOFF SCORES AS WELL. WE’RE JUST GETTING STARTED HERE ON FRIDAY NIGHT HITS. WHEN WE COME BACK, MORE ACTION, ESPECIALLY FROM OUT ON THE SPACE COAST. OH YEAH, AND BARBECUE ON THE LINE IN BREVARD COUNTY. HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE BARBECUE BOWL. ROCKLEDGE. COCOA IS NEXT. WELCOME BACK. OUT IN BREVARD COUNTY, THE COCOA TIGERS HAVE BEEN QUITE SELFISH WHEN IT COMES TO EATING BARBECUE. AT THE END OF THE SEASON. HOW RUDE OF THEM. COCOA. FOUR STRAIGHT WINS OVER THEIR RIVALS FROM ROCKLEDGE IN THE ANNUAL BARBECUE BOWL. BUT WHO WOULD BE EATING TONIGHT OUT TO THE BOWL WE GO. FIRST HALF, FOUR MINUTES TO GO. RAIDERS. THEY’RE IN TROUBLE. ROCKLEDGE TRYING TO MAKE UP SOME GROUND ISRAEL. MONTANEZ FLUSHED OUT OF THE POCKET. HIT WHILE HE THROWS IN THAT ONE IS INTERCEPTED. HUGE PLAY BY THE COCOA DEFENSE TANK. WHITE TAKING IT TO THE THREE YARD LINE. NEXT PLAY MALACHI CONEY GOES IN UNTOUCHED. THAT ONE PUT THE TIGERS UP 24 TO NOTHING. AND NO THEY WEREN’T DONE. NEXT TIGER DRIVE FIRST PLAY BRADY HART DART HEAVES IT DOWNFIELD 74 YARDS TO A DIVING DL HARDISON. ANYHOW, WHEN YOU SCORE LIKE THAT YOU DESERVE ALL THE HANDSHAKES FROM YOUR FRIENDS. COCOA GETS THE SHUTOUT TONIGHT 37 TO NOTHING. ALL RIGHT, LET’S GO OVER TO MERRITT ISLAND. THE MUSTANG BAND BRINGING THE NOISE. FIRST QUARTER, THE VIERA HAWKS HAVE THE FOOTBALL. ERIC NELSON DROPS BACK. PLAY ACTION! NOBODY’S OPEN, SO WHY NOT TUCK IT AND RUN IT? 67 YARDS. HE IS DRAGGED DOWN INSIDE THE TEN YARD LINE. A COUPLE PLAYS LATER, THOUGH, RYAN BUBAR FANTASTIC NAME PUNCHES HIS WAY INTO THE END ZONE. VIERA ON THE BOARD. SEVEN TO NOTHING. HAWKS IN FRONT. MUSTANGS COME RIGHT BACK THOUGH. FIRST DRIVE KEVIN VERPAELE 20 YARD STRIKE TO KEVIN VERBALLY. IF THAT’S ACTUALLY KEVIN ON BOTH ENDS. VERY IMPRESSIVE. KEVIN MERRITT ISLAND A FANTASTIC GAME OUT THERE TONIGHT. THE STANG GANG TAKES IT 17 TO 14. FINAL SCORE. SOMETHING TELLS ME THAT SCRIPT. SENIOR NIGHT NEW SMYRNA BEACH, CUDAS HOSTING HOLY TRINITY EPISCOPAL FROM MELBOURNE. FIRST QUARTER IS WHERE WE WILL START NSB UP SEVEN NOTHING. TIGERS FORCED TO PUNT. BRANT RIEMENSCHNEIDER TAKES IT ON THE SECOND BOUNCE AND NO ONE WAS CATCHING THAT GUY. BREAKING TACKLES LEFT AND RIGHT ALL THE WAY TO THE END ZONE FOR THE CUDAS TOUCHDOWN. WE’LL HEAD TO THE SECOND QUARTER NOW. NSB ROLL IN KAMARI SPURLOCK HANDS IT OFF AND THAT’S ANOTHER NEW SMYRNA BEACH TOUCHDOWN. YEAH, YOU CAN GET THE POINT HERE. CUDAS WILL WIN IT IN THE END. 42 TO 14. ALL RIGHT, LET’S FLY OVER FREEDOM HIGH SCHOOL, CYPRESS CREEK IN TOWN. SOME OF THESE GUYS PUTTING ON PADS FOR THE FINAL TIME. A PAIR OF WINLESS SQUADS BATTLING. BUT SOMEBODY GETS THEIR FIRST WIN OF THE SEASON TONIGHT. HOW ABOUT THE DEFENSE. PATRIOTS ON THE DOORSTEP. BUT WILL MONTINI INTERCEPTION IN THE END ZONE. THAT’S GOOD FOR THE BEARS. BUT HOW ABOUT SOME DEFENSE FROM THE PATRIOTS SUE LONG WARREN WITH AN ICE PICK BACK. AND FORTH. FREEDOM GOES ON TO WIN IT 30 TO 13 SCORES FROM AROUND THE AREA. LET’S GET BACK OUT TO THE SPACE COAST. O’GALLEY STILL ONE LOSS ON THEIR RECORD 43 NOTHING WINNERS TONIGHT. HERITAGE 21 SEVEN OVER THE HUSTLERS. MORE SCORES FOR YOU TITUSVILLE WITH A BIG WIN OVER ASTRONAUT 34 TO 6. AN
Friday Night Hits: All game recaps and scores of Central Florida high school football
Updated: 12:07 AM EDT Nov 2, 2024
It’s week 11 of Friday Night Hits!Take a look at some Central Florida high school football highlights from this Friday, Nov. 1.Game of the week: Dr. Phillips defeats West Orange 33-11 Fan Pick Poll: Lake Mary defeats Bishop Moore 34-16 Jones Tigers win 14-0 over Ocoee Evans Trojans get 69-0 win over Oak Ridge Pioneers Edgewater Eagles beat Boone Braves 42-14 Apopka wins 20-16 over Wekiva Mainland Buccaneers win 53-0 over Seabreeze Oviedo Lions secure 59-0 win over Eustis The Villages Charter Buffalo wins 27-26 over Mount Dora Cocoa Tigers win 37-0 over Rockledge Merritt Island wins 17-14 against Viera Hawks New Smyrna Beach defeats Holy Trinity Episcopal Tigers 42-14 Freedom Patriots win 30-13 over Cypress Creek Bears Previous recaps:Week 1Week 2Week 3Week 4Week 5Week 6Week 7 Week 9Week 10
It’s week 11 of Friday Night Hits!
