Two for The Town: McClymonds, O’Dowd return to state title games
OAKLAND — For the first time since 2016, both of Oakland’s high school football standard-bearers will play for a state championship.
Nine years after McClymonds and Bishop O’Dowd won state titles on the same December weekend, the programs are in position to lift the city once more.
“It’s always great for the city, you know, every time we get a chance to go represent,” McClymonds coach Michael Peters said after his team defeated Roseville on Saturday in the NorCal Division 3-A title game. “That’s what we do.”
McClymonds will compete for the 3-A state title on Saturday in Fullerton against the Central Section Division III champion Kennedy-Delano. The Oakland powerhouse is aiming for its fifth state championship in seven appearances, all since 2016. O’Dowd is back in a state final for the second time. The Dragons will play Christian-El Cajon for the 5-AA championship on Friday in Buena Park.
O’Dowd and McClymonds’ return to the big stage comes with a deeper meaning this time around.
A month after the tragic shooting of Laney College coach and Oakland legend John Beam – a football pioneer whose influence touched players and coaches across The Town – McClymonds and O’Dowd carry more than their own hopes.
“As coaches in Oakland, you got other problems aside from the field,” Peters said after his team won the Silver Bowl a few weeks ago. “We got kids that’s homeless and haven’t eaten and stuff like that. So here in Oakland, it’s a little different because we are more than just the coaches and that’s one thing I take from (Beam).”
After a 1-3 start to the season, O’Dowd has won nine of 10 games to get to Friday’s state title game.
The Dragons were dominant in their run through the North Coast Section Division Division VI playoffs, outscoring its three opponents 132-47, which included a 59-21 rout of Fortuna to win the section championship.
“This is a special group,” O’Dowd coach Hardy Nickerson said. “It’s been fun to watch this group gel, come together and make this run.”
Last week, the East Oakland school rode the back of running back Lamar Ellis, who scored two rushing touchdowns, to pull out a 23-20 win over Chico in the NorCal Division 5-AA title game.
Nickerson said in preparation for O’Dowd’s postseason run, his team has taken a liking to the late Kobe Bryant for motivation.
“Our model this year has been Mamba Mentality. We literally watch and read every quote from Kobe Bryant,” Nickerson said. “To see them continue to buy into what myself and the staff has been preaching has been great. And to see them come all the way from literally nowhere, it’s just super gratifying.”
For McClymonds, a program long defined by its ability to turn scarcity into strength, this season has been no different. The Warriors have navigated their lack of depth and have leaned on their resilience to grind their way back to a state title game.
The Warriors’ signature victory came early in the season when they pulled out a low-scoring win over South Bay powerhouse St. Francis. The West Oakland school then went on a tear through the Oakland Athletic League before defeating Roseville for the NorCal title last week.
McClymonds is finally coming into its own as Washington-bound senior Rahsjon Duncan is back in the lineup as a receiver and defensive back after missing most of the season with injuries. San Diego State commit Koi Taiese figures to be a key piece for the Warriors as McClymonds will prepare to stop Kennedy’s Wing-T offense.
With both teams standing one win away from another shared place in Oakland lore, a state championship will mean more than a trophy that hangs in the hallways of the two Oakland powerhouses. In a year marked by heartbreak, McClymonds and O’Dowd will take the field representing a city that has endured, adapted and kept things pushing – just as their programs always have.
If McClymonds and O’Dowd can finish the job, they won’t be just adding to their own histories. They’ll be giving Oakland a reason to come together, celebrate and feel Beam’s legacy echoing in a historic manner for The Town.
5-AA STATE CHAMPIONSHIP: BISHOP O’DOWD VS. CHRISTIAN-EL CAJON
Records: Bishop O’Dowd 10-4, Christian 8-7
Kickoff: Friday at Buena Park High School Stadium, 4 p.m.
How O’Dowd qualified: Won the NCS Division VI championship, routing Fortuna 59-21 in the final. Then prevailed at Chico 23-20 in a regional last week.
How Christian qualified: Won the San Diego Section Division III championship with a 28-14 victory over Central-El Centro. Beat Valley Christian-Cerritos 27-13 for the Southern 5-AA regional title last week.
Top O’Dowd players to watch: RB Lamar Ellis, QB Christian Cermenelli-Johnson, ATH Bryan Edwards.
Top Christian players to watch: QB Kaleb Runkle, WR Kai Rosier, LB Chase Togerson.
Computer projection: HSRatings.com picks O’Dowd to win 27-26.
3-A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP: MCCLYMONDS VS. KENNEDY-DELANO
Records: McClymonds 11-2, Kennedy 12-3
Kickoff: Saturday at Fullerton UHSD Stadium, 7 p.m.
How McClymonds qualified: Won the Oakland Section championship by defeating Oakland Tech 34-0. Then beat Roseville in NorCal regional final 42-34 at home.
How Kennedy qualified: Defeated Independence-Bakersfield 49-13 to capture the Central Section Division III title. Beat Carson in the SoCal regional final 35-33.
Top McClymonds players to watch: QB Berell Staples, WR Prince Staten, WR/DB Rahsjon Duncan, RB Dominic Davis, DL Koi Taiese.
Top Kennedy players to watch: RB Jace Demacabalin, RB Cristian Hernandez, RB Jamison Membreve, LB Anthony Lara.
Computer projection: HSRatings.com picks Kennedy to win 38-28.
– Nathan Canilao