By Tim Peterson
(Mission Viejo) – La Serna stopped a run on a two-point conversion attempt with 2:17 left and held on to beat Grant 21-19 Friday to win the CIF Division 2-AA State championship at Saddleback College.
Devin Green scored on a six-yard run for Grant to cut the lead to two but the Lancers stonewalled Wayshawn Parker at the one-yard line on the two-point conversion to preserve the victory.
Grant led 7-6 after the first quarter. Koby Shabazz hauled in a four-yard touchdown pass from Luke Alexander on the first possession of the game. La Serna countered when Kaimana Tufaga broke off a 22-yard touchdown jaunt later in the quarter but the extra point was missed.
Parker scored on a seven-yard run early in the second quarter but the extra point again was missed and Grant led 13-6.
The Lancers took advantage of a Grant fumble and CJ Ceron cashed in with a 13-yard touchdown run. Ceron then hit Lazlo Haas in the endzone for the two-point pass. La Serna took the 14-13 lead into the half.
Grant quarterback Luke Alexander took a big hit from Ceron in the second quarter and did not return after the first half. He was replaced by Freshman Shien Crump Jr.
After a scoreless third quarter Ceron connected with Owen Long in the corner of the end zone for a 19-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter. Long came down with the ball after it was originally tipped. Long juggled it and made the play and the Lancers were up 21-13 with just over 11 minutes left in the contest.
Green’s late score for Grant made it close but the Lancers defense then stood up to secure the win.
La Serna finished the remarkable season with a overall record of 13-3 overall and a CIF Division 4 championship to go with the State title.
Grant ended the season 12-3 overall.
@ Grapevine …..know your place???? what does that even mean. and they say LS is arrogant!!
Cmon bro no public school in the area wants a piece of Damien, St. Paul, or St. Francis.
For the record last time Damien and St. Paul played La Serna, both privates won.
Great season by LS, the best I’ve seen in quite some time in the SGV but know your place.
The announcers got it wrong. He’s been offered a scholarship to the university of St. Mary’s. Not University of San Diego.
& The Rich Get Richer
LA SERNA Adds another Honor to their Trophy Case.
Cal Preps has named the La Serna Lancers their 2023 D2/Medium Schools Football Team of the Year.
First time since 1982 (Los Altos) that a San Gabriel Valley area team has been selected D2 Team of the Year.
Just going by what Greg Biggins or his partner (don’t remember which) said during the State Championship Game Broadcast, not sure of all the details.
I believe they just said offer, which obviously could be a variety of things, probably not a full ride, but I imagine it might be some kind of partial scholarship that is given as an academic scholarship, which is how schools that don’t give athletic scholarships, give athletic scholarships, if you know what I mean.
At least that’s he we did it in basketball, when we had used up our limited athletic scholarship money, we tried to target kids with really good grades so we could give them an academic scholarship as a supplement instead. Sometimes we were able to give both but I think USD can only give academic aid for football.
LSJuggernaut,
You sure about the scholarship? Odd since USD doesn’t offer scholarships in Football and Men’s Rowing, unless something changes recently. They do offer academic scholarships, but for a school to have offered him such, talks would have already been had since they would have had to have reviewed his grades/GPA prior to “offering”.
@HipHopStop
What allegations? There are no allegations. The only allegation is that the La Serna is really good at football, which is true. State Champion good.
Oh, I forgot about the major allegation which is really just the feel good story of the year. A local kid, who spent his first 2 years at La Serna, returns to his hometown school and becomes a hero in the playoffs leading them to a State Championship, and while doing so catches the eye of the USD coaching staff and gets offered a scholarship!
What a story….err I mean an allegation
😂 😂
@ ANONYMOUS…YOU CAN SAY WHO CARES WITH A STRAIGT FACE.. COME ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
After this 6 game run it’s undeniable call it whatever you want doesn’t matter.1st in our school history! Definition of a “football player” Spectacular QB play and dropping the hammer on defense! This was always his team get over it take your hatred somewhere else.
Transfer Rules,
If so, I stand corrected
@Anonymous,
Teams need to report ALL transfers. It doesn’t matter if they played Freshmen, JV, or didn’t play it all. It doesn’t even matter if the school they came from didn’t have sports. ALL transfers must go through the CIF clearing process; ignoring to do so is how forfeits occur.
