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Oaks Christian recovers from rough start to beat San Juan Hills, advance to semifinals

San Juan Hills’ Tanner Rohan, #14, gets stopped by Oaks Christian’s Walker Severn, #23, during first quarter action in the CIF-SS Division 2 quarterfinals at Oaks Christian on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

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WESTLAKE VILLAGE — The Oaks Christian football team’s offense has responded to adversity throughout the season.

The Lions lost their starting quarterback and center due to injury early in the season and had to rebuild. On Friday night, Oaks Christian threw three interceptions in the first half but recovered in the second half to beat San Juan Hills, 35-21.

The Lions advance to the CIF Southern Section Division 2 semifinals and will play at Murrieta Valley on Friday.

“We’ve overcome a lot,” receiver Chase Moss said. “You’ve gotta take it head-on; you can’t crumble. Every team’s going through adversity and going through challenges.”

Freshman quarterback Trey Towns connected with Moss to score the 80-yard go-ahead touchdown with 7:32 left in the game. DeShonne Redeaux tied the game at 21-all with a 19-yard run and executed the 2-point conversion after.

“He’s one of those guys who was just relentless,” Oaks Christian head coach Charlie Collins said. “He makes plays and he’s a perfect example of it’s not the size of the dog, but the heart of the dog. I’m so proud of Chase Moss and that’s come to be expected from him.”

San Juan Hills intercepted the Lions three times in the second quarter but Oaks Christian’s defense only allowed one touchdown.

Troy Murphy picked off Towns at the beginning of the second frame and eight plays later, Elijah Ayala ran the ball in from a yard out to tie the game 7-7. The Stallions attempted a 39-yard field goal with seconds left before halftime but the kick fell short.

Oaks Christian drove 64 yards to score on their first possession of the game. Towns gathered the ball after a rocky snap and the pass bounced off a defender before landing in Stevie Amar’s arms for a 6-yard gain. Deshonne Redeaux scored from the 1-yard line for an early 7-0 advantage.

Receiver Matt Watts stepped up and hauled in a 25-yard catch in the second quarter, but the Lions were intercepted shortly afterward.

The defense got to work, even without defensive lineman Joseph Peko, who was out due to injury. Edge rusher Hayden Lowe jumped for a pass breakup midway through the second quarter to stall a San Juan Hills drive that was quickly gaining momentum.

“It was still a 0-0 game,” Collins said. “It wasn’t them, it was us and we had to clean up and do things better and clean up and execute. We had to calm down. The plays were there in the first half, we just had to execute.

Stallions quarterback Timmy Herr scored on a 1-yard keeper on the other side of halftime but the Lions kept the game interesting. Lenny Miller went out to punt on a third-and-long but instead kept the ball and took off on a 19-yard run.

“We knew at some point in time we were going to have to get to that play,” Collins said. “And it was just the right time.”

Amar caught a 29-yard touchdown pass shortly after and Herr scored on another keeper before Redeaux tied the game.

The Lions added an insurance touchdown with one minute remaining. Davon Benjamin knocked the ball loose from a San Juan Hills receiver and Bryan Narcisse scooped the ball up and returned it 56 yards for a touchdown.

Oaks Christian was the co-champion of the Marmonte League after falling to Simi Valley in the final league game of the season.

“It’s been a long time coming,” Collins said of reaching the semifinals, “especially after losing the league title game and we didn’t play our best football. But we said it wasn’t about then, it was about what we’ll do in the postseason and we’re still here.”