Avalon captures CIF-SS championship

Lancers hold high scoring Lancaster Baptist to 10 points

Photo by Nick Morrow The Avalon High football team captured the second CIF-SS championship in the schools history and won it on their home field for the first time.

It might have been fate. It may have been divine intervention. It was definitely something from within. Something took over the Avalon High football team this year and it propelled a group of boys over the top this year, as the Lancers captured the second CIF-SS Eight-man Football Championship in school history.

As the 100-year anniversary of school’s opening approaches, the program also suffered the loss of its founder. Earl Schrader, who started the school’s football program in 1998, according to Head Coach Nick Morones, passed away over the summer. The team dedicated this season to his memory. And after knocking on the door three years in a row, the Lancers got to host the championship game for the first time. It just seemed like the stars aligned, Morones said.

On Saturday, the Lancers completed their storybook ending with a 20-10 win over Lancaster Baptist to bring the CIF-SS Division 2 Eight Man Championship home to Avalon. The Lancers took the early lead and their defense closed it out to keep Lancaster from rallying.

“They played like they would not be denied,” Morones said of the team.

The quarterback in the final game was Owen Chavoya. He was the fourth player the Lancers had put under center and he had to come off the offensive line to take over after injuries continued to force adjustments. Morones said the team spent all season switching up players and moving pieces around. They were used to mixing and matching roles and finding ways to make it work. It was also the fourth year in a row that the Lancers had been as far as the semifinals and it was their second title game in that span.

“We’ve played deep into the playoffs, so the guys felt comfortable,” Morones said.

The Lancers took a 20-3 lead, with touchdowns from Matthew De La Rosa, Manases Rubio and Aaron Rubio. On defense, the Lancers highlights included A fumble recovery by Aaron Rubio, and interceptions by Chris Gonzalez and Erik Madriz. The interception by Madriz came late in the game and essentially sealed the win.

Lancaster Baptist had scored no less than 45 points in each of their three games leading up to the finals. The Lancer defense, led by coach Cruz Martinez, managed to hold them to just 10 points.

“They [defense] stepped up big when we needed them to,” Morones said.

In a season that saw so many twists and turns, it seemed like destiny that the Lancers would finish with a championship.

“It definitely felt surreal, it just kind of felt like a dream,” Morones said.