Take a look at some Central Florida high school football highlights from this Friday, Nov. 1.
The Virginia High School League has banned Hayfield High School’s football team from the 2024 and 2025 postseasons, according to a source deeply familiar with the situation.
After a monthslong investigation into allegations that Hayfield Secondary School’s football coaches improperly recruited players, they’ve been banned from the 2024 and 2025 postseasons.(WTOP/Scott Gelman)
After a monthslong investigation into allegations that Hayfield Secondary School’s football coaches improperly recruited players, they’ve been banned from the 2024 and 2025 postseasons.(WTOP/Scott Gelman)
The Virginia High School League has banned Hayfield High School’s football team from the 2024 and 2025 postseasons, according to a source deeply familiar with the situation.
Hayfield has appealed the decision, though, and a Virginia High School League committee is scheduled to hear the appeal Nov. 4.
A spokesperson for Fairfax County Public Schools told InsideNoVa, “Hayfield Secondary School continues to work closely with the Virginia High School League and we have no further updates at this time.”
Hayfield’s football team is currently 8-1 and rated No. 1 in Class 6, Region C in the latest league power point ratings. Based on regular season results, the ratings determine the top eight teams that qualify for the playoffs from each region.
The first round of the regional playoffs is scheduled to begin the weekend of Nov. 15-16. The regular season ends Nov. 8.
Questions have swirled around the Hayfield team since it hired former Freedom-Woodbridge football coach Darryl Overton earlier this year. Overton led Freedom to two successive Class 6 state championships.
This summer, the Fairfax County school system investigated whether students from Freedom had followed Overton to Hayfield and were not living in Hayfield’s school district.
After a two-month investigation, Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Michelle Reid in August announced Hayfield’s football program had been cleared of any wrongdoing regarding transfers and eligibility following a two-month investigation.
But the Virginia High School League, the principal sanctioning organization for interscholastic athletic competition among public high schools in the state, has the authority to conduct its own separate investigation.
Officials with the Virginia High School League did not wish to comment on the matter.
The guys pick 15 games across the Bay Area, including Wilcox at Los Gatos, Acalanes at Campolindo, St. Francis at Valley Christian, James Logan at Bishop O’Dowd.
The Chargers had won their last three games by a combined total of 85 points. Things had been going well for Wilcox.
They couldn’t have started out any better on Friday night against Sacred Heart Prep. Opening their first drive on the 30-yard line, the Chargers snapped the ball to quarterback Kai Imahara, who faked an option handoff and bolted around the left side.
Seventy yards of swift running later, Wilcox had a 7-0 lead. Imahara’s long sprint set the tone for the rest of the matchup, which the Chargers won 35-7.
Wilcox’s Kai Imahara (11) runs for a 70-yard touchdown against the Sacred Heart Prep Gators in the 1st half at Wilcox High School in Santa Clara, Calif., on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024. (Thien-An Truong for Bay Area News Group)
“It is nice when you score on the first play,” said Wilcox coach Paul Rosa. “It gets your guys going. Our quarterback made a good read and popped one.”
Sacred Heart Prep (3-5, 0-3 PAL Bay) had a response in the early going. The Gators mounted a 13-play drive, advancing all the way to the Wilcox 1-yard line. But on fourth-and-goal, Greg Gamitian was stuffed at the goal line by the Chargers’ defense.
SHP wouldn’t score until there was 3:19 remaining in the game.
“Tough day,” said Gators coach Mark Grieb. “We couldn’t really answer. Then we get all the way down to the one and can’t get in. So that was frustrating.”
Sacred Heart Prep’s Greg Gamitian (9) runs for yardage toward the end zone against the Wilcox Chargers in the 1st half at Wilcox High School in Santa Clara, Calif., on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024. (Thien-An Truong for Bay Area News Group)
Wilcox was charged up by the momentum-flipping stop. But though its offense got out of the shadow of its own goal line with a 20-play drive, the Chargers ultimately turned the ball over on downs in plus territory.
Yet a quick three-and-out gave Wilcox the ball back, and this time, the Chargers took advantage. Five consecutive rushing attempts later, Wilcox was back in the end zone thanks to a 2-yard TD run by Brayden Rosa.
“That was huge,” coach Rosa said of the fourth-down stop. “Especially being fourth and less than a yard, that’s tough to stop. It was funny, though, because we had worked on that over and over in practice this week, because we weren’t very good at it. So it came up. I’m like, ‘I hope it pays off,’ and it did.”
Wilcox essentially sealed the game with one more score before the half. Another clock-churning drive, this one just 10 plays long, ended with Jeiman Delos Santos’ 3-yard rushing score.
Wilcox’s Alessandro Martinez (22) celebrates after sacking Sacred Heart Prep’s Nico Pollioni (4) in the 2nd half at Wilcox High School in Santa Clara, Calif., on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024. (Thien-An Truong for Bay Area News Group)
With the way the Chargers chew up the clock, 21 points was essentially insurmountable.
“It keeps our defense off the field for most of the game, especially if we’re rolling,” coach Rosa said. “It’s tough on other teams, because you’ve got to get your nose in there every single play, and sometimes kids don’t want to do that all day.”
“They’re good at what they do,” Grieb said. “It’s always hard to adjust to the speed of how they run the option. And obviously, we weren’t ready for it.”
Wilcox didn’t leave anything to chance in the third quarter. After Elijah Vallejo snagged an interception to set the Chargers up at the minus-40, Brayden Rosa eluded several would-be tacklers near the line of scrimmage before picking up speed and scampering 60 yards to the end zone on the second play of the drive.
On the next SHP drive, Vallejo was back around the ball, snatching another pick on the first play of the Gators’ initial series. Imahara then completed back-to-back passes to Justin Forster, the second going for a 16-yard touchdown.
Wilcox’s Brayden Rosa (2) celebrates after scoring a 60-yard touchdown against the Sacred Heart Prep Gators in the 2nd half at Wilcox High School in Santa Clara, Calif., on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024. (Thien-An Truong for Bay Area News Group)
That score, which came with 5:41 left in the third quarter, ensured that the fourth quarter would be a quick one in Santa Clara.
