California School for the Deaf-Riverside football team rallies past Flintridge Prep to win third straight section title

LA CANADA FLINTRIDGE — The California School for the Deaf-Riverside football team found itself in unfamiliar territory when the fourth quarter started.

When the final seconds ticked off the clock, however, the Cubs once again found themselves on the receiving end of CIF Southern Section championship plaque.

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California School for the Deaf-Riverside players and coaches celebrate after defeating Flintridge Prep in a CIF Southern Section 8-Person Division 1 football championship game at Flintridge Prep High School in La Canada on Friday, Nov. 22, 2024. (Photo by Libby Cline-Birmingham, Contributing Photographer)

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CSDR scored 14 unanswered points and then withstood a final charge from its opponent to pull out a 44-42 victory in the 8-Person Division 1 championship game.

The Cubs brought home the program’s third consecutive section title, adding another chapter to a remarkable story that has garnered attention across the globe.

“This is the best game of them all. We had to really fight for this one,” CSDR coach Keith Adams said through American Sign Language interpreter Mark Bayarsky.

Flintridge Prep (9-1) appeared in control when Asher Jones tossed a 34-yard touchdown pass to Will Grable on fourth down to give the Wolves a 42-30 lead with a little more than a minute remaining in the third quarter. It marked the first time this season CSDR faced a deficit heading into the final 12 minutes of play.

CSDR (11-0) made things interesting when Kaden Adams threw an 11-yard touchdown to Darius Zarembka with 9:15 remaining. Adams added the 2-point conversion to cut the deficit to 42-38. Flintridge Prep looked to answer, but Grable had the ball stripped away and CSDR recovered the loose ball with 6:48 showing on the clock.

The ensuing drive did not start well for the Cubs, as Gio Visco was tackled for a 4-yard loss on first down and then he dropped a pass on second down.

Adams found Zarembka for a 16-yard gain that moved the chains. Adams then punished Flintridge Prep’s defense by running the ball six consecutive times for a total of 29 yards. CSDR faced third-and-10, and Visco redeemed himself by catching a 15-yard pass from Adams to help the Cubs take the lead with 1:25 left to play.

Adams capped his prep career in style, completing 17 of 24 passes for 241 yards and four touchdowns while adding 137 yards and a touchdown on 27 carries.

“We finished in good form,” said Adams, the youngest son of CSDR’s head coach. “We just never gave up tonight. We kept playing hard and found a way to win.”

CSDR had to endure a some nervous moments down the stretch. Grable, who scored five touchdowns in the game, scrambled for a 17-yard gain on fourth-and-8 to move the ball past midfield. Flintridge Prep lined up for a 30-yard field goal in the waning seconds, but that kick by Joseph Kearns sailed well left of the uprights.

“You kind of had the feeling like the team with the ball at the end might win tonight,” Flintridge Prep coach Russell White said. “We had a chance with that field goal try, but things just didn’t go our way. We executed everything the way we wanted to during that final drive except for the last couple of plays.”

Kaden Adams took the final snap and dropped to a knee, and the hundreds of CSDR fans who made the trip joined the team on the field to celebrate the victory.

CSDR is just the fourth football team from Riverside County or San Bernardino County to win three straight section championships. The Cubs joined the likes of Bloomington (1996-1999), Joshua Springs (2009-2012) and Centennial (2012-15). CSDR had never won a section title in any sport prior to this three-peat.

“I feel like I’m in a dream,” said Zarembka, who caught eight passes for 149 yards Friday night. “We believed in ourselves and showed a lot of determination tonight.”

CSDR has reached the finals in four straight seasons. The 74-22 loss to Faith Baptist in the first championship game helped shape the program, Keith Adams said.

“That really impacted our players,” said Adams, whose second stint as CSDR’s coach ended Friday night. “We were humiliated that night, but we turned that into a learning experience. If we would have won that first game, I’m not sure if we win two or three more. Our program got tougher and better because of that loss.”

The teams traded the lead five times during the second quarter. Flintridge Prep took a 27-24 lead into the locker room, with the difference between the teams being execution on conversions. CSDR was 0-4 on its 2-point-conversion tries in the first half. Flintridge Prep had one successful 2-point conversion and one extra point.

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California School for the Deaf-Riverside football team rallies past Flintridge Prep to win third straight section title – Whittier Daily News

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