Thomas, McClymonds dismantle Oakland Tech
Michael Peters is admittedly old school, so calling one of his players by a nickname sort of makes him giggle.
The McClymonds-Oakland football coach could laugh and finally smile a bit after his fifthranked team was challenged by an Oakland Athletic League team for the first time in years Thursday even though the score of the game to decide the regular-season title was lopsided:
McClymonds 41, Oakland Tech 6.
The Warriors (9-1, 5-0) won a 13th straight OAL title and 89th consecutive game over an OAL opponent thanks largely to 25 carries for 297 yards and four touchdowns from senior running back Jaivian Thomas, nicknamed “The Jet.”
Tech, with its best team in more than a decade, dropped to 8-2 and 4-1.
“I don’t know him being a jet,” Peters told SBLive Sports correspondent Nick Lozito with a laugh, knowing Thomas was within earshot. “But he played a hell of a game. We leaned on him all year, so no better time than to lean on him right now.”
With running back Ferrari Miller Jr. and receiver Tajir Golden out with injuries, Peters leaned hard on his star back, who entered with 1,483 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns in seven games.
Before Thursday, Thomas had averaged a robust 15.1 yards per carry, so the vaunted Tech defensive line featuring 6-foot-3, 220pound edge rusher Omar Staples (seven FBS offers including Stanford), Anthony Alonzo and Davion Dixon actually did a pretty good job.
It was the chunk plays and touchdown runs of 35, 43, 31 and 40 yards that did in the Bulldogs, who had outscored their previous four OAL opponents 144-34. Thomas averaged 11.9 yards per carry. The Warriors also got an 83-yard touchdown pass to Redmani Albert from quarterback Deontae Faison, who also rushed for a score.
Peters actually wanted to talk more about his defense, which gave up just a third-quarter touchdown pass of 8 yards from Makai Waqia to Alonzo, who finished with 112 yards rushing. Waqia was hit as he released the ball but his fluttering pass got to Alonzo, who dragged a couple defenders into the end zone.
“That’s what championships are made of — defense,” said Peters, whose son Marcus plays cornerback for the Baltimore Ravens. “We had 11 hats to the ball.”
The Tech TD closed the gap and got the big Tech home crowd fired up. Then “The Jet,” all 5foot-10, 170 pounds of him, took over.
The two teams figure to battle again in a few weeks to decide the Silver Bowl, which determines the Oakland Section champion and automatic bid into the CIF Regional playoffs.
McClymonds has done well there with four state championships. Over the past four seasons, the Warriors have outscored OAL opponents 1,234-60. Rashada flips: Pittsburg fourstar quarterback Jaden Rashada announced on Twitter Thursday night that he has flipped his college commitment from Miami to Florida. In a 43-second video announcement, Rashada gets out of a Lamborghini on the field at Florida, looking around the stadium while in a Gator jacket.
Rashada committed to Miami on June 26.
“I have dreamed of playing SEC football since I was a little kid,” he wrote later on Twitter. “After a lot of prayer, conversations with my family and those close to me, I have decided to change my commitment and play for the University of Florida.”
He wrote he has tremendous respect for Miami, “but I have watched this season and coach (Billy) Napier and his team are building something very special in The Swamp and I want to be a part of it.”
Rashada missed Pittsburg’s Nov. 4 rivalry game with Antioch
due to what coach Vic Galli said was illness. The thirdranked Pirates (9-1) won the game 48-21, and sophomore Marley Alcantara threw for 322 yards and five touchdowns.
Rashada was scheduled to start Friday’s first-round North Coast Section playoff game — also against Antioch.
In nine games, Rashada has completed 64% of his passes (148 of 231) for 2,122 yards with 25 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He also has rushed for 247 yards and three scores.