Cypress, La Habra coaches understand each other

LA HABRA - At the end of three quarters of heated, smash-mouth football, LaHabra and Cypress were deadlocked in a 21-21 battle for the right to play in the CIF-SS Southwest Championship against Trabuco Hills.

When the clock struck zero to end the game, a mass sense of euphoria engulfed the city of La Habra. Touchdown runs by Josh Quezada and Cody Clements ignited a Highlanders comeback victory, 35-21, that set the stage for a mass celebration at La Habra High. For the sixth time this decade, Frank Mazzotta and his squad will play for a CIF title.

On the opposing sideline, Ray Fenton and his team could only watch in disappointment, as they stood speechless.
But, if there was ever such a thing as a moral victory, this was it.

Just five years ago, Fenton took over a struggling Cypress program that was unfamiliar with the playoffs, let alone a CIF championship.

Fenton had a basic philosophy that he felt would make all the difference, a sense of community.

“Keep the Cypress kids home, and get them to quit transferring out of the city,” Fenton said. “With the support of the community and administration, we are playing with Cypress guys and we are playing well.”

After a 2-8 season in 2005, Fenton led the Centurions to the playoffs the following season.

In 2007, Fenton brought Cypress the ultimate prize, a CIF-SS Southern Division championship.

One man in particular could respect the job Fenton did, and he was standing across the field.

Mazzotta took over a similar situation at La Habra in 1998, where the Highlanders had made only one CIF appearance (1983) in the school’s history. Mazzotta implemented the same type of philosophy with his program, a community-oriented feel, and now has four CIF championship rings.

“There are a lot of similarities,” Mazzotta said, “Both teams have hard working, blue-collar workers. Our community has always been very supportive and the kids are very appreciative.”

The community and sense of passion was evident Two hours before kickoff, . Both La Habra and Cypress fans flooded the streets. The line to get into the stadium went down the block and around the parking lot; 5,000 people filled the stands and saw a hard-nosed football game.

“It’s a great community,” Fenton said. “It is one of the reasons I came back here, the small-town feel.”

Although the Centurions fell short Saturday evening, Fenton sees no signs of slowing down.

“(La Habra) has been dominant over the last decade or so. We are kind of the upstart, but it’s certainly a place we want to get to,” he said.