“You’ve got to credit them,” Grieb said. “They’re well coached and disciplined, and they play really hard. Their scheme is tough to defend. Obviously, we’re not the only ones that have a hard time with it.”
Next up for Wilcox is a date with Los Gatos. The two powers in the PAL Bay have been on a collision course — both teams are 3-0 in league play and have been dominating Bay Division opponents left and right. The No. 6 Wildcats shut out Menlo School 38-0 on Friday night.
“It’s a big matchup,” coach Rosa said. “They’re really good. We’re getting better every week. I think we should be able to hang in there, and it should be a good game.
“For the past, probably, I don’t know, eight years, the title was won by either us or them. They’ve won the last few, so that’d be nice to get them once.”
Wilcox head coach Paul Rosa looks on against the Sacred Heart Prep Gators in the 2nd half at Wilcox High School in Santa Clara, Calif., on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024. (Thien-An Truong for Bay Area News Group) Wilcox’s Elijah Vallejo (14) celebrates after intercepting a pass intended for Sacred Heart Prep in the 2nd half at Wilcox High School in Santa Clara, Calif., on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024. (Thien-An Truong for Bay Area News Group)
BRENTWOOD — Winning league games has been like clockwork for Pittsburg for the last 20 years.
Friday night’s matchup against Heritage was no different.
In a game that featured two of the hottest teams in the East Bay, Pittsburg’s talent proved to be too much as the Pirates shut out out the Patriots 45-0 on the road.
Pittsburg struggled with penalties throughout Friday’s game, accruing over 100 yards in infractions. But that didn’t matter as the vaunted Pittsburg defense picked off two passes, sacked the quarterback three times and held the usually high-powered Heritage attack to 123 of total offense.
Pittsburg coach Charlie Ramirez said despite the mistakes, he was proud of the way the team responded to adversity.
“We’re trying to avoid giving things away, whether it’s penalties or wasted opportunities,” Ramirez said. “We had to capitalize on the big plays, which we did. We buckled down, even in spite of all the penalties.
“Seeing that maturation process with this defense was great to see. It was definitely the type of learning we want to start seeing from not a young defense, but a defense that still has some room to grow.”
The win marked the 14th straight time Pittsburg has come out victorious against its Bay Valley Athletic League rival. Pittsburg has not lost a game to a BVAL opponent since 2018 and is 96-11 in league games since 2004.
Pittsburg is going to be heavy favorites in the rest of its league schedule going forward, but Ramirez is hoping to see the same level of competitiveness and focus throughout the rest of the season.
“It’s one of those things that you don’t want to have a drop off,” he said. “We don’t want to be playing against ourselves and losing track of assignments, losing track of scheme, losing track of competition and losing track of execution based on who we’re playing. Everybody in the BVAL is tough and we have to give it our best.”
Pittsburg got off to a fast start in its 45-0 league-opening win over Freedom last week and Friday’s game was no different.
Marley Alcantara’s 64-yard touchdown pass to Truly Bell gave Pittsburg a 14-0 lead seven minutes into the first quarter. Later in the first, Elijah Bow capped off a five-play, 90-yard drive with a bruising touchdown from four yards out.
Down 28-0 In the second quarter, Heritage strung together its best possession of the game in part due to some untimely plays from Pittsburg’s defense.
Backed up near their own end zone, Heritage was forced to go three-and-out, but a roughing the kicker penalty advanced the Patriots’ offense down the field. Later in the drive, Pittsburg got a stop on third-and-long, but an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty kept the Heritage drive alive.
“I wasn’t frustrated by that because those are learning moments,” Ramirez said. “We’re gonna use that to be able to drive home that we gotta be focusing on us.”
The yellow laundry continued throughout the possession to the tune of 66.5 of total yardage. But the Pirates made a goal-line stand and stopped the Patriots on the four-yard-line.
On the very next play, running back Jamar Searcy channeled his inner Beast Mode, breaking numerous tackles en route to a 96-yard rushing score to put Pittsburg up 35-0 at halftime.
“I saw my O-line blocking for me and the hole opened,” Searcy said. “I just had to burst through it, trust the process and use my ability to break tackles.”
Searcy finished the night with 139 yards rushing on six carries.
In an effort to keep the team and the crowd in the game, Heritage played the popular Journey song, “Don’t Stop Believin” at halftime, but Pittsburg closed the door on any big comeback early in the third quarter.
With most starters on the sideline, Pittsburg drove 72 yards in four plays, ending with a Carlos Torres to Makari Kenion 39-yard touchdown pass on the first possession of the second half that initiated the running clock rule and iced the game for Pittsburg.
“We feel like we’re the best team in NorCal,” Searcy said. “We just had to treat the game like practice, don’t overlook our opponent and just play a physical game.”
The Patriots were heavy underdogs going into Friday’s game. Heritage was without senior starting quarterback Phillip Babbitt who was out with injury and was overmatched at almost every position.
Longtime Heritage coach Dave Fogelstrom knows all too well the challenges of playing Pittsburg – a team that is always loaded with college talent.
“Things happen faster against Pittsburg than they do in any other game,” he said. “It’s just something that until you experience it as a player, you just don’t know what you’re in for.”
Injury Updates
Both teams played a physical game, which led to some unfortunate injuries down the stretch.
Alcantara limped off the field early in the second quarter after what appeared to be a hamstring injury. He re-entered the game on Pittsburg’s final drive of the first half, but sat the second half with the rest of the starters when the game was out of reach for Heritage. Ramirez confirmed Alcantara is OK and the team was being precautious about his injury by keeping him on the sideline.
Pittsburg offensive lineman Jonah Leleasapai was carted off the field after rolling his ankle on the same play Alcantara had to leave the game. Ramirez said Leleasapai suffered a high ankle sprain – a re-aggravation of an ankle injury he suffered earlier this season – but said he doesn’t believe the injury is “anything serious.”
Things were supposed to be tougher for the Highlanders in 2024, when they were moved into the tougher Mission Division.
Piedmont obviously hasn’t gotten the memo.
After defeating preseason favorite Hayward last week, the East Bay school routed undefeated league rival Irvington 49-7 on the Vikings’ homecoming night, and now has the inside track to winning its second straight league title.
