SC Football Dominates in Early Season National Spotlight

Traveling 2,700 miles to Florida, from one Hollywood town to another, the No. 10 nationally ranked Trailblazers overcame early mistakes before running wild and outshining No. 9 Chaminade-Madonna, 24-7, in the Broward County National High School Football Showcase on Thursday.

Senior running back and Cal Berkeley commit Jaxsen Stokes earned MVP honors, rushing for 177 yards on 26 carries, while catching two passes for 56 yards and a touchdown. Senior playmaker and UCLA commit Myles Baker made an impact all over the field, throwing for a touchdown, rushing for another, and leading the team in tackles on defense.

In the first half, the Trailblazers had little trouble moving the ball, but they were plagued by costly fumbles and penalties that wiped out scoring opportunities. Senior quarterback Demarco Hernandez eventually connected with sophomore defensive lineman/tight end Stephan Harrison on a crossing route in the second quarter for Sierra Canyon’s first touchdown. The Lions later recovered another fumble and found the endzone to get even, 7-7, going into the break.

The second half was all Sierra Canyon. After a 31-yard field goal from senior kicker Carter Sobel, sophomore defensive back/wide receiver Damion Harrison returned an interception 17 yards to set up the game’s biggest play. Lining up in the wildcat formation, Baker took a direct snap, ran to his right side, then found Stokes wide open on the opposite side of the field for a 27-yard touchdown, pushing the lead to 17-7.  

Baker added a 20-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter, from the same wildcat formation, to put the game away, 24-7. Hernandez finished 16-for-21 for 198 passing yards, and junior wide receiver Micah Slade totaled 84 receiving yards on six catches.

Head Coach Jon Ellinghouse credited his defense’s physicality after the game, which forced three interceptions and shut out the Lions the entire second half. And despite the early struggles, Sierra Canyon left the Sunshine State with what they came for – a signature road win in the national spotlight and a 2-0 start to their young season.

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