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A California high school won its state championship last weekend without completing a pass, not only in the game but for the entire season.
Seriously.
Granada Hills Charter High School wrapped up an 11–2 season with a victory in the CIF-LA City Section Division I championship. Though the accomplishment was undoubtedly impressive, it isn’t nearly as magnificent in the manner in which the program reached and won the title game.
Granada Hills attempted just seven passes over the course of the year. Senior Dijon Stanley went 0-for-2, and freshman Isaac Delgado went 0-for-5 as the team instead relied on a potent rushing attack.
Stanley led the way for the Granada Hills Charter’s ground game, which racked up a total of 5,412 yards and 75 touchdowns while averaging 416.3 rushing yards per game. The senior amassed 2,397 of those yards on just 188 carries, averaging just shy of 200 yards per contest. He also scored 32 touchdowns.
The rushing-heavy offense paid dividends for Granada Hills. The team scored at least 40 points in 10 games, including in its 44–7 victory over Palisades in the section title game, and scored more than 50 points in nearly half of their outings.
Coupled with strong defensive and special teams units, Granada Hills Charter dominated for most of the year and still has another opportunity to display its remarkable rushing game. The Highlanders are set to play San Marin for the Division 4-A state championship on Saturday.