As acclaimed musical artist Ice Spice once pondered, are the Highlanders ‘a two hit wonder’? Or is Piedmont now just a darn good football team?
“There’s no such thing as a two hit wonder,” defensive back Miguel Long said. “And now that we’ve won these two league games, no one is going to stop us, or at least I hope.”
FREMONT — Piedmont running back Tommy Ashton (8) stiff arms an Irvington defender. Piedmont beat Irvington 49-7 in a high school football game at Tak Fudenna Stadium in Fremont, Calif. on Oct. 17, 2024 (Joseph Dycus/Bay Area News Group)
Piedmont led 35-0 at halftime and the fourth quarter was played with a running clock. The offense was phenomenal, with dual-threat quarterback Markos Lagios throwing for three touchdowns and rushing for another.
Oakland Tech transfer Xavier Henderson caught Lagios’ first touchdown, Cash Elmquist pulled in the second, and Jack Meyjes finished Piedmont’s scoring with a touchdown reception on a slick slant route.
The Piedmont offensive line, led by senior Liam Leahy, played with a ruthlessness reminiscent of Sid from Toy Story and gave the offense plenty of time and room to operate.
Those easy touchdowns were a far cry from the frustration Piedmont felt during opening week, when Salesian routed the Highlanders 46-14.
“I think we were feeling ourselves coming off of last year,” said Seiden, who added that the loss gave the team a new edge.
FREMONT — Piedmont quarterback Jordan Seiden speak with quarterback Markos Lagios. Piedmont beat Irvington 49-7 in a high school football game at Tak Fudenna Stadium in Fremont, Calif. on Oct. 17, 2024 (Joseph Dycus/Bay Area News Group)
The defense, led by linebacker Elmquist, got two interceptions returned for touchdowns. Senior Brandon Dicke had one on the last play of the first half, donning a silver and purple “turnover chain” to celebrate.
“We wanted to show people that you should not be scheduling the Piedmont football team on homecoming,” Dicke said.
A few minutes earlier, teammate Long had also expanded Piedmont’s lead with a pick six.
Irvington avoided the shutout when Matt Forbes ran for his 14th rushing touchdown of the season late in the fourth quarter.
FREMONT — Piedmont wide receiver Sam Shelby drops the ball in the end zone after scoring an apparent touchdown in the first half, which was called back because of penalty. Piedmont beat Irvington 49-7 in a high school football game at Tak Fudenna Stadium in Fremont, Calif. on Oct. 17, 2024 (Joseph Dycus/Bay Area News Group)
Coach Anthony Jackson said that his team finally paid for some bad habits built up during easy victories against overmatched opponents, and expects improvement in those areas following the team’s first loss.
To Irvington’s credit, the group led by linebacker Tommy Chang and Usmaan Nasri continued to fight hard as they were buoyed by a student section stayed loud until the final whistle.
“We’re gonna have a chip on our shoulder now,” quarterback Angel Perez said. “We were playing sloppy football today, and we’ve got to get back to work.”
Piedmont (6-1, 2-0) plays host to Washington-Fremont on Friday. Meanwhile, the Vikings (6-1, 1-1) play host to Newark-Memorial.
FREMONT — Irvington running back Matt Forbes (23) runs with the football in the first half. Piedmont beat Irvington 49-7 in a high school football game at Tak Fudenna Stadium in Fremont, Calif. on Oct. 17, 2024 (Joseph Dycus/Bay Area News Group) FREMONT — Piedmont defensive back Brandon Dicke dances after scoring a touchdown in the second quarter. Piedmont beat Irvington 49-7 in a high school football game at Tak Fudenna Stadium in Fremont, Calif. on Oct. 17, 2024 (Joseph Dycus/Bay Area News Group) FREMONT — Irvington junior Kirsten Zhou swings a lightsaber during a halftime performance by the band. Piedmont beat Irvington 49-7 in a high school football game at Tak Fudenna Stadium in Fremont, Calif. on Oct. 17, 2024 (Joseph Dycus/Bay Area News Group) FREMONT — Piedmont quarterback Markos Lagios (4) throws a pass while enjoying good pass protection. Piedmont beat Irvington 49-7 in a high school football game at Tak Fudenna Stadium in Fremont, Calif. on Oct. 17, 2024 (Joseph Dycus/Bay Area News Group) FREMONT — Piedmont quarterback Markos Lagios (4) is tackled by Irvington defender Tommy Chang. Piedmont beat Irvington 49-7 in a high school football game at Tak Fudenna Stadium in Fremont, Calif. on Oct. 17, 2024 (Joseph Dycus/Bay Area News Group) FREMONT — Jack Meyjes (14) attempts to catch a pass for Piedmont in the first quarter. Piedmont beat Irvington 49-7 in a high school football game at Tak Fudenna Stadium in Fremont, Calif. on Oct. 17, 2024 (Joseph Dycus/Bay Area News Group) FREMONT — Irvington coach Anthony Jackson hypes up his team before the game. Piedmont beat Irvington 49-7 in a high school football game at Tak Fudenna Stadium in Fremont, Calif. on Oct. 17, 2024 (Joseph Dycus/Bay Area News Group)
OAKLAND – For the second time this season, a high school football game in Oakland abruptly ended in the second quarter because of violence.
But unlike when El Cerrito had its Sept. 13 game was called early at Oakland Tech because of mayhem that started in the stands, Friday’s matchup between Fremont-Oakland and host McClymonds was stopped because of an altercation between players.
The incident occurred with McClymonds up 21-0 with 11 minutes left in the second quarter.
Longtime McClymonds coach Michael Peters believed the fight was started by a Fremont player who took offense to how a Warriors opponent tackled him on a kickoff return.
“This scuffle jumped off, and then Fremont’s whole team ran down, and then our guys who were transitioning (from special teams to defense) all ran over there,” Peters told Bay Area News Group on Friday night. “There was probably like two kids actually fighting.”
Fremont coach Tyler Newell said that he was turned away from the field and talking to coaches and thus didn’t see how the altercation started, but immediately went to break up the fight once he saw what was happening.
“I’m trying to teach my kids a lesson out of this,” Newell told this news organization on Saturday morning. “Tensions can rise and things can be said, but you have to stay strong and have the right mindset.”
Referees decided to call the game at that point, despite both teams wishing to resume play after order had been restored after around 10 minutes, and neither being aware of any injuries sustained during the incident.
