ORANGE – Mike Ogas was told two years ago he had some football players.
Then a first-year head coach, green as turf but willing to accept any challenge, Ogas led a young Canyon team into the meat-grinder that is high school football.
Next week, he’ll lead his team into the CIF-SS Southern Division championship game.
Comanches running back Charlie Treanor scored four touchdowns, and the defense he is an invaluable part of held El Modena’s offense well below its season average, as Canyon defeated its league rival, 35-20, in Friday’s division semifinals at El Modena High.
“People ask me all the time what it is about this team,” Ogas said. “I tell them: team chemistry and senior leadership. These kids are athletes and they’re students. It’s a full-blown operation at Canyon, with coaches and kids and administrators who want to succeed.
“This is for all the coaches who came before me – (Jim) Kunau, (Brent) McKee – who weren’t able to do this. They paved the way. I’m lucky to have this chance.”
Canyon (8-5) will play Brea Olinda – 17-7 winners over Garden Grove in the other semifinal – in next week’s title game. The Comanches won the teams’ Week 10 league meeting, 26-0.
Canyon last appeared in a CIF final in 1979, when it lost to Loara, 28-23, at Angel Stadium. The school, which opened in 1973, has not won a CIF football championship.
Ogas, unsure whether he was 2-and-a-half or 3 years old in 1979, said he recently received 8mm film of that Loara game. He had it converted to DVD, and plans on showing it to his kids this week.
“We’re trying to change the aura of football at Canyon,” said Treanor, who scored three times on short runs and returned a punt for a touchdown late in the fourth quarter.
“It’s been a long time since they’ve talked about football here; it’s always basketball and baseball.
“I hope this is the team to get people talking about Canyon football.”
Canyon returned many of the players whose season ended in this round last year. Ogas said, in defeat, Treanor, Trace Hobbs, Jason Harman, Avery Jones and the rest of this senior class gained valuable playoff experience.
“These guys took their lumps,” he added.
El Modena (8-5) led, 14-13, at halftime, but relinquished the lead in the fourth quarter.
Canyon received a spark from running back Michael Freeman on its go-ahead scoring drive, and Hobbs later made a spectacular 41-yard catch that led to points.
Contact the writer: bwhitehead@ocregister.com