A Night At The Mission:

Serra 38 - Alemany 21 

Junipero Serra went to Mission San Fernando Rey for the first time in history Friday night.  Not the famous Junipero, he never got there.  Serra High traveled to the Mission to play Bishop Alemany.

Serra elected to give the Warriors first crack at offense.  Eight plays and three minutes later, Alemany scored.  It was really done in three plays, all passes, each to a wide open receiver.  First impression, Alemany couldn't run on Serra, and Serra couldn't stop the pass. 

Serra's first possession didn't make a good impression.  Three and out, seven yards gained, two given back. 

Alemany's next possession might have been the key to the game.  Caleb Wilson's excellent punt put the Warriors on their own 36.  Two plays including an effective screen pass moved the ball to the Serra 30.  First down and Alemany's Blake Green was sacked for a loss of 6.  Second down, another sack, and the Nigerian Nightmare Oluwole Betiku landed on Green's shoulder.  On the next play, Green threw a wobbly pass intercepted at the Serra the Serra 24.  Green never returned. It will ever after be a question how Serra would have fared if Green had played four quarters.  

There was no immediate payoff.  On its second series, Serra made one first down, but stalled at the 40.  The first quarter ended: Alemany 7 - Serra 0. 

Alemany stopped itself on the next possession with two key penalties.  Serra got the ball for the third time at its 31-yard line with 11:10 remaining in the half.  The Cavs scored in eight plays, mostly on the ground.  The money play was 5-yard pass Khalil Tate to Caleb Wilson that ended with the ball bouncing out of Wilson's out-stretched hand but after crossing the plane of the goal.  A low snap gave Alemany time to smother the extra point try.  9:21 remaining in the first half, and Serra remained down by an embarrassing point: 7 to 6.

Just the same, it was beginning to look good from the visitor's stands.  The Serra defense -- again was stellar against the run and was beginning to jell against the pass, and the offense was beginning to get traction.

The Warriors didn't see it that way, however.  While they couldn't do much on the ground, again they seemed to have the secondary to themselves.  Third and long at the Serra 36, Desean Holmes out jumped three Cavaliers in the end zone and carried Cayden Dunn's pass to the ground.  The point after was good.  Alemany 14 - Serra 6 with 6:32 remaining in the first half. 

The Cavs came right back, inspired by possibly the best kick-off return of the season: Job McGinty for 55 yards to the Alemany 38 and no blocks in the back.  Five plays later, Khalil Tate scrambled up the middle from the 5.  Serra's attempt to for two failed:  Serra 12 Alemany 14, and 5 minutes remaining 'til half time.

The Serra defense came to the rescue again.  Alemany couldn't take the kickoff back to the 20 and lost yardage in three plays.  Fourth and long at the 16, the snap went over the kicker's head and out of the end zone on the fly.  Safety.  Sister kissing time: 14-14 with 2:35 remaining and the ball back to the Cavs. 

One of the Cavs was too anxious to capitalize on Lady Mo.  A false start on fourth and one forced a punt, and Alemany ran off the last minute: 14 - 14 and the teams filed off to work on "half time adjustments."

Serra's choice to get the second half kick off went sour when Tate's pass from the Serra 31 was intercepted at the Alemany 26.  But Blake Walls returned the favor two plays later, intercepting Dunn at the 30 and returning to the 11. 

Despite two major penalties against the Warriors, the Cavs were unable to turn Walls' good work into a TD.  With 8:55 remaining in the third, Erick Escamilla kicked an 18-yard field goal.  After 27 minutes, the Cavs took their first lead 17 - 14. 

Alemany was stymied by the Serra pass rush on the next series: One sack and two hurries.  Serra got the ball at the Alemany 44 with 7:50 remaining in the third. 

Tate dropped back to pass, then pulled it down.  For the first time all night, he found an open field.  The Warriors couldn't catch him -- 44 yards and a touchdown.  Point after was good: Serra 24 - Alemany 14, with 7:37 left.

Alemany started their next drive at the 44, but couldn't get anywhere.  Dunn was taking his life in his hands every time he dropped back to pass.  But Serra followed up with a five and out. 

Wilson's punt backed the Warriors to their own ten.  A fantastic third and long catch off the grass earned a first at the 24, but Dunn took his life in his hands one time too many.  He dropped back on second and nine looking to throw a short hook to his left.  Tysyn Parker picked him off at the 33 and ran the ball in for a quick touchdown.  Point after was good from 8 yards out after a Serra false start.  Serra 31 - Alemany 14 with a minute remaining in the third.  For the first time in a long time, the Cavalier nation could breathe easy.

The Warriors' next series was their last hurrah.  Ten plays, all the important ones completed passes.  The last and most important was a desperation 4th down pass.  Jarrin Pierce had somehow come wide, wide open at about the 25 and ran the rest of the way for a touchdown.  PAT good: Alemany 21-Serra 31, but with only 9 minutes remaining in the game.

So the key now was to use up enough clock to make two scores impossible.  Serra started at its own 25.  Twelve plays used up five vital minutes, and to top it all off Caleb Wilson made a fantastic catch of a 27-yard, 4th down pass from Khalil Tate to put the game out-of-reach under any imaginable scenario. 

Alemany worked hard to cut into the lead if only for appearances sake, but they were stopped at the Serra 6 when time expired.

The Crowd. The Cavalier. And the Band. At Alemany.