Whether the game will be counted as a no-contest or a McClymonds victory yet to be determined.
Oakland Section commissioner Franky Navarro is waiting for more information before making any decisions.
“I have yet to receive officials report,” he told this news organization on Saturday morning.
Peters said that he will review video of the incident, and then will hand out suspensions. McClymonds has 19 people on its roster, and its longtime coach will bring up JV players for next week’s game against Castlemont.
“We’re gonna lose some guys,” Peters said.
McClymonds is 3-3 this season and has won the past 13 OAL titles – known as the Silver Bowl. Under Peters, the Warriors have won six NorCal crowns and four state championships.
Fremont, which will play at Oakland High on Friday, is now 0-5 and is playing under its third different head coach in the past three seasons. The Tigers had their 2023 season-opener stopped due to fan violence.
MANKATO, Minn.— It was a huge homecoming for Gov. Tim Walz Friday night in Mankato.
Minnesota State University stadium was packed Friday night for the annual Jug Game between Mankato West Scarlets and the Mankato East Cougars.
This traditional game was far from typical, with secret service members in the crowd and heavy police presence, but on the gridiron, it was game on as usual.
“Seeing Mr. Walz is a great thing,” said Jimmy Baker, Mankato West alum. “I think he’s a great person.”
25 years ago, it was Baker and his teammates on the field and Walz was the assistant coach.
“I feel nostalgic in an amazing way,” Baker smiled.
Times have changed—and both Walz and Baker are in the stands watching a new generation hit the field.
A few hours before kickoff, as the Scarlets got onto bus, Walz gave the team captains a quick pep talk, telling them to have fun.
A homecoming for Walz, from the halls he once taught, to the field before hitting the campaign trail with less than a month until election day.
In front of a packed stadium, the Scarlets beat the Cougars 28-7.
SIMI VALLEY- Grace football was defeated by Brentwood School 48-41 Thursday in the Lancers’ final nonleague game of the season.
Grace (4-3) showed a lot of fight in the game, climbing back from a 27-7 first-half deficit to take a one-point lead in the fourth quarter.
Grace quarterback Ethan Lasecla was stellar, as he finished with 23 carries for 303 yards and five rushing touchdowns. He also completed 21 of 35 passes for 257 yards and one touchdown and one interception.
“We really fought, it was great seeing the team come together to try and come back,” Lasecla said. “That’s a Division 8 team and last year we lost in the first round of Division 13, so it’s awesome seeing the growth and the adversity we were able to fight through.”
The game-clinching touchdown for Brentwood (6-2) came on a 43-yard touchdown pass from Ben Mikail to Ryder Brownstein with a little over two minutes left in the game.
The Lancers were unable to convert on their possession following the score for Brentwood.
Grace had major issues with stopping Brentwood’s passing attack. Mikail completed 24 of his 33 passes for 373 yards and four touchdowns with one interception. Vanderbilt commit Brownstein was his leading receiver, finishing with 10 catches for 220 yards and two touchdowns.
Grace fell behind 27-7 after Mikail threw two touchdown passes in the first half and Brentwood running back Bradley Selma scored two first-half touchdowns on runs.
The Grace offense also had three of their possessions in their first half end on turnover on downs in Brentwood territory.
Lasecla did score on a 62-yard touchdown run on their first possession.
Lasecla scored his second touchdown run of the night with a little under a minute left in the half to make the halftime score 27-13.
Grace tied the score at 27 after three quarters when Lasecla scored on a 34-touchdown run and also found Jack Kolesar for a 24-yard touchdown pass.
After less than two minutes played in the fourth quarter, the game was tied at 34 after Addison Patrick Stirling scored on a 9-yard touchdown run for Brentwood and Lasecla quickly answered back with a 61-yard touchdown run.
Grace took a 41-40 lead after Lasecla scored his final touchdown run of the night and Brentwood scored on a 20-yard touchdown pass from Mikail to Marcus Rosenthal. The PAT following Rosenthal’s touchdown catch was blocked.
On the kickoff return before the final score of the game, Brentwood was able to get good field position on its return and started the drive from the Grace 47. Five plays later, Mikail found Brownstein for their second touchdown connection of the night to make the final score 48-41.
“I think we performed well and Brentwood’s a fantastic football team,” Grace coach Tom Coate said. “Tonight was the typical Ethan Lasecla, and he’s the best athlete I’ve coached. He’s a great teammate and leader and we’re lucky to have him here at Grace.”
Kolesar finished the game with five catches for 71 yards and one touchdown for Grace. Jaadin Weyandt had five catches for 56 yards for Grace.
Grace will begin Citrus Coast League play next week with a game at Nordhoff. Brentwood will have a bye next week before beginning Gold Coast League play against Rio Hondo Prep.
STILLWATER, Minn. — The gridiron is where winners are crowned and incredible comebacks happen.
Stillwater High School Sophomore Keegan Hawke has one great comeback story.
On Sept. 24, Hawke went into cardiac arrest and collapsed during football practice.
“All I remember is him saying ‘coach, coach,’ then he’s right in front of me on the ground,” said Assistant Coach Matt Hemenway.
With no pulse and no time to spare, coaches and athletic trainers jumped into action with a critical piece of equipment and saved his life.
Stillwater High School Athletic Trainers Olivia Dubois and Mike Renfro started CPR while preparing the Automated External Defibrillator (AED).
“Knew he didn’t have a pulse, wasn’t breathing. We knew we needed the AED,” Dubois said. “It advised a shock. We pressed a button to administer a shock,” added Renfro.
The AED did what it was supposed to, restarted Hawke’s heart as he was rushed to Regions Hospital.
After days in the hospital, he was diagnosed with an uncommon heart rhythm that doctors hadn’t detected before when he went to get checked for an irregular heart beat.
“When playing sports, my heart would go from normal to super-fast but it would go away,” Hawke said.
After 72 hours in an induced coma and a total of 11 days in various hospitals—Keegan returned home Friday with a device that’ll monitor his heart and deliver a shock if and when he needs it.
“Really grateful, very thankful for my teammates and coaches and trainers that helped me,” Keegan said.
Katie Hawke credits the quick use of the AED for saving Hawke’s life.
“We want to create awareness that this can really happen to anyone at any age,” Katie said.
