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Valencia football earns CIF-SS title, tops Oaks Christian in Division 5

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Valencia football earns CIF-SS title, tops Oaks Christian in Division 5

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  • Valencia High School football players celebrate their victory over Oaks Christian in the CIF Southern Section Division 5 final Friday November 26, 2021.(Photo by Andy Holzman, Contributing Photographer)

  • Valencia High School players celebrate their victory over Oaks Christian in the CIF Southern Section Division 5 final Friday November 26, 2021.(Photo by Andy Holzman, Contributing Photographer)

  • Valencia High School football coach Larry Muir looks on as his team defeats Oaks Christian in the CIF Southern Section Division 5 final Friday November 26, 2021.(Photo by Andy Holzman, Contributing Photographer)

  • Valencia High School football coach Larry Muir celebrates their victory over Oaks Christian in the CIF Southern Section Division 5 final Friday November 26, 2021.(Photo by Andy Holzman, Contributing Photographer)

  • Valencia High School players celebrate their victory over Oaks Christian in the CIF Southern Section Division 5 final Friday November 26, 2021.(Photo by Andy Holzman, Contributing Photographer)

  • Valencia High School celebrates their victory over Oaks Christian in the CIF Southern Section Division 5 final Friday November 26, 2021.(Photo by Andy Holzman, Contributing Photographer)

  • Valencia High School football coach Larry Muir celebrates with his team as they defeat Oaks Christian in the CIF Southern Section Division 5 final Friday November 26, 2021.(Photo by Andy Holzman, Contributing Photographer)

  • Johnny Thompson of Oaks Christian carries the ball against Valencia High School during the CIF Southern Section Division 5 final Friday November 26, 2021.(Photo by Andy Holzman, Contributing Photographer)

  • Oaks Christian quarterback Cole Tannenbaum keeps the ball against Valencia during the CIF Southern Section Division 5 final Friday November 26, 2021.(Photo by Andy Holzman, Contributing Photographer)

  • Valencia High School quarterback Trey Erickson runs the ball against Oaks Christian during the CIF Southern Section Division 5 final Friday November 26, 2021.(Photo by Andy Holzman, Contributing Photographer)

  • Valencia High School quarterback Trey Erickson runs the ball against Oaks Christian during the CIF Southern Section Division 5 final Friday November 26, 2021.(Photo by Andy Holzman, Contributing Photographer)

  • Oaks Christian quarterback Cole Tannenbaum throws a pass against Valencia during the CIF Southern Section Division 5 final Friday November 26, 2021.(Photo by Andy Holzman, Contributing Photographer)

  • Khari Butler of Oaks Christian gains yards against Valencia High School during the CIF Southern Section Division 5 final Friday November 26, 2021.(Photo by Andy Holzman, Contributing Photographer)

  • Valencia High School’s Duhron Goodman tries to avoid being tackled by Oaks Christian during the CIF Southern Section Division 5 final Friday November 26, 2021.(Photo by Andy Holzman, Contributing Photographer)

  • Quarterback Cole Tannenbaum of Oaks Christian is congratulated by coach Charlie Collins after a first quarter touchdown against Valencia High School in the CIF Southern Section Division 5 final Friday November 26, 2021.(Photo by Andy Holzman, Contributing Photographer)

  • Valencia High School’s Daniel Hernandez carries the ball against Oaks Christian during the CIF Southern Section Division 5 final Friday November 26, 2021.(Photo by Andy Holzman, Contributing Photographer)

  • Johnny Thompson of Oaks Christian gains yards against Valencia High School during the CIF Southern Section Division 5 final Friday November 26, 2021.(Photo by Andy Holzman, Contributing Photographer)

  • Quarterback Cole Tannenbaum of Oaks Christian hands the ball off to Johnny Thompson as they play Valencia High School in the CIF Southern Section Division 5 final Friday November 26, 2021.(Photo by Andy Holzman, Contributing Photographer)

  • Quarterback Cole Tannenbaum of Oaks Christian talks to coach Charlie Collins as they play Valencia High School in the CIF Southern Section Division 5 final Friday November 26, 2021.(Photo by Andy Holzman, Contributing Photographer)

