Sierra Canyon football shuts out Chaminade as perfect season remains intact

WEST HILLS — Even the Chaminade middle school band didn’t give the Eagles a chance Friday night.

“Chaminade is going to get creamed,” one member said.

It was like the ensemble saw themselves as the funeral procession.

On Sierra Canyon’s first drive, senior quarterback Demarco Hernandez dropped back to pass on third-and-long, and found sophomore Lance Brown 44 yards downfield for a touchdown, setting the tone for the game.

The Eagles fell to the Trailblazers 41-0 in West Hills on Friday night.

“It definitely feels good to come out here and compete after a long week of practice,” said Brown, who recorded his team-leading fifth receiving touchdown. “There’s stuff we have to improve on and get better at. … Completing plays and being efficient. Not taking breaks, not getting lazy during plays or anything like that.”

Despite the student band’s and PA announcer’s efforts, playing the NFL on Fox theme, UCLA’s fight song or Kernkraft 400 of Penn-State fame could not get the Eagles (5-3, 0-3 Mission League) to overcome a loaded Sierra Canyon team.

When Chaminade freshman quarterback Hendrix Coleman attempted his best impression of Hernandez – launching a deep pass on third down – the ball was tipped and sophomore Jaxson Davis ran in a pick six for the 21-0 advantage.

On a fourth-and-2 in the first quarter, Hernandez and Sierra Canyon (8-0, 3-0) pulled off a fake handoff that let the quarterback trot into the end zone untouched for his third rushing touchdown of the season.

The Trailblazers, too, seemed to have an inkling of how the night would unfold – with Skittles, Sour Punch and Airheads nested in the team’s kicking net pregame.

With Eagles sophomore quarterback Jeremy Mellalieu again unavailable due to injury, Coleman appeared in his fourth game of the season.

But after the Eagles’ offense was shut out in the first half, Coleman was pulled from the game during an injury timeout in the third after the quarterback was shaken up on a lost fumble.

“We put the defense in some pretty bad spots, but I thought we played well,” coach David Machuca said. “The defense has played well the last three weeks. Obviously, offensively, we’re a little shorthanded not having Jeremy. … Hopefully, we’ll have him back next week.”

With no third-string quarterback listed on Chaminade’s roster, Machuca turned to sophomore wideout Braedon Halverson as his signal caller.

The Eagles were shut out for the first time since Sept. 6, 2024.

“Our defense was lights out,” Sierra Canyon coach Jonathan Ellinghouse said. “They played great physical defense all night. I think our punt return team was excellent. … It was a great night, good win, and moving on to next week.”

The bleeding slowed in the second half – Sierra Canyon scored just two field goals across the third and fourth quarters – but Ellinghouse said it was really only to quicken the ceremony and run the clock.

A 10-year-old, dressed in stripes and equipped with a whistle, spent the first half shadowing a referee near the uneventful Trailblazers end zone. Even he seemed to have seen enough by halftime – spending the final two quarters tossing around a child-sized, Buffalo Bills-themed football off to the sidelines.

Chaminade will stay in West Hills next week to face Serra while Sierra Canyon will head to Sherman Oaks for a game against Notre Dame.