Hawke’s family is ready to champion for the miracles of that day and a lifetime with their son.
“We want to make sure anyone who’s coaching sports, at grocery store, anywhere knows CPR and how to work an AED,” Katie said.
An online fundraiser has raised nearly $5,000 for that goal.
On Friday, Hawke was back on the field to thank the trainers that saved him and see the friends he missed dearly.
Keegan is bummed he can’t play football anymore, but he’s still going to be on the sidelines for his Stillwater teammates.
EL CERRITO – One of the Bay Area’s top high school football teams will be without its head coach for the foreseeable future. El Cerrito coach Jacob Rincon has been placed on administrative leave, multiple sources told the Bay Area News Group. The reason for and length of the suspension is not known.Rincon did not respond […]
NCAA Football is Once Again a Philly Autumn Obsession.
But Is the Local Feel Fading Away?
Suppose you haven’t gotten an opportunity to take in some great Pennsylvania High School Football yet this fall. In that case, you still have plenty of time to enjoy a Friday night frenzy or Saturday spectacular at many Philadelphia area high school fields or stadiums.
You may even get an opportunity to see a 4th and short trademarked Philadelphia bulldozing, pile-driving-tush push — but not from the Eagles (at least not until Sunday).
For most of us, fall plans of leaf raking and errand running must be worked on Saturday around the national obsession of college football.
However, seeing some of the nation’s marquee matchups is proving more difficult in the Philadelphia area each year.
Temple Football
PHOTO: Danny Wild/Imagn Images
Temple Football, the preeminent Football Program in Philadelphia dating back to 1894 and once influenced by the great Pop Warner, hasn’t gone to a bowl game since 2019 and hasn’t won one since 2017.
Between 1990 and 2009, Temple Football didn’t have a winning season. Instead, it held on to the promise of a newly constructed stadium in Philadelphia, which has not yet happened.
LaSalle Football
LaSalle College and then LaSalle University — who developed a football program during the US Depression era in 1931 until it was discontinued in 2007 due to funding issues. From 1931 until 2007, the football program had only seven winning seasons.
We’ll have to wait to see if the beginnings of a resurgence in LaSalle’s athletic programs beginning in 2025 will include a return to football.
Villanova Football
Perhaps Philadelphia’s saving grace in football lies in its suburbs. Villanova, with a combined record of 647–495–41 (a winning percentage of .564), a legacy since 1894, and one claimed National Championship in 2009. Or the University of Delaware — with its six Division I FCS National Titles, 24 playoff appearances, and 17 Conference Titles.
Penn Football
Sitting snugly on the University of Penn campus is one hundred thirty-year-old Franklin Field, whose Gilded-Age Era exterior facade of Weightman Hall has seen six of Penn’s seven national championships, last won in 1924.
The Eagles beat the Packers in 1960, and the Philadelphia Stars won a USFL title in 1984. It is the oldest college football stadium still in use today.
The Philadelphia region’s PIAA already boasts one of the best high school football programs in the country.
Its surrounding PA suburbs deserve the same great experience on Saturday as on Friday.
BRENTWOOD – When Clayton Valley senior quarterback Tyson Lovett left the game with an injury late in the second quarter of Friday’s game against Liberty, the Ugly Eagles didn’t panic.
The Concord school rallied around freshman quarterback Javale Jones, who led Clayton Valley on a 10-play, 78-yard game-winning drive in the final minutes of the fourth quarter that ended with an 18-yard touchdown pass to tight end Logan Knapp to beat Liberty 21-17 on the road.
“For a freshman, I’ve never seen anything like that,” said Clayton Valley coach Nick Tisa. “He only got 40%, maybe even 30%, of the reps during the week. But he mentally prepares like he’s going in at any point.
“We talk about next man up and that just affirms what we do here at Clayton Valley.”
Clayton Valley’s Logan Knapp (7) catches a pass in the end zone for a touchdown against Liberty in the fourth quarter of a high school football game in Brentwood, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. Clayton Valley would go onto defeat Liberty 21-17. (Photo by Anda Chu)
In essentially two quarters of play, Jones completed 4 of 6 passes for 45 yards and a score while adding 18 yards rushing.
“It was my time to shine,” Jones said. “I had to step up for Tyson when he went down and get this win.”
Star Liberty running back Jaxon Bell scored his two touchdowns in the first half – a 50-yard scoring grab and 39-yard sideline burst to the house – to give Liberty a 14-6 lead at halftime.
The Brentwood school got the ball to start the third quarter, but Clayton Valley’s defense forced a crucial three-and-out to stifle Liberty’s chance to extend its lead.
On the ensuing possession, Clayton Valley marched down the field in 12 plays that was capped off by a four-yard touchdown run by senior running back Justin Underwood.
“Man, I just saw a really big hole,” Underwood said of his touchdown run.
With the Ugly Eagles down two points, Clayton Valley trotted out what looked like its field-goal unit.
But it was just a disguise as the Ugly Eagles shifted all but two players to the left sideline. When the ball was snapped, Logan Remington threw a screen pass to Knapp, who ran behind a wall of blockers to convert the two-point try and tie the score at 14 with just under four minutes to go in the third.
After a quiet start to the second half, Liberty found its rhythm again in the fourth quarter.
The Lions strung together a solid nine-play drive that ended with a 21-yard field goal by kicker Ezekiel Carreno that gave them a 17-14 advantage with 3:36 left in the game.
Liberty kicker Ezekiel Carreno (60) and place holder Jaxon Bell (2) score a field goal against Clayton Valley in the fourth quarter of a high school football game in Brentwood, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. Clayton Valley would go onto defeat Liberty 21-17. (Photo by Anda Chu)
With Clayton Valley needing a score, the offense turned to Jones to make plays. Up until Clayton Valley’s final drive, the offense had yet to complete a pass. Jones’ first two attempts fell incomplete in the third quarter.
On a crucial third-down-and-long play, Jones completed a 14-yard throw – the first completion of the night – to tight end Tony Keck to keep the drive alive.
Minutes later, on another third-down attempt, Jones found Keck again, this time for seven yards that put Clayton Valley in Liberty territory.
Clayton Valley found itself in another third-down situation, needing nine yards to get a first down. The Lions looked to have made a stop as Jones scrambled a yard short of the first-down marker, but a late hit by a defender incited a penalty marker for unnecessary roughness and moved Clayton Valley to the 18-yard line.
