La Habra Coach Frank Mazzotta talks to his team after Thursday’s win. (PHOTOS: Tom Connolly, For OC Sports Zone).
Before Thursday’s CIF Division 4 first round playoff football game, Etiwanda Coach Nick Baiz said it was essential for his team to stop La Habra quarterback DJ Mitchell and running back CJ Dickerson for his team to win.
Unfortunately for the Eagles, Dickerson and Mitchell were virtually unstoppable and the Highlanders went on to a 42-35 see-saw victory over Etiwanda.
La Habra (6-5), after losing its last five games and barely reaching the playoffs, advances to the quarterfinals and will play the winner of Friday’s Cathedral vs. Cypress game next Friday.
Highlanders’ Coach Frank Mazzotta was pleased with the win.
“After losing our last five games, it’s a relief to win this game; we needed to build our confidence back up,” said Mazzotta, who is in his 29th year as La Habra’s head coach. “We haven’t been able to put together a complete game yet this season. We told our kids we weren’t sure if we were going to make the playoffs after last week’s game, but we did and now we have to take advantage of the opportunity.”
Dickerson, La Habra’s sophomore running back, rushed for a career-high 208 yards on 32 carries and scored three touchdowns – all in the second half.
“It feels good to win and there is more to come,” said Dickerson, who rushed for 177 yards in the second half and was the Highlanders’ workhorse. “We can’t wait for next week.
Dickerson was forced to take on an extra load because starting running back Kevika Mata-Utia Martinez suffered a concussion in last week’s game against Corona del Mar and was not available to play. Dickerson played with the poise of a veteran.
Mitchell also had an outstanding game rushing for 106 yards on 13 carries and a touchdown. The Cal Poly SLO-commit also threw two touchdown passes. His 25-yard scramble midway through the fourth quarter help set up Dickerson’s one-yard TD run that gave La Habra a 35-21 lead with 5:50 to play.
“We came out really strong in the second-half and were more physical than they were,” said Mitchell, who threw a 64-yard TD to Blake Rogers that gave La Habra a 7-0 lead in the first quarter. “We came out with a different mindset after halftime and this win gives us confidence going forward.”
With the score tied at 14-14 at the break, the Highlanders scored two third-quarter touchdowns to take a double digit lead. Mitchell tossed a 15-yard TD pass to Barrett Blied and Dickerson carried the ball four consecutive times and capped a scoring drive with a 28-yard touchdown run to give La Habra a 28-14 lead with 3:25 left in the third quarter.
However, the Eagles cut the lead to 28-21, following Alexander Doucette’s 1-yard TD run early in the fourth quarter. The Highlanders responded on the ensuing possession with an 8-play 85-yard drive that Dickerson finished by scoring on a 1-yard touchdown run with 5:50 to play, upping the Highlanders lead to 35-21.
But Etiwanda (5-6) quickly countered with a 13-yard TD run by Jaden Lindsay, trimming the lead to 35-28 with 3:19 remaining.
Again La Habra answered back, this time with Dickerson scored the back-breaking touchdown on a 29-yard TD run with 1:20 left.
The Eagles scored with 10 seconds remaining, but it too little and too late.
“We just couldn’t get off the field when we needed to,” said Baiz. “We couldn’t contain Mitchell and Dickerson.”
Etiwanda’s quarterback Landon Congalton had a huge game, completing 25 passes for 272 yards and two touchdowns. Eagles wide receiver Chad Wakumoto Jr., was Congalton’s main target as he caught 11 passes for 129 and a touchdown.
“Yeah, we play in a tough league but that’s no excuse,” said Mazzotta, referring to his team going winless this season in the Bravo League. “At some point, you have to get over the edge and win games. We feel we’ve been given a second opportunity to redeem ourselves.”
Both teams scored a touchdown in the opening quarter and the score was tied 7-7 after 12 minutes of play.
La Habra retook the lead 14-7 with a 10-play, 50-yard scoring drive, following a long kickoff return (and a La Habra penalty) by London Hurley. Mitchell gave the Highlanders a 14-7 lead after he completed the drive with a spinning six-yard touchdown run.
After Etiwanda stoped a La Habra drive at the Eagles 18-yard line, the Eagles, sparked by the crisp running and passing of Congalton, marched 82 yards in 11 plays for a tying score. Congalton tossed a 10-yard TD pass to Jaden Lindsay to tie the score at 14-14 with 1:26 remaining in the half.
La Habra out-gained Etiwanda 243-185 in the first half.
For best view, click on the photo:
More Stories
Thursday night CIF football playoff final scores for Orange County teams
BONUS PHOTOS: Looking back at week 10 of Orange County high school football
La Habra rallies for CIF Division 2 second round playoff victory over Northwood