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  • A Canyon assistant coach talks to members of the team's...

    A Canyon assistant coach talks to members of the team's defense during Friday's CIF State Division IV-AA regional championship against Bonita Vista at Southwestern College in Chula Vista.

  • Canyon's Avery Jones gets his teammates fired up before Friday's...

    Canyon's Avery Jones gets his teammates fired up before Friday's CIF State Division IV-AA regional championship game against Bonita Vista at Southwestern College in Chula Vista.

  • Canyon's Avery Jones takes a knee after his team's 24-21...

    Canyon's Avery Jones takes a knee after his team's 24-21 loss to Bonita Vista in Friday's CIF State Division IV-AA regional championship at Southwestern College in Chula Vista.

  • Canyon's Jacob Allen reacts as Bonita Vista intercepts a pass...

    Canyon's Jacob Allen reacts as Bonita Vista intercepts a pass late in the fourth quarter of Friday's CIF State Division IV-AA regional championship at Southwestern College in Chula Vista.

  • Canyon quarterback Jason Harman gets rid of the ball in...

    Canyon quarterback Jason Harman gets rid of the ball in his own end zone while under pressure from Bonita Vista's Luis Pena during Friday's CIF State Division IV-AA regional championship at Southwestern College in Chula Vista.

  • Canyon fans Justin Allen Cienna Lopushinsky sing along to a...

    Canyon fans Justin Allen Cienna Lopushinsky sing along to a Katy Perry song during a 15-minute rain delay at halftime of Friday's CIF State Division IV-AA regional championship against Bonita Vista at Southwestern College in Chula Vista.

  • Canyon's Trace Hobbs can't hold onto the feet of Bonita...

    Canyon's Trace Hobbs can't hold onto the feet of Bonita Vista's Greg Bell during the second quarter of Friday's CIF State Division IV-AA regional championship at Southwestern College in Chula Vista.

  • Canyon's Charlie Treanor reaches the end zone for an apparent...

    Canyon's Charlie Treanor reaches the end zone for an apparent touchdown, but a penalty was called on the play, wiping out the score.

  • Canyon running back Charlie Treanor tries to find a hole...

    Canyon running back Charlie Treanor tries to find a hole in the Bonita Vista defense during Friday's CIF State Division IV-AA regional championship at Southwestern College in Chula Vista.

  • Canyon's Josh Semaan is inches short of deflecting a pass...

    Canyon's Josh Semaan is inches short of deflecting a pass reeled in by Bonita Vista's Quentin Harrison leading to a touchdown in Friday's CIF State Division IV-AA regional championship at Southwestern College in Chula Vista.

  • Canyon's Dylan Porter, left and Josh Tarango take a knee...

    Canyon's Dylan Porter, left and Josh Tarango take a knee and pray before Friday's CIF State Division IV-AA regional championship against Bonita Vista at Southwestern College in Chula Vista.

  • Canyon fans watch from under umbrellas and ponchos during Friday's...

    Canyon fans watch from under umbrellas and ponchos during Friday's CIF State Division IV-AA regional championship against Bonita Vista at Southwestern College in Chula Vista.

  • Canyon's Noah Faryniarz blocks a field-goal attempt by Bonita Vista's...

    Canyon's Noah Faryniarz blocks a field-goal attempt by Bonita Vista's Matt Michaud to keep the game tied, 14-14, going into halftime during Friday's CIF State Division IV-AA regional championship at Southwestern College in Chula Vista.

  • Canyon fans take cover under umbrellas and ponchos as rain...

    Canyon fans take cover under umbrellas and ponchos as rain falls before Friday's CIF State Division IV-AA regional championship at Southwestern College in Chula Vista.

  • Canyon quarterback Jason Harman scrambles away from Bonita Vista's Luis...

    Canyon quarterback Jason Harman scrambles away from Bonita Vista's Luis Pena during Friday's CIF State Division IV-AA regional championship at Southwestern College in Chula Vista.

  • Canyon quarterback Jason Harman evades a tackle during a game...

    Canyon quarterback Jason Harman evades a tackle during a game against Bonita Vista during Friday's CIF State Division IV-AA regional championship at Southwestern College in Chula Vista.

  • Canyon's Noah White pulls in a pass in the against...

    Canyon's Noah White pulls in a pass in the against Bonita Vista during Friday's CIF State Division IV-AA regional championship at Southwestern College in Chula Vista.

  • Canyon's Blake Suttle grabs Bonita Vista quarterback Anthony Posada for...

    Canyon's Blake Suttle grabs Bonita Vista quarterback Anthony Posada for a sack during Friday's CIF State Division IV-AA regional championship at Southwestern College in Chula Vista.

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Associate mug of Kenny Connolly, Anaheim reporter.

Date shot: 12/31/2012 . Photo by KATE LUCAS /  ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

CHULA VISTA – They weren’t quite ready to see such a historic journey come to an end, and for good reason.

When this year’s batch of Canyon seniors were freshman, they watched the varsity program struggle to win just three games. So the goal in their final campaign on campus was to put Comanche football back on the map, which they succeeded in – even in defeat – on Friday night.

Under a constant downpour on the road at Southwestern College, the Comanches dropped the CIF State Division IV–AA Regional Championship game, 24-21, to Bonita Vista of Chula Vista.

Canyon finished the season with a 9-6 record, and captured the program’s first CIF-SS championship trophy in the process.

“Couldn’t be more proud of them,” Comanches coach Mike Ogas said after the game. “They were the best football team in the history of the high school. I can’t say anything more. What else matters than that?

“They fought as hard they could. That’s a good team we lost to. That’s a great running back. But that being said, we had our chances. We didn’t capitalize on the opportunities we had and that’s why we lost.”

Bonita Vista (12-2) running back Greg Bell carried the ball 33 times for 279 yards and two touchdowns. The shifty senior put an exclamation mark on a stellar evening with the game-winning 19-yard touchdown run with 1:54 remaining in the contest.

The Barons advance to next Saturday night’s state championship game, where they will play Hanford.

“It’s a sad thing that we lost, but we fought hard all season and that’s all you can ask for,” Comanches linebacker Avery Jones said. “A bunch of teams would love to be playing 15 games this season. To come this far, almost making it to state, it’s a huge way from where we were a few years ago.”

At no point Friday night did either side lead by more than a touchdown. The Barons and Comanches took a 14-14 tie into an extended halftime period that was caused by lightning storms in the surrounding areas.

Despite the 40-minute break, Ogas didn’t see a loss of rhythm from either sideline.

“I felt like it was our advantage actually,” he said. “It happens. You can’t control the weather. We prepared for it well. They’re a good team. They didn’t allow us to make plays when it mattered.”

Trailing 17-14 midway through the fourth quarter, Canyon went on a 12-play, 72-yard drive that was capped off with a 1-yard touchdown pass from Jason Harman to Jones.

Harman threw three touchdowns on the night, and running back Charlie Treanor ran 32 times for 133 yards.

Canyon punted the ball to Bonita Vista with 2:55 remaining. The Barons drove 50 yards on five plays to grab the go-ahead score, Bell’s 19-yard counter being the decisive blow.

Contact the writer: kconnolly@ocregister.com