The call was met with boos from the home crowd as many on Liberty’s sideline believed there was no malicious contact after the play.
“I didn’t see the hit out of bounds, but my coaches told me it was kind of ridiculous because if anything he was helping (the quarterback) back up,” said Liberty coach Mike Cable. “But they threw the flag. There should be no contact there, especially in a situation like that. So you can’t complain about the call.”
On the very next play, Jones made the play of the night.
Scrambling to his left, he looked like he was going to tuck the ball and try to run down the sideline. But at the last minute, he saw Knapp running open in the back of the end zone and threw it where only the 6-foot-4 tight end could grab it.
“I saw the defensive ends crash outside,” Jones said. “I felt the pressure and I stepped up and Tony Keck was just wide open. I had to give him the ball.”
Clayton Valley head coach Nick Tisa celebrates their 21-17 win over Liberty in a high school football game in Brentwood, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. (Photo by Anda Chu)
Down four points, Liberty had just over a minute to march 56 yards and score a touchdown to win the game, but Clayton Valley’s defense made sure that didn’t happen.
The Ugly Eagles forced a fumble that was recovered by junior Alec Hernandez with 40 seconds left.
Ball game.
While Tisa has thrown Jones into games sporadically throughout the season, he even admitted he was surprised that the freshman had as much poise as he did during the team’s game-winning drive.
“I did not expect this,” Tisa said. “It’s just so dynamic what he could do. I’m really proud of him, but I didn’t say much to him. It’s just what we expect here.”
For Liberty, the defeat was a big blow to the players and coaches. The Lions pulled away in tight games against Amador Valley and Tracy in the last two weeks, but couldn’t get the stops necessary to overcome early second-half struggles on offense.
“This is extremely disappointing,” Cable said. “To have this game kind of swing momentum the way it did and to lose in this fashion like we did hurts.”
Clayton Valley (3-2) heads into a bye week before starting league play against Las Lomas on Oct. 11. Liberty (3-2) is slated to start league play next week at Antioch.
Clayton Valley head coach Nick Tisa celebrates their 21-17 win over Liberty in a high school football game in Brentwood, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. (Photo by Anda Chu) Liberty head coach Mike Cable walks the sidelines in the fourth quarter of a high school football game against Clayton Valley in Brentwood, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. Clayton Valley would go onto defeat Liberty 21-17. (Photo by Anda Chu) Liberty head coach Mike Cable looks on from the sidelines in the fourth quarter of a high school football game against Clayton Valley in Brentwood, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. Clayton Valley would go onto defeat Liberty 21-17. (Photo by Anda Chu) Clayton Valley’s Logan Knapp (7) celebrates with teammate Billy Blackwell (52) after scoring a touchdown in the fourth quarter of a high school football game against Liberty in Brentwood, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. Clayton Valley would go onto defeat Liberty 21-17. (Photo by Anda Chu) Clayton Valley quarterback Javale Jones (2) scrambles against Liberty’s Brady Whitaker (50) in the fourth quarter of a high school football game in Brentwood, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. Clayton Valley would go onto defeat Liberty 21-17. (Photo by Anda Chu) Liberty’s Jaxon Bell (2) is pushed out of bounds by Clayton Valley’s Dion Lew Beverly (1) in the fourth quarter of a high school football game in Brentwood, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. Clayton Valley would go onto defeat Liberty 21-17. (Photo by Anda Chu) Liberty’s Jaxon Bell (2) break away from a Clayton Valley player in the fourth quarter of a high school football game in Brentwood, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. Clayton Valley would go onto defeat Liberty 21-17. (Photo by Anda Chu) Liberty’s Jameson Wolfe (3) is takled by Clayton Valley’s Ryan Clark (29) in the third quarter of a high school football game in Brentwood, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. Clayton Valley would go onto defeat Liberty 21-17. (Photo by Anda Chu) Clayton Valley’s Hayezon Jackson (3) runs the ball in the third quarter of a high school football game against Liberty in Brentwood, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. Clayton Valley would go onto defeat Liberty 21-17. (Photo by Anda Chu) Clayton Valley’s Hayezon Jackson (3) is tackled by Liberty’s Zaire Calhoun (32) in the third quarter of a high school football game in Brentwood, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. Clayton Valley would go onto defeat Liberty 21-17. (Photo by Anda Chu) Clayton Valley’s Hayezon Jackson (3) runs the ball against Liberty’s Chris Joe (10) and Jaxon Bell (2) in the third quarter of a high school football game in Brentwood, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. Clayton Valley would go onto defeat Liberty 21-17. (Photo by Anda Chu) Liberty’s Jameson Wolfe (3) runs the ball against Clayton Valley’s Ryan Clark (29) in the third quarter of a high school football game in Brentwood, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. Clayton Valley would go onto defeat Liberty 21-17. (Photo by Anda Chu) Clayton Valley quarterback throws on the sidelines with a trainer in the second quarter of a high school football game against Liberty in Brentwood, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. Clayton Valley would go onto defeat Liberty 21-17. (Photo by Anda Chu) Clayton Valley quarterback throws on the sidelines with a trainer in the second quarter of a high school football game against Liberty in Brentwood, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. Clayton Valley would go onto defeat Liberty 21-17. (Photo by Anda Chu) Liberty’s Jaxon Bell (2) scores a touchdown against Clayton Valley in the second quarter of a high school football game in Brentwood, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. Clayton Valley would go onto defeat Liberty 21-17. (Photo by Anda Chu) Liberty’s Jaxon Bell (2) breaks away from Clayton Valley’s Andres Watts (13) on his way to the end zone and touchdown in the second quarter of a high school football game in Brentwood, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. Clayton Valley would go onto defeat Liberty 21-17. (Photo by Anda Chu) St. Ignatius’ Jarious Hogan, shown here in a file photo, scored on a 30-yard touchdown run with 1:14 left to lift the host Wildcats to a 21-20 victory over Serra in a West Catholic Athletic League opener on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, in San Francisco. