Varsity Football advanced to their 2nd round CIF game last week after defeating Beaumont 34-0 at home and facing Oak Christian in Westlake Village tonight.
The win comes after the 10-1 team won the Battle of the Bell against rival Tesoro High School. The Stallion have done it again in back-to-back years winning the Battle of the Bell game, winning 42-7. This event ends with one school taking home the famous bell until the next game, the following year.
“It was a cool competition for me coming in as a first year principal, especially when understanding the historical context, and how much it means to the students,” said principal Cina Abedzadeh speaking about the game against Tesoro.
San Juan Hills High School and Tesoro have a long-term rivalry against each other in terms of football. They have a tradition where they play a monumental football game, called ‘The Battle of the Bell’.
“As the week goes on you just have to keep preparing more and more mentally. It’s definitely a mental game” said senior kicker Manuel Maganda.
The San Juan Hills High School football team practices for two hours per day and wears full pads for a week in preparation for the game. They put in an immense amount of effort to be certain they can come out physically and mentally stronger. Both mental and physical struggles take place as this game is what most students look forward to on campus.
The game was set at the Titan’s stadium, where the Stallions had no difficulty taking charge and having a positive mindset throughout the game.
Not only do players come out ready to play, but they have one of the biggest crowds of the year at the game. The game sold out within minutes and ASB packed the San Juan Hills section with energy and posters.
The game started off even as both teams bounced back and forth with possession of the ball.
Last year in 2023, the ‘Battle of the Bell’ victory game came down to the last 2 minutes as star receiver Colton Chase scored the winning touchdown.
Ryder Morgan solidified the win for the Stallions as he kicked a field goal to close out the game. The Stallion football team proudly represented our school and achieved their goal of claiming the bell.
The Battle of Bell is part of the history of San Juan Hills High School and their everlasting feud with Tesoro, with the iconic game being a tradition for six years. The Stallions and the Titans are now tied, with each school winning the bell each for three years.
After some disappointing losses in the past, the Stallions have now won the Battle of the Bell for two years in a row, making a remarkable athletic recovery and bringing the bell back to the badlands for yet another year.
With this win, the football team is not done yet as they continue to advance through CIF playoffs.
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