You are either a Valid Change of Residence (VCR), Sit Out Period (SOP), Limited, Non-Participation, or Hardship transfer. You could have went to Beverly Hills School Academy of Technology that doesn’t have a football team for only 2 days as a Freshmen and then transfer. The paperwork STILL has to be completed.
if Ls parents and coaches would stop responding to these critics that are worth anything this wouldnt be such a place where people hate on the program, but when you respond to allegations it makes you look guilty.
Frankie Palmer had multiple private schools after him and not once did he jump ship, nor did his back up PACHECO who was a better pocket passer than Frankie (REAL LOYALTY) but its okay because LS is state champs and thats all that matters.
Anonymous,
Who used the term “loyal”? The term loyal is reserved for those that have stuck with a program for the 4 years, even when dropped on the depth chart. The word opportunistic should be used to describe today’s many student-athletes. For those that complain about Lancers having an advantage due to Open Enrollment and the couple of transfers that came in (one before the season started, the other a few games into the season), just wait till you see next year’s squads (all 3 levels)!
Not sure if you all realize, that along with the transfers that must report to CIF, there are quite a few transfers that will go under the radar, that played Freshmen and JV at other schools (within and out of the WUHSD), that do not get reported to CIF since they didn’t participate in their respective school’s Varsity team. And now, not only does La Serna have their 3rd CIF Division Championship in it’s school’s history to boast, they have a State title to add to their attractiveness. An excellent public (free) academic institution and a powerhouse in sports. I also foresee a number of private school kids will also be making their way to the Friendly Hills.
Again, opportunistic is the correct term.
Wow what a game!
La Serna Lancers 2023 CIF 2-AA State Champions!
It’s been an amazing football season and I can’t say enough about this team, coach George and the coaching staff. The Lancer family and Whittier community is proud of you.
State Champs Baby!!!
#CourageCharacterCommitment
We our LS!
Who cares
So through and through that they left for not 1 but 2 different high schools. Delusional.
Welfare Check for Ranch18,
Has anybody checked on Ranch18, word is he is on suicide watch, after watching LS destroy all their opp by 20 plus points en route to the CIF Title.
Then down 10 in the 4th Qtr in the State Reg. only to roll off 27 pts in a row.
Finally, pulling off the upset against defending state champs and perennial powerhouse Sacramento Grant to win State.
The poor Ranch18 guy, I almost feel bad for him. Almost.
He disappeared from this board faster than Tyreek Hill runs the 40. But more like a chump than a cheetah.
La Mirada ??
Not these days
LA SERNA CIF &
STATE CHAMPS BABY
Damn CJ played awesome. He made so many huge plays just in the last 2 games. Ceron, Long, Castro, Northrup, Tufaga, Law, Welling & Perez all big time studs. OLine/DLine underated & undersized but played with massive heart. What a team! What a coaching staff! What a Kingdom!
If he would have stayed he would have been playing defense and probably as a backup to Owen as a RB.. That QB job was Jake’s the whole time. He knew that and that’s why he left
Loyal ???? The Ceron’s are LS family through and through. Someone had mentioned dynasty on another post, we can only wonder if he had never left do they have another cif title ? I believe so the previous 2 seasons the rosters had more talent.
@annoymous
The hatred is just a few loud idiots. Most likely bitter coaches from the former staff that can’t stand seeing them be so much better without them. La Serna is so much better than they ever were with the previous staff, you don’t have to crap on them now to make yourself feel better it’s not a good look.
The hate/jealousy that La Serna, Bell Gardens and Mayfair. But their program wins a state title any division they would love and be hyping their sxxt up.
A league with
La Serna
Warren
Downey
Mayfair
La Mirada
This would be a super power league that would compete with and probably beat the sunset league in OC and the Baseline league in the IE
@Streaker
Yup Warren’s got the best of La Serna the last few, but it’s 6-6 head to head as far back as I can find, so looking forward to LS getting back to have a winning record vs Warren if they can get them next year.
Don’t feel so bad, Warren still had a good year right. Won a few playoff games. Looks like you peaked a little early, and LS peaked late when they got their QB back and their dynamic WR/DB got eligible.
