Going into the North Coast Section playoffs, the team was confident that starting quarterback, junior Dominic Ingrassia, would lead the team to another state championship. Ingrassia logged 35 passing touchdowns and 2,500 passing yards throughout the season. However, in the game before the championship, Ingrassia suffered a season-ending broken humerus forcing junior Jimmy Hughes to fill the role.
Ingrassia trusted that Hughes would succeed in leading the team to another state championship.
“I knew the team was in good hands with Jimmy and I was going to do anything I could to help them,” Ingrassia said.
Hughes successfully led the team to victory with three passing touchdowns and 140 passing yards after playing in only five games this season.
“I was excited to play with the team and get my chance to play,” Hughes said.
The varsity football team beat Granada Hills Charter 32-8 at home on Dec. 10 to win the California Division 4-A State Championship. After winning the Division 5-AA Championship last year, the team is now one of seven back-to-back state champions in the state.
Players agree that this feeling was like no other.
“There’s no way to describe how it felt,” senior team captain Frankie Quinci said.
Sophomore wide receiver Wesley Timmel agrees, “It feels amazing; it was a wonderful experience.”
Touchdowns were scored by sophomores Wesley Timmel and Jonah Lozano, junior Charlie Singleton, and senior Frankie Quinci. The team had an overall record of 13-2, losing only to Marin Catholic and Acalanes.
After losing so many seniors last season, players felt they had to fight even harder to win the championship.
“A lot of people didn’t think we were going to win this year because of all the seniors that left, but we proved them wrong,” Lozano said.
And with the success of last season, players felt there was also added pressure.
“There was a lot of pressure on us to win every game because of last year. We had to prove ourselves again,” senior team captain Frankie Petuya said.
The team hopes to become back-to-back-to-back state champions next year, which has never been done in school history.
“I want to get healthy as fast as I can and win another state championship with my teammates,” Ingrassia said.
While the juniors and sophomores look forward to next season, many seniors feel sad about leaving the team.
“I’m so sad to be leaving this team,” Quinci said. “As soon as the final buzzer went off, it truly hit me.”
Petuya agrees that leaving the team will be hard, “Leaving the team and the school is going to be really sad because I’ve developed a brotherhood with my teammates.”
