La Habra back in CIF finals, out to secure championship against San Jacinto

La Habra Coach Frank Mazzotta with players DJ Mitchell, Bobby Brooks, Luke Hedgpeth, Noah Poppin and Kevika Mata’Utia-Martinez at Tuesday’s CIF press conference at The Grand. (PHOTO: Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone).

La Habra’s football team, with a late season surge, reached the CIF playoffs and now the Highlanders have a chance to bring home the eighth title for the program when they meet San Jacinto Saturday at 7 p.m. in the Division 4 final at San Jacinto Community College.

La Habra, 10-3 overall, suffered a 56-21 road loss to Epsilon League champion Crean Lutheran on Friday, Oct. 17. But the Highlanders won their last two league games and three more in the playoffs, to reach the final against San Jacinto (10-3).

La Habra’s last CIF title came in 2015 when the Highlanders defeated San Clemente to win the CIF Southwest Division crown at Cerritos College.

“We’re really excited to be there,” said La Habra Coach Frank Mazzotta at Tuesday’s CIF press conference at The Grand. “We know San Jacinto really well, we see them twice a year, we go to his passing tournament and they come to scrimmage us in the fall. It’s really going to be one of those great nights because the kids are all very respectful with each other and we kind of know each other, which is weird, they’re so far away.

“I’m excited to see a great football game between two well coached teams with good players and good coaches. You want to be playing your best football at this time.”

Mazzotta acknowledged the Highlanders early struggles in league.

“Crean Lutheran is really, really good and I thought we made a few horrible mistakes in the Huntington Beach game and still had a chance to win at the end,” he said. “It’s a testament to the kids and the coaches, you just got to keep going. No matter what happens, you get up and go next week and keep working and you might get some positive things happen.”

No. 2 seeded La Habra has been outstanding on defense, limiting opposing teams to under 250 points this season.

Noah Barajas has been La Habra’s leader on defense with more than 80 tackles. Barajas and Luke Hedgepeth have teamed up for nearly half of the Highlanders 30 sacks. Santi Batista Cuesta has recorded six interceptions.

The offense is led by quarterback DJ Mitchell, who has thrown for more than 2,500 yards and 30 touchdowns and 10 rushing touchdowns.

Running back Kevika Mata’ Utia Martinez has run for more than 1,000 yards and scored 10 touchdowns and wide receiver Bryce Vasquez has more than 1.000 reception yards and 10 touchdown catches.

La Habra was represented Tuesday by Mitchell, two-ways lineman Noah Poppin, defensive end Hedgpeth, running back-linebacker Mata’ Utia-Martinez, and safety/running back Bobby Brooks, who Mazzotta said, “is a two-way star for us, he’s had an amazing playoffs, he’s had two pick sixes and four interceptions in three games, he’s had an amazing three games in the playoffs.”

Mitchell, the junior quarterback, is looking forward to the game.

“It’s really exciting,” he said. “It hasn’t been done in 10 years in the program history so we’re going to try and execute on Saturday and just have fun.”

Mitchell said the players and coaches got together after two league losses to regroup./

“Once those two league losses came, we sat down as a group, talking about what we were doing wrong and figure out how to execute it better, and we’ve been rolling since then,” he said.

San Jacinto is back in the final for the first time since winning the crown in 2022. The Tigers, the champions of champions of the Mountain Pass League, are on a six-game winning streak.

Quarterback Josue Estrada has passed for more than 1,600 yards and 17 touchdowns. Running back Jomani Ransom has rushed for more than 1,400 yards and 14 touchdowns.

Damare Coleman leads the defense with more than 90 tackles.

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