Football is a unique sport - similar to that of rugby and yet entirely its own. It's a sport that has victory, defeat, suspense, and tension. But, unlike any other sport, there's a unique atmosphere football creates - with the lights of the stadium, the roar of the crowds, and the thrill of the game. Those traits are always present no matter what level of football game one is attending - high school, college, or professional. Yet those levels differ from one another in alternative ways, in the skill sets of the players and the plays called during the game, amongst other things. It is a rare occurrence when a high school football game is similar to a college football game. However, I find I have experienced one of those rare occurrences.
For three years I have attended the football games of SHC and for an even longer period of time I have watched college football. The University of California, Berkeley had a good football program this year - going 6-7 and making it to a bowl game with the help of their remarkable (former) quarterback. Similarly, SHC had a good football program this season with a record of 4-7, climbing back from such a devastating record last year. With that exciting season this year came an especially exciting realization: in their game against Archbishop Mitty, the SHC Varsity football team exhibited traits on the field similar to those of Cal.
Beyond the jersey number of their quarterbacks, these two teams have far more in common than one might think. Yes, college football will almost always be superior to high school in skill, but that does not mean that SHC and Cal are beyond comparison.
With the 2024 season behind them, the Irish close their year with a record of 4-7. This season SHC played some amazing games - arguably the best of which being their game against Archbishop Mitty, on October 12th. The Irish took on the Monarchs at Kezar Stadium in mid-October and, after trailing in the first half, they came back for an amazing victory in the end.
With only one touchdown, three interceptions, and multiple penalties against them in the first half, things were not looking good for the Irish. No matter how much progress they made, it was never enough and every time SHC's defense forced Mitty to a third down, the Monarchs managed to persevere.
However, that all changed after SHC returned from the locker room for the second half. Right off the kickoff, the Irish turned themselves around with a 19 yard run from Legend Williams. SHC showed a lot of grit in the second half that heavily influenced their play. Although they did not completely dominate the score, more outstanding runs from Legend Williams and the athleticism of quarterback Michael Sargent ticked the score up to 35 points for the Irish. Despite the consistent tradeoff of touchdowns nearing the end of the game, SHC took the win with Zion Secrease scoring the final touchdown.
Contrary to the start of the SHC v Mitty game, when the University of California, Berkeley football team played Oregon State on October 26, they played aggressively from the very beginning. By the time the close of the first half rolled around, Cal had a nearly unbelievable lead of 31-0. They continued with that ferocity in the second half, finishing the game with the triumphant score of 44-7. Oregon State was not a weak opponent this past season, with only one less win than Cal, but their tenacity was not apparent in the aforementioned game and Cal emerged victorious.
Despite the obvious differences in score between these two games, there are quite a few notable similarities between the football teams of Cal and SHC. Most apparent is the athleticism of the quarterbacks. Both Fernando Mendoza (Cal's former quarterback, now transferring to Indiana) and Michael Sargent possess the ability to avoid sacks and obtain first downs. When their offensive lines are crumbling, they know where to run to either make a successful pass to an open receiver downfield or obtain the first down themselves.
Additionally, Cal made quite a few trick plays during their game against Oregon State which were similar to those made by SHC throughout the 2024 season. When both teams called a trick play, they created a tremendous amount of distress for their opposition. However, the main difference between the two teams' trick plays was the success rate they had. Cal was able to turn the distress of their opposition into a great run or pass, displaying the possibilities such plays could bring for SHC if only the Irish improved their game just a bit to truly take advantage of the surprise trick plays create for the opposing team.
Another similarity between Cal and SHC's football teams is the enthusiasm of both of their head coaches. Antoine Evans, like Justin Wilcox, is always optimistic regarding the future of his teams - no matter how many losses they have endured - and is constantly looking for opportunities to push his team to play their best. In addition to such optimism, both coaches have admirable humility, honoring the hard work of the athletes they train and the successes they have garnered. The impact the positive attitude of these coaches have on their teams is reflected on the field, especially for the Irish. In the fourth quarter of their game with Mitty, the Irish were able to return from a third and fifteen stall on Mitty's 28 by achieving a touchdown on the next play - demonstrating how immense positivity can create game-winning results.
Possibly more important than the similarities are the minor differences between these teams, differences that SHC can learn from and use to their advantage. As previously mentioned, both quarterbacks have the vital ability to outmaneuver charging defensive players. However, Cal's offensive line is able to hold back such players much more effectively than SHC's offensive line - allowing their quarterback to only focus on making a successful pass. If SHC's offensive line is able to stay together and prevent players from breaking through the pocket, then the Irish will be able to drive down the field much more efficiently.
Furthermore, Cal's running backs display more athleticism and can out-maneuver the defense. Their abilities to spin and twist out of the grips and out of the way of the opposition elicits more yards for their team. Now, SHC has good running backs that have proved their abilities many times this season. However, they have also been stopped many times by the defense and could help the team benefit by adopting such skills.
Some of these differences may be a matter of skill set and better athleticism among the Cal players, but I think these improvements for the Irish are completely within reach. I think that if they learn from them, SHC's football team will become far more of a threat in the league. That, paired with the determination and optimism of Head Coach Antoine Evans, translates into a strong program that has the potential to make next season very interesting.
