Cypress players celebrate semifinal win and get ready for championship game at home

Cypress players, including Ryan Soto (No. 43), Aidan Ashcraft (No. 42) and Kyler Kroll (No. 4) join in the celebration. (Photo Fernando M. Donado, For OC Sports Zone)

As Cypress High’s football players celebrated the biggest victory of their careers, their head coach was watching and enjoying every moment of it.

“I’m happy for those guys,” Coach Rick Feldman said after Cypress beat Serrano 26-21 in the semifinals Friday night to reach the CIF Division 7 championship game against Temecula Valley. Cypress is the home team and the game will be played Friday at 7 p.m. at Western High.

“I’m going to coach for a few more years and maybe we will get another chance and maybe we won’t. But this has been the most special group I’ve ever coached and I tell them every game and every week and for them to be able to experience this makes so happy.”

Dylan Eldredge, Isaac Hurtado, Corey Anesi and Elijah Vaielua had big-time performances on offense. The defense, time and time again, made big stops.

Residents of this tight-knit community, which celebrated CIF baseball and softball titles last season, watched their football team inch closer to the top prize.

Cypress won the CIF Southern Division title in 2007 under Coach Ray Fenton, defeating Pacifica 36-30 at Cerritos College. Feldman, now in his sixth year, took Cypress to the Division 9 semifinals in 2017. The Centurions lost to eventual CIF champion Aquinas.

Now, he’s going to the finals for the first time.

“The school has been jumping behind us with all sorts of spirit,” he said. “We had a great crowd tonight. I’m happy that I got there, but I’m happy they got there. Look at these guys. They’re the best kids in the world so I’m happiest of all for them because they get to keep going. It’s fun to be a part of it, I’m glad our guys get to experience this.

“The wins and losses kind of fade down the road but the life experiences and everybody jumping on board and being behind you is stuff that they’re going to remember forever and the brotherhood they share for this 14th week.”

It was a dramatic ending in game featuring two 12-0 teams. When the heart of the team, Hurtado, went down late with an ankle injury, there was concern he might not be able to make it back.

“I thought he was done, I said, ‘he’s not coming back, what are we going to do?'” Feldman said. “We have a great training staff and they got him to the point where he could go. He wasn’t 100 percent, but he came back in and helped us when we needed it the most.”

Indeed he did, scoring on a 4-yard TD run with 3:08 left to put the Centurions back on top.

Hurtado praised his teammates, including players on defense, for picking up the slack.

He got emotional talking about his return for the final three minutes.

“Once I knew I could put pressure on it, I couldn’t stay out,” Hurtado said. “It made me sad because I love this game and it reminded me of two years ago when I tore my ACL. And if there was anything I could do to come back I would and that’s what I did.”

“I was just happy that I could do it (the touchdown). My ankle hurt but that was besides the point.”

Then, he added more praise for his teammates.

“The defense was amazing,” he said. “We all knew our responsibilities. Our D-Line has just been incredible all year. They did an amazing job and for the DBs to stay on their man as long as they did, I’m just so happy for everyone. It was a team effort.”

RELATED: Photos and game story from Friday’s semifinal

-Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone; timburt@ocsportszone.com