No. 21 Oaks Christian vs. No. 22 Bellevue highlights initial Mission Viejo Classic

MISSION VIEJO FOOTBALL CLASSIC
TODAY
Cypress (Cypress, Calif.) vs. Garces (Bakersfield, Calif.), 4:30 p.m.
Mission Viejo (Mission Viejo, Calif.) vs. Centennial (Bakersfield, Calif.), 8 p.m.
SATURDAY
Bakersfield (Bakersfield, Calif.) vs. Timpview (Provo, Utah), 11:15 a.m.
Crenshaw (Los Angeles, Calif.)) vs. Alta (Sandy, Utah)), 2:20 p.m.
Orange Lutheran (Orange, Calif.) vs. Bingham (South Jordan, Utah), 5:25 p.m.
Oaks Christian (Westlake Village, Calif.) vs. Bellevue (Bellevue, Wash.), 8:30 p.m.

Oaks Christian High School football coach Bill Redell calls it the "Delaware Wing-T," but around most circles it's just the "Wing T."

Around national high school circles, it's called "The Streak Killer Wing T."

Oaks Christian's opponent Saturday night in the premier game of the inaugural Mission Viejo Football Classic is Bellevue Wash., which emerged onto the national stage with a rather shocking 39-20 win over perennial national powerhouse De La Salle to start the 2004 season at Qwest Stadium before a then Washington state-record 24,897 fans.

Along with the victory, Butch Goncharoff's squad ended one of sports' most amazing records, a 151-game win streak which at that point had more than doubled the previous national mark.

Goncharoff beat De La Salle at its own game, namely with his precise, quick-hitting Wing-T attack that produced the most points ever against a Bob Ladouceur-coached team.

Ladouceur's record by the way is 374-24-3 and the 39 points scored was the most ever scored against a De La Salle squad.

Oaks Christian enters Saturday's game No. 22 in the MaxPreps Xcellent 25 national rankings and Bellevue No. 23.

"If you haven't seen it or played against it, it's awfully difficult to prepare for it," Redell said. "Trying to duplicate it at practice is next to impossible."

Goncharoff isn't offering much compassion.

He's got his own worries trying to figure out how to slow down all of Oaks Christian's many weapons, led by one of the nation's top receivers Jordan Payton to go along with running back Ishmael Adams, quarterbacks Luke Falk and Brandon Dawkins

"They got guys everywhere," Goncharoff said. "We have to figure out a way to stop at least some of them."

But that's what Redell and every other coach that faces up with Bellevue tries to solve.

The Wolverines didn't just stop with De La Salle in 2004. Instead they spring-boarded from that game to become a perennial national power while recording an 85-8 mark the last seven years including five state titles and three in a row.

They've won eight 3A state crowns in 10 years.

"They're very disciplined and well-coached and physical," Redell said. "That's a heck of a combination. They do what they do, try to control the clock and keep you off the field."

That's always a good idea against Oaks Christian, which has a very similar story to Bellevue.

Also from an affluent community, the Lions have been an instant success since opening their doors in 2000.

Redell, 70, a former Canadian League star and College Hall of Famer from Occidental College, was one of three former Southern Section Coaches of the Year on an 11-man staff which includes defensive coordinator Clay Matthews, a longtime NFL All-Pro.

Redell told us before the team's state bowl crown in 2006, a team that had 11 Division I players by the way, philanthropist David Price donated $40 million to get the school off the ground. "No expense was spared," Redell said. "The facilities are second to none. It's like a college."

Not only did coaches flock to the campus, but so did players, from everywhere, including 2009 starting quarterback Nick Montana, son of NFL Hall of Famer Joe Montana, current USC tailback Marc Tyler (son of former NFL running back Wendell), Trey Smith (son of actor Will Smith) and Trevor Gretzky (son of NHL great Wayne).

Other famous players who have played at Oaks Christian include current Carolina Panthers' starting quarterback Jimmy Clausen and 2009 Football Gatorade Player of the Year, Malcolm Jones (now at UCLA).

Gretzky and Smith were on the team last season but have since graduated.

The team's "Hollywood High" tag for all the celebrities that have attended games over the years.

With some of the sons' famous parents gone, the Lions aren't quite such an attraction and the team can focus just on playing.

"We're a good team," said the always honest and straightforward Redell. "Some have us as high as 13th nationally. We're not as good as advertised yet, but we have a lot of speed and a lot of athletes. We have some experience on defense. But I'm not sure about our physicality."

The Lions have won 136 games and lost just 14 in 11 seasons.

"We're kind of use to the winning and the press," Redell said.

But not the Wing-T.
Tyler Hasty, son of former NFL standout James Hasty and brother of James Hasty Jr., who torched De La Salle in that historic win for four touchdowns, is Bellevue's quarterback.

More concerning to Redell is the Wolverines' experienced offensive line led by highly recruited Jake Eldrenkamp.

MVC NOTES: Three teams from Utah – Timpview, Alta and Bingham – made 11.5-hour bus rides to Orange County. … Bingham is ranked third in Utah, Alta No. 7 and Timpview No. 18. … Bingham is riding a 26-game win streak but lost 15 starters to graduation. The Minors feature a talented running duo of Tisi Tuifua and Daniel Palepoi along with quarterback Brady Lail … Bingham will take on Orange County power and 2006 State Bowl champion Orange Lutheran, which returns a whopping 16 starters back including Division I commits linebacker Deion Williams (Duke), tight end and defensive end Christo Kourtzidis (Florida State) and safety Darien Washington (Washington). … Host Mission Viejo, which plays tonight against Centennial-Bakersfield, is No. 15 in the MaxPreps Freeman rankings and led by standout USC-bound running back Jahleel Pinner (6-1, 225), quarterback Alex Bridgford (6-3, 205) and offensive lineman Colby Cyburt (6-5, 285) and San Diego State-bound Austin Maass (6-5, 290). Cyburt has received Pac-12 offers across the board. ... The two late games on Saturday will be televised on Fox Prime Ticket. ... Tickets can be purchased at the game - $15 for student and $20 adult for event admission though Mission Viejo vs. Centennial game tickets will be sold separately.