But hey, you didn’t finish too far behind LS in the final state rankings, La Serna finished #23 and Warren #36. So Warren had a good start but just wasn’t up there at LS level at the end.
I’m sure readers are impressed by that consecutive win stat, and rightly wonder just how long it can last. Answer: until next year’s Warren game. Odd how a team that’s called State Champions can get their plows cleaned by a program that’s only ten miles away.
@U Wish You Had a State Championship Perspective
THE 2023 CIF-SS & CALIFORNIA STATE CHAMPION LA SERNA LANCERS HAVE
GONE…
60-11 over the last 6 years (2018-23)
Which is 3rd best win pct in the entire CIF-SS behind only Mater Dei & Bosco.
140-36 overall the last 14 years (2010-23)
30-11 In CIF & State Playoffs (2010-23)
6-3 In CIF Semifinal games (2010-23)
4-4 In CIF Finals & State Playoffs (2010-23)
Have Won…
2 CIF Championships
1 Southern Cal Reg. Championship
1 State Championship
Will be entering the 2024 season on an
11 game win streak overall and a
27 game Del Rio League win streak.
Great Job by Coach George, Coach Cab,
& the Entire Staff, & all the Players. Playing football the right way, with heart & grit!!
A team of destiny. It’s a great time to be a La Serna Lancer, now that’s the real perspective.
#ProudAlumni
#TripleCrownKingdom
@perspective
Aww someone’s mad their team didn’t win anything this year lol
As great as he was, I consider it disrespectful to put him next to a loyal 4 year LS player, but I’ll shut up.
You know @ “ LS “ is an imposter LS supporter with those exaggerated comments. He’s probably part of the Q’Anon crowd.
As a parent who has been around since 2010 I have to put Ceron right next to the great Frankie Palmer. (La Serna QB legends) Unbelievable post season run for this team last 2 games were gut check’s.Coach George and staff tremendous job keeping your players locked in week after week!
LS 21, SAC GRANT 19 (State Title)
La Serna 2023, the first area team to win a CIF or State Championship against a team ranked above 50.0 in the Cal Preps Rankings era starting back in 2000-01.
That cements 2023 LA SERNA, as the BEST
CIF or State championship team in the area since really over the last 3 decades going back to Bishop Amat’s 1992 team.
Congrats Lancers on your FB Triple Crown.
#CIFChamps
#SoCalChamps
#StateChamps
#TripleCrownKingdom
@Miserably Sad Perspective
THE 2023
LA SERNA LANCERS
CIF-SS & CA STATE CHAMPIONS!
Bring on Mater Dei baby!!
YOUR
LA SERNA LANCERS
2023 CIF & STATE CHAMPIONS!!!
Bring on Mater Dei baby
@perspective…who the **** are you!!!
I see a no class human being that states he doesnt want to take anything away from LS but does everything he can to do just that!
Get outta here Amat. La Serna is now the top dog of the MVS and SGVN for the next 50 years and that also includes Damien, St. Francis, St. Paul and all the other privates.
It amazes me the hatred of a high school football program! I don’t understand the hatred!
@Perspective,
That’s kinda why part of the nomenclature in “CIF State Champion” includes as its secondary name the proviso “Division – Y” next to it. Anyone whose breadth of knowledge/experience of H.S. football includes any sort of depth beyond “rah rah rah, let’s go hometown team,” is already aware of divisions and what they usually indicate.
This guys so miserable right now.lol
How mad are you if you’re cathedral? How bad does CIF look right about now? Huge story there but CIF just cares about making money. Sad.
Lest we assume this means La Serna football is the best in the state, let’s pause a moment to understand that St Bonaventure is playing Folsum tonight in a division higher than this, Mission Viejo just beat De La Salle 27-14 in a division higher than that, and, in the game which will best determine the actual “state champion”, Mater Dei plays Serra tonight.
Naturally, I don’t wish to take anything away from LS for their lower division accomplishments, but we do need to acknowledge the mertis of the numerous local teams that could easily defeat Andy George’s group, yet sit home not being lavished with this “state champions” moniker.
We live in a time where context is often forgotten or confused, so it’s necessary to add an asterisk to the LS win, which informs us that it was accomplished in the service of CIF State.org money-grubbing.
Thee La Serna Lancers are California State Champions