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group) Clayton Valley quarterback is tackled by Liberty’s David Calkins Jr. (8) in the first quarter of a high school football game in Brentwood, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. Clayton Valley would go onto defeat Liberty 21-17. (Photo by Anda Chu) Liberty’s Jaxon Bell (2) scores a touchdown against Clayton Valley’s Nathan Underwood (4) in the first quarter of a high school football game in Brentwood, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. Clayton Valley would go onto defeat Liberty 21-17. (Photo by Anda Chu) Liberty’s Jaxon Bell (2) catches a pass and would then scramble into the end zone for a touchdown in the first quarter of a high school football game against Clayton Valley in Brentwood, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. Clayton Valley would go onto defeat Liberty 21-17. (Photo by Anda Chu) Liberty quarterback Sage Robertson (12) looks to pass in the first quarter of a high school football game against Clayton Valley in Brentwood, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. Clayton Valley would go onto defeat Liberty 21-17. (Photo by Anda Chu) Clayton Valley head coach Nick Tisa looks on from the sidelines in the first quarter of a high school football game against Liberty in Brentwood, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. Clayton Valley would go onto defeat Liberty 21-17. (Photo by Anda Chu) Clayton Valley’s Hayezon Jackson (3) celebrators after scoring a touchdown against Liberty in the first quarter of a high school football game in Brentwood, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. Clayton Valley would go onto defeat Liberty 21-17. (Photo by Anda Chu) Clayton Valley quarterback Tyson Lovett (15) looks to pass under pressure from Liberty’s David Calkins Jr. (8) in the first quarter of a high school football game in Brentwood, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. Clayton Valley would go onto defeat Liberty 21-17. (Photo by Anda Chu) Clayton Valley’s Hayezon Jackson (3) head for the end zone and touchdown against Liberty in the first quarter of a high school football game in Brentwood, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. Clayton Valley would go onto defeat Liberty 21-17. (Photo by Anda Chu) Clayton Valley’s Dion Lew Beverly (1) runs the ball against Liberty’s JJ Miranda Jr. (9) in the first quarter of a high school football game in Brentwood, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. Clayton Valley would go onto defeat Liberty 21-17. (Photo by Anda Chu) Clayton Valley quarterback Tyson Lovett (15) hands the ball off to Clayton Valley’s Hayezon Jackson (3) in the first quarter of a high school football game against Liberty in Brentwood, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. Clayton Valley would go onto defeat Liberty 21-17. (Photo by Anda Chu) Clayton Valley quarterback Tyson Lovett (15) looks to pass against Liberty in the first quarter of a high school football game in Brentwood, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. Clayton Valley would go onto defeat Liberty 21-17. (Photo by Anda Chu) Clayton Valley quarterback Tyson Lovett (15) looks to pass against Liberty in the first quarter of a high school football game in Brentwood, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. Clayton Valley would go onto defeat Liberty 21-17. (Photo by Anda Chu) Liberty’s Jordan Stewart (28) block a pass by Clayton Valley quarterback Tyson Lovett (15) in the first quarter of a high school football game in Brentwood, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. Clayton Valley would go onto defeat Liberty 21-17. (Photo by Anda Chu) Clayton Valley’s Dion Lew Beverly (1) runs the ball against Liberty’s Ezekiel Carreno (60) in the first quarter of a high school football game in Brentwood, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. Clayton Valley would go onto defeat Liberty 21-17. (Photo by Anda Chu)
From a podcast to multiple documentaries, the rise and fall of the once revered NFL star Aaron Hernandez is certainly well documented. An FX limited series is latest to rehash the saga, attempting to go beyond the headlines and dig deeper into his story.
“American Sports Story: Aaron Hernandez” stars Josh Andrés Rivera as the New England Patriots tight end. It details Hernandez’s troubled childhood with an abusive father who demanded his son play football and project masculinity and toughness to the world. Secretly, Hernandez also struggled with his sexuality.
“What we tried to do with this show — is take a tabloid headline, take some story that you think you know about Aaron Hernandez … and go behind it and see what it’s like to walk in the shoes of all the people who are part of this,” said Brad Simpson, one of the series’ executive producers, in an interview.
Hernandez’s life, crimes and death have been detailed before in long-form writing, documentaries including Netflix’s “Killer Inside: The Mind of Aaron Hernandez,” and the podcast “Gladiator: Aaron Hernandez and Football Inc.,” which is the basis for “American Sports Story.”
Rivera, known for his supporting roles in the recent “Hunger Games” prequel and 2021’s “West Side Story,” said playing the former tight end was a “responsibility that you have to approach with a certain level of sensitivity.”
Once he started learning more about Hernandez’s life, diving into recordings of phone calls he made from prison and watching clips from his interviews, Rivera said he began to see the layered intricacy of Hernandez’s life. And he only became more eager to play him.
“To a lot of people, he was very charming and very charismatic and easy to get along with. There were not a small amount of people who felt that way, so that was interesting because you have to dissect the ‘why,’” Rivera said. “There’s clearly a magnetism there, disguising an inner life that’s very complex.”
Rivera said he enjoyed the challenge of that character work, calling Hernandez “a chameleon.”
“There was variations on the amount of tenderness and even the frankness, or the amount of swagger he would use from person to person, so I tried to incorporate that to a core essence,” he said.
Transforming into Hernandez was also a physical commitment for Rivera, who described getting into NFL shape as “meathead summer,” where he increased his food intake and worked with trainers to build muscle. The hardest part, though, of the transformation for Rivera, was getting inked up.
His mobility was often limited when filming to preserve the tattoos, which he said he initially found frustrating, but ultimately, the “oppressive feeling” of not being able to move freely was something he channeled into his character’s frustration.
Rivera stars alongside Jaylen Barron as Hernandez’s high school sweetheart and later fiancé, Shayanna Jenkins, Lindsay Mendez as his cousin, Ean Castellanos as his brother and Tammy Blanchard as his mother. Patrick Schwarzenegger plays Hernandez’s college teammate Tim Tebow, Tony Yazbeck plays former Florida coach Urban Meyer and Norbert Leo Butz plays former Patriots coach Bill Belichick.
With the first sports-focused season of the “American Story” franchise, producers said they are interested in dissecting the “American religion of football.” They also hope viewers question the preconceptions they had about people involved in stories that captured the nation, like that of Hernandez.
“We can use this story to challenge certain perspectives or to just add a little bit of nuance for people who maybe don’t know much about it or have a fixed mindset about it,” Rivera said. “It’s an interesting opportunity.”
PHOTO: Danny Wild/Imagn Images