  • Johnny Thompson of Oaks Christian gains yards against Valencia High School’s Duhron Goodman during the CIF Southern Section Division 5 final Friday November 26, 2021.(Photo by Andy Holzman, Contributing Photographer)

  • Johnny Thompson of Oaks Christian gains yards against Valencia High School’s Duhron Goodman during the CIF Southern Section Division 5 final Friday November 26, 2021.(Photo by Andy Holzman, Contributing Photographer)

  • Johnny Thompson of Oaks Christian carries the ball against Valencia High School’s Duhron Goodman during the CIF Southern Section Division 5 final Friday November 26, 2021.(Photo by Andy Holzman, Contributing Photographer)

  • Khari Butler of Oaks Christian carries the ball against Valencia High School during the CIF Southern Section Division 5 final Friday November 26, 2021.(Photo by Andy Holzman, Contributing Photographer)

  • Valencia High takes the field as they face Oaks Christian in the CIF Southern Section Division 5 final Friday November 26, 2021.(Photo by Andy Holzman, Contributing Photographer)

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VALENCIA — The Valencia football team took a moment to settle into their post-game huddle. Jittery from just winning the Southern Section Division 5 title, the players looked to coach Larry Muir as he commanded their attention.

“First thing’s first,” he began.

Suddenly, he ducked his head, yelled and ran in place as he was engulfed by celebrations. The voices of players, coaches and supporters — from myriad generations — shouted along with him.

Valencia beat Oaks Christian, 28-14, for the school’s first-ever CIF-SS football title, but it took quite some time for this celebration to happen. It almost didn’t, as Valencia earned an at-large bid to the playoffs after finishing fourth in the Foothill League.

“It’s been such a long wait,” Valencia coach Larry Muir said. “It’s been a long time with all the alumni and all the people who have put so much into it. But also this team in particular; the kids have rallied around each other and bought into each other.”

It was also the second time the two programs had met in five years, with the Lions beating the Vikings by one point in the 2017 CIF-SS Division 2 final.

On Friday night, Oaks Christian was first on the scoreboard, with Cole Tannenbaum reaching pay dirt on a short quarterback sneak with 5:40 left in the opening frame. The scoring play was set up by two runs by Thompson of 14 and 6 yards.

Tannenbaum completed 19 of 32 passes for 182 yards, one touchdown and one interception in the game. He also rushed for 12 yards and another touchdown. Thompson rushed for 125 yards on 18 carries.

Roughly three minutes later, Valencia’s Hall scored his first touchdown of the night on a 16-yard run to even things up at 7-7.

With a minute remaining in the second quarter, the Lions set up for a field goal and were eyeing the lead, but the Vikings’ Goodman blocked the kick to preserve the tie heading into halftime. Goodman also had an interception later in the game.

The momentum swung further in Valencia’s favor to open the second half as the Vikings scored two touchdowns within three minutes. Hall scored on a 98-yard punt return, then Daniel Hernandez scored on a 3-yard run to give Valencia a 21-7 advantage.

“I just knew I had to make a play,” Hall said. “We knew we had to win this game, so I had to make a play.”

It seemed to light a fire under the Lions. Tannenbaum threw a 24-yard pass to Joseph Marsh, then a 35-yard touchdown pass to Elijah Gipson immediately after.

Giorgio Spiropoulos (7 carries, 61 yards) had the final touchdown of the evening on a 10-yard run with 7:16 left in the game. When Oaks got the ball back, the Vikings’ Victor Saenez sacked Tannenbaum twice to help thwart any comeback attempt.

The Lions have a good chance to bounce back in the near future, though. The team will return many players, including Thompson.

“I mentioned three words: grace, faith and trust,” Lions coach Charles Collins said. “Just by the grace of God, we had to get through COVID and still get through a season, win some tough games and get to the playoffs and have a chance to win it. That just spoke to the resiliency of the team.”

Next season, Oaks Christian will once again begin the process of reaching a CIF-SS final. So will Valencia, but for the first time, they’ll do it as reigning champs.

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