YLHS Football Are D3 CIF Champions
YLHS Football wins D3 CIF Championship game against Upland High School. The score was 9-6.
November 25, 2022
Playing high school football in November is a special thing to do. CIF starts in November, allowing the best of the best to play each other for a championship title. After the Mustangs had an incredible undefeated season of 10-0, they started their journey for CIF, which played their first game on November 4, 2022, and ended on November 25, 2022.
On November 25, 2022, at 4:15 at Yorba Linda High School, Shapell Stadium, family, friends, and classmates cheered on the boys to send them in high spirits to compete in the CIF finals. Our Mustangs traveled to Upland High School to play the Highlanders to compete for the Division 3 CIF Champion Title.
The Mustangs showed up to Upland around 5:30 to start preparing for the big game ahead of them. Much preparation goes into a big game, with players getting ready, water girls preparing water and the headsets for coaches, and coaches looking through plays and looking for their best options; so much goes into something like this.
Before the game started, captains JJ Conrad (12), Ali Elfiky (12), Wyatt Mosier (12), and Jackson Reiter (12) walked out to meet the Highlanders captains. The Highlanders ended up with kick-off first, allowing us to have a chance to score first. Soon after, William Saucedo (12) scored the first and only touchdown of the night in the first quarter.
“It felt great to put up some points on the board early; it’s always good starting on a good note,” stated William Saucedo (12). The team celebrated with William in the end zone, but they still knew they had a difficult game ahead of them. The Mustangs, however, missed the extra point but kept the Highlanders from scoring in the first half. At halftime, the game was 6-0 for the Mustangs.
The game was played well, with Reyn Beal (12) helping lead the team. He states, “I am incredibly happy. It was a close game and extremely stressful. Flaig is a hero.” The offense had a great game, but our defense helped quite a bit. Dylan Gardner (11), JJ Conrad (12), William Saucedo (12), JJ Escavor (11), and Wyatt Mosier (12) helped the team on offense by gaining yards to get the team closer to the endzone. Our defensive line, Jon Silverstri (11), Jackson Reiter (12), Josh Grethen (11), Ali Elfiky (12), and Owen Sahyoun (11), had great tackles and kept the intensity up the whole game. Throughout the match, Wyatt Mosier (12), Owen Tesch (12), Jason Escovar (11), Nicco Nicoletti (12), Blake Herrin (11), Clark Samson (12), Ryan Gary (11), Reyn Beal (12), Jayden Flaig (12), JJ Conrad (12), Jackson Reiter (12), Ali Elfiky (12), Tyson Woods (11), and William Saucedo (12) played their hearts out and tried everything they could. Our O-Line was also a lot of help; some of those players are Logan Kemp (12), Grayson Pelick (12), Rory Mosier (11), Kaz Aslay (12), and Matson Ochoa (11).
During halftime, the boys had time to rest and regather themselves to prepare for the next half to keep up the lead and try to win the game. The second half started with Jayden Flaig kicking off to the Highlanders. During the start of the 3rd quarter, the Highlanders scored and missed their extra point making the game tied 6-6. The game had stayed tied until about 7 seconds left in the 4th quarter. Our Mustangs decided to kick for a field goal. Jayden Flaig (12) was 42 yards out and made the field goal to make the game 9-6. Coach Bailey (S), in an interview after the game with Camp Chronicles, stated, “it was probably his best kick of the year.” To add, Jayden Flaig (12) commented, “All I gotta say is this is crazy; I am speechless.”
The team, sideline, Stable, and crowd were screaming, cheering, and jumping for joy, knowing the Mustangs just had won the CIF Finals. Sadly, the game was not over quite yet. There were 4 seconds left in the championship game. Flaig kicked off, and the Highlanders messed with the ball, dropping it, and finally, Blake Herrin (11) tackled a Highlander player to end the game.
Rushing the field, players, coaches, the Stable, and photographers was an experience unlike anything before. The Stable showed up and cheered on our boys throughout the game. They were terrific classmates to travel and be a part of the boys’ winning game. Our YLHS Football Varsity 2022 team won the Division 3 CIF Championship game against Upland High School, 9-6. Our Mustangs were awarded the CIF plaque, which was such a special moment for Coach Bailey to receive it and then hold it up for all his players to see that their hard work paid off. Cheering, jumping, and happy tears occurred while celebrating their hard-fought victory.
I had goosebumps throughout the entire day. We made it to the championship game, and then you win the game on a field goal; it doesn’t get crazier than that. — Ryan Gary (11)
In post-game interviews with some of the players, they all expressed their happiness. Starting off, Ryan Gary (11) said, “I had goosebumps throughout the entire day. We made it to the championship game, and then you win the game on a field goal; it doesn’t get crazier than that.”
A senior, Clark Samson, stated, “It is a blessing even to be out here. Winning CIF means the world.” Another senior, Wyatt Mosier, stated, “It feels great; it was a crazy game and an awesome score. If you don’t have fun watching these kinds of games, you are not human.” With one last interview, Jackson Reiter (12) adds, “I couldn’t have done it without my team, and it is 11 0n 11, not a one-man sport; you need everyone.”
Congratulations to our Yorba Linda High School Varsity 2022-2023 Football Team for being the Division 3 CIF Champions. Congrats to our 2023 Senior Class for accomplishing everything you have worked for since freshman year. Yorba Linda High School students, staff, coaches, parents, and peers could not be proud of your success.
