Top Performers: Sierra Canyon vs. Serra

<p>The Mission League opener for both Sierra Canyon and Gardena-Serra arrived Friday night with plenty of intrigue. There are star players on both sides of the ball for both teams. However, the matchup turned into a defensive battle for most of the evening. Sierra Canyon eventually earned a 30-0 victory thanks to several key plays.</p>   <p>Here is a look back on the standout performers from the matchup.</p>    <p class="text-gray-700">Serra mostly stayed away from the elite cornerback currently committed to LSU. Finney did get an opportunity to showcase his abilities on a tipped pass that he ultimately intercepted with a one-handed grab. The senior has great instincts and awareness, which both showed up on that play. He was great in coverage and ended the night with two tackles in addition to his interception returned for a touchdown.</p>    <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/LoviSports/status/1974318414526361764 </div></figure>    <p class="text-gray-700">The Ohio State commit backed up his reputation against a solid offensive line at Sierra Canyon. Wilder is a force and rarely came off the field in the game. He was used some on offense as an extra blocker and even pass catcher. However, he is an elite edge rusher and that showed itself in Friday's game. The senior had a game-high four quarterback hurries and was difficult for Sierra Canyon to contain at times. His explosiveness stands out and his first move is about as good as you will find in California. Wilder had nine tackles in the game and was routinely putting pressure on the quarterback throughout the game. He also forced one of two fumbles for the Serra defense.</p>    <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/MattRMoreno/status/1974309683117850892 </div></figure>    <p class="text-gray-700">The senior receiver had the lone offensive touchdown of the game on a short rushing touchdown late. Barnes was the most consistent offensive player for Sierra Canyon in the game with his ability to show separation from the stout Serra defensive back unit. He finished the game as the top receiver with seven catches for 76 yards including a 36-yard catch. Barnes doesn't shy away from contact and is plenty versatile to use both in the passing game and running game.</p>    <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/MattRMoreno/status/1974322132982341770 </div></figure>    <p class="text-gray-700">Every team needs playmakers in the secondary, and Coleman played with a ton of confidence in Friday's game. He was relied on heavily to slow down the Sierra Canyon offense, and he shined in his ability to help in run support and against the pass. Coleman finished with a game-high 11 tackles. Most impressive about the sophomore is his ability to close on ball carriers. He can quickly cover ground with his speed and he is strong at the point of contact.</p>     <p class="text-gray-700">Hill opened the game with a big hit and tackle for loss setting the tone for what would be an impressive performance the rest of the night for Sierra Canyon. The senior showed strong downhill ability and knifed through the offensive line on several occasions. He ended the night with a team-high nine tackles to go with three tackles for loss. Hill is an aggressive linebacker who displayed a high level of understanding at the linebacker position in Friday's game.</p>    <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/MattRMoreno/status/1974298085288522189 </div></figure>    <p class="text-gray-700">Serra has several high-level defensive backs on its roster, and Ace is someone who shined in his opportunity to make plays Friday. The junior led the team with three tackles for loss and his versatility was evident throughout the night. He is not afraid to make a tackle and play with physicality, and that was clear on multiple occasions. Ace was key in run support throughout the game and made multiple difficult tackles look easy. He has a knack for finding the ball, and that was a big part of his performance.</p>    <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/MattRMoreno/status/1974301282740683253 </div></figure>    <p class="text-gray-700">The senior quarterback completed 15-of-24 passes for 154 yards but it was his ability to keep plays alive with his feet that was most impressive. Finkel is a nimble runner who is able to see the field well enough to make plays on the move when needed. That was highlighted on a big run that went for 26 yards. Finkel is a slippery runner with a knack for keeping his eyes downfield looking for creases in the defense. He also performed well as a passer finding the right moments to take deeper shots down the field. Finkel was accurate and displayed an overall nice feel for the game.</p>    <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/MattRMoreno/status/1974306311811858487 </div></figure>    <p class="text-gray-700">Along with Hill, Zamorano provided Sierra Canyon with an impressive tandem at linebacker against Serra. He was tied for second on the team with five tackles, which includes a tackle for loss, plus one of two sacks in the game. The senior linebacker is an explosive player who is a sure tackler and capable of beating his man on a consistent basis. His ability to get in the backfield shined in Friday's win, and he was consistently around the ball even if he wasn't making a tackle.</p>    <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/MattRMoreno/status/1974299348403171836 </div></figure>    <p class="text-gray-700">The senior defensive back is like a jack of all trades for Serra's defense. Moutra was all over the field in Friday's game whether he was playing in coverage or coming up to make a play against the run. He recognizes plays well and oftentimes would seek out screen passes early allowing him to make tackles. Wrapping up can be difficult for players at all levels, but Moutra has no issues in that department. His size makes him a flexible player for the Serra staff, and he showcased impressive instincts throughout the night.</p>    <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/MattRMoreno/status/1974304569690894575 </div></figure>    <p class="text-gray-700">The Sierra Canyon defensive line was active from start to finish Friday night. Johnson was one of the centerpieces of the group throughout the win over Serra. The senior led the defensive line group with five tackles to go along with two tackles for loss. Even when Johnson wasn't collecting a tackle he was disruptive. His strength was on display throughout the game as he overpowered offensive linemen consistently throughout the game. He has impressive speed as well and varied up his technique at the point of attack.</p>

The Mission League opener for both Sierra Canyon and Gardena-Serra arrived Friday night with plenty of intrigue. There are star players on both sides of the ball for both teams. However, the matchup turned into a defensive battle for most of the evening. Sierra Canyon eventually earned a 30-0 victory thanks to several key plays.