La Habra football holds off Etiwanda to open CIF-SS title defense

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LA HABRA — La Habra’s football program has shown that it knows how to mount a successful CIF-SS title defense.

Under veteran coach Frank Mazzotta, the Highlanders won consecutive section titles in 2002-2003 and 2007-2010.

On Thursday, La Habra began another title defense as it played host to Etiwanda in the first round of the Division 4 playoffs.

The Highlanders again displayed their championship traits and held off Etiwanda 42-35 despite playing without injured running back/linebacker Kevika Mata’utia-Martinez.

La Habra (6-5), an at-large entry, showed the toughness and determination it forged in the Bravo League.

Quarterback DJ Mitchell passed for two touchdowns and rushed for another and sophomore running back CJ Dickerson ran a season-high 203 yards and three touchdowns.

“Being in that tough league paid off,” said Mazzotta, who has led La Habra to eight section titles. “Let’s be honest, you lose five straight (games in league), maybe you start to doubt yourself. That’s part of it and you have to overcome that self-doubt.”

“(It’s a) little relief,” the coach added of the win. “But the kids show up to practice, trying to get better. … We played well.”

La Habra plays the winner of Friday’s Cypress-Cathedral game in the second round.

Mazzotta said he expects Mata’utia-Martinez — the reigning Division 4 offensive player of the year — to return next week.

Dickerson helped seal the victory with a tackle-busting 29-yard touchdown run for a 42-28 lead with 1:20 left in the fourth quarter.

He rushed for 170 yards in the second half and finished with a season-high 29 carries.

“The confidence of the coaching and the confidence of my team helped me go further and further,” said Washington who had touchdowns runs of 28 and 1 yard.

Dickerson ran behind an offensive line that included Luis Dolphin, Pablo Vidal, Julian Hernandez,  Tesfaye Ringwood and Kaden Dally. The Highlanders deployed tight end Barrett Blied, who caught a touchdown, and Sonny Rodriguez.

Etiwanda (5-6), an at-large entry from the Baseline League, never led but pushed to the end.

Chad Wakumoto Jr. made a leaping, 27-yard touchdown reception in a crowd of players with 10 seconds left to cut La Habra’s lead to 42-35.

La Habra sealed the win by recovering an onside kick.

Wakumoto finished with 10 catches for 128 yards.

Etiwanda quarterback Landon Congalton passed for 288 yards and two touchdowns.

Mitchell threw for 170 yards and rushed for another 106.

The Cal Poly SLO committed guided La Habra to scoring drive on its four possessions in the second half.

“We showed a lot resilience,” Mitchell said. “We definitely missed (Mata’utia-Martinez). His moxie. His leadership. He’s an X factor.”

The teams went to intermission tied 14-14.

La Habra took a 7-0 lead on its second play from scrimmage. Mitchell launched a 64-yard touchdown pass to a wide open Blake Rogers.

Rogers set up the strike with an interception at the La Habra 22.

The senior finished with three catches for 118 yards.

After Etiwanda responded with a scoring drive that consumed just over six minutes, La Habra answered with another touchdown.

On the second play of the second quarter, Mitchell punctuated a 50-yard scoring drive with a spinning, 6-yard touchdown run on third-and-goal as the Highlanders took a 14-7 lead.

La Habra struggled with penalties during the rest of the second quarter. One penalty wiped out a long run by Mitchell to the Etiwanda 3. Another took away a fumble return for a touchdown.

Etiwanda tied the score 14-14 on a 10-yard touchdown pass from Congalton to running back Jaden Lindsay with 1:26 left in the half.

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