If you live in Pasadena, San Mario, South Pasadena, Bradbury, Monrovia, Sierra Madre, or La Canada, come out to see your Cavalier Football against St. Francis.
Serra, ranked 3rd in the state, against St. Francis, ranked 39th in the state
Who: Serra HS vs. St. Francis HS
When: 7:00pm @ St. Francis HS
Where: 200 Foothill Road
La Canada Flintridge, CA 91011
We will have a supply of Serra Alumni visors with us in your choice of Serra Red or Serra Blue with us for $10.00.
CIF Round Two Recap: Serra vs. Buena
Fox Sports tabbed Friday, November 23rd, upset night but the '13 Cavaliers coasted to an easy 40-6 victory over Buena.
What was upsetting was seeing Adoreé Jackson sprawled at the near-side 40 about twenty yards from the play. 9:40 remained in the second period. He is quoted as saying he had taken a cheap shot. Whether dirty or just an excess of emotion, it was the kind of blind side hit that can end careers, and a scary reminder of how fickle the game of football can be. At this writing, it seems that there was no permanent damage and Adoreé will be back.
Jackson got his licks in before he fell. In fact, it was another game where it almost seemed scripted to give individual Serra stars a spotlight moment. Those photogenic highlights can be misleading. Even Buena could have put together a highlight film. At the end of the day, it's because of the steady play of the whole Serra defensive eleven, twenty-five to forty-plays a game, that the '13 Cavs are undefeated thus far.
Buena's Noah Martinez is a quick and durable running back and the engine of the Bulldog offense. But the Cav defense, line and line backers, held him in check all night. Buena scored on the last play of the game, but Buena couldn't do a thing when the result was in doubt.
Serra took the opening kickoff and scored in eight plays, punctuated with three penalties, one an offensive facemask. Jackson and Greene runs put Serra in the red zone. After the obligatory penalties moved the ball back, Serra scored on a fine Greene-to-Jackson pass at the flag. The point after kicked from the 8 after a motion penalty made it 7-0 with 9:41 remaining in the first period.
Buena looked a little like Stanford on its first series. The Bulldogs had the ball for 13 plays, mostly chip-away runs by Martinez. On play no. 14, Buena quarterback Mijares was pressured into a desperate throw. Olajuwon Tucker picked off the pass and dodged, cut and broke tackles sixty-two yard for Serra's second TD at 3:11. PAT good. Serra up 14-0.
After that first 13-play series, the Serra defense had Buena's number. Three and out, and Serra gave Buena a chance to show off its excellent punter. Serra ball at the 20 with 2:00 remaining in the first.
It took Serra seven plays to score -- Greene's scoring run after four plays was nullified by a block in the back penalty, but the Cavs came right back and scored on play no. 7. Serra showed that the lonely kicker formation is not just a meaningless gesture. Adoreé Jackson scored a two point conversion despite a good defensive effort from Buena. Serra up 22-0 with 4 seconds remaining in the first period.
Buena held the ball for three plays, using up the first minute of the second quarter, then sent in its excellent punter. But Glen Ihenacho got there before the punter's foot. He not only blocked the kick, he picked it up and ran it in for a forth Cavalier touchdown. PAT good Serra up 29-0
Serra stopped Buena on the next series. Jackson went down on that mysterious hit; and the Cav offense seemed to lose its steam. Three downs and Serra punted from deep on its own side of the field. Buena was again unable to make a first, and Serra got the ball at the Serra 35.
5:36 remaining in the half and the question of the hour: whether Serra was toothless without Jackson in the lineup. The answer was no. Darrion Naylor stepped up in an 8-play drive that ended with Isaac Cox's leaping catch of a hot Greene pass. Motion, a feeble snap and the PAT barely cleared the offensive line. Serra 35 Buena 7 with 3:29 remaining in the half.
Buena fumbled on the next possession, setting the Cavs up at the Serra 43. Serra held the ball for the remainder of the half, ending with a field goal when several passes to the endzone fell incomplete. The highlight of that drive, an effective 80 yard penalty when measured from the spot of the foul, nullified a brilliant Jalen Greene escape and run, moving the ball from the Buena 20, where Greene was finally tackled to the Serra 20. 38-0 at halftime.
Serra scored on the first series of the second half when Buena, trying to punt on fourth, hiked the ball over the punter's head and out of the endzone. Serra 40 - Buena 0, and the clock was allowed to run for the remainder of the game.
A general who believes in sending his opponents home with their horses and side arms, Coach Altenberg restricted passing and gave everyone with a clean jersey a chance at a little game experience. Neither team moved the ball, but Kahlil Tate was impressive as he has been every time he's had significant playing time.
The Bulldogs scored in the final series of the game largely on the strength of a twenty-yard run by Martinez followed by a personal foul that moved the ball to the ten.
Overall, Serra did more and more effective passing than it has over the last couple of games. Cox and Webb proved that they are dangerous receivers in their own right. Greene, Naylor, Jackson -- and Tate -- ran well with generally good blocking. But penalties remained a big issue. Unofficially, Serra was penalized 8 times, five of those major penalties. The Cavs overcame them all, but against tougher competition, this could be a serious problem.
Now it's on to LaCanăda where the Cavs will play the Golden Knights of St. Francis for a second time in a month. In the frenzy of their win against Camarillo, the Kah-nites where heard begging for a Serra victory at Buena, and they're certainly not to be taken for granted.
Chaminade lurking in the lower bracket and waiting for revenge will play Lompoc in the other semifinal.
Carl Williams '85
Serra Students have a requirement to perform Christian Community Service. We estimate that Serra students perform 20, 000 hours of service over the course of a year.
Service? Carl Williams is a 1985 Alumnus, a graduate of San Diego State, has been performing great service as Athletic Director for 17 years at the Union Rescue Mission in downtown Los Angeles. Carl's family consists of daughter Amber, and two sons, Zachary and Izayah.
Recent Alumni Return
Principal Christian DeLarkin welcomes back Emerald Faletuipapai '13 and on his way to the University of Houston, Frank Flanagan '11 and a Sports Management/Marketing major at St. Ambrose in Iowa. Frank also is a Volleyball player at St. Ambrose. They are joined by Vivian Bertrand, Counselor for the Juniors and Seniors.
Mrs. Bertrand held a College and Recruit Night 2 weeks ago and brought 26 Colleges and Universities to present to our seniors. The schools included Stanford, USC, UCLA, LMU and 22 more. That's Serra.
