3 Takeaways: No. 6 Sierra Canyon Avenged Loss to No. 13 JSerra Catholic

Here are three things that stood out in the Trailblazers’ dominant 2025 debut

Sierra Canyon three-star junior running back Jaxsen Stokes (3) had a big opening night, running 13 times for 96 yards and three touchdowns while amassing 166 total yards in a 35-0 win against No. 13 JSerra Catholic. / Rene Morales

What a difference a year makes.

On Aug. 23, 2024, the Sierra Canyon Trailblazers walked off the football field at the end of their regular season opener against JSerra Catholic feeling about as defeated as a football team can after losing 35-7. The sting of that game still lingered one year later.

When it came time to line up again in the season opener on Aug. 22, 2025, the Trailblazers weren’t going to be embarrassed again – if for no other reason, their defense wasn’t going to allow it.

Stacked with star-rated prospects all over the field, Sierra Canyon never allowed the Lions to reach the red zone, while junior running back Jaxsen Stokes and several other offensive stars came alive in the second quarter and rolled to a 35-0 shutout.

Breaking in junior quarterback Koa Smith-Mayall, a first-year starter, who replaced three-star senior and Wisconsin commit Ryan Hopkins – who transferred to Mater Dei – the Lions struggled to find cohesion, thanks to the swarming defense across from him.

Here are three takeaways we had from Friday’s showdown between No. 6 Sierra Canyon and No. 13 JSerra Catholic.

3 Takeaways

Sierra Canyon’s Defense is Elite

It wasn’t perfect, but at least most of the mistakes the Trailblazers made on defense were self-inflicted things that can be fixed. Sure, the Lions managed to hit on some nice plays that moved the sticks. Most of the time they moved the ball, it was thanks to Sierra Canyon penalties. With that said, the Lions never touched the red zone on offense.

Loaded with a who’s who of future Division I talent on defense, the Trailblazers forced a punt on eight of the Lions’ 10 possessions (including each of the first six) and forced them to turn it over on downs on the other two.

Four-star defensive back Myles Baker helped Sierra Canyon pitch a shutout against JSerra Catholic on Friday night. / Photo: Rene Morales

Sierra Canyon played well at all three levels defensively and looked about as complete as a unit can be in the season’s first week.

Jaxsen Stokes Stole the Show

Watch him with the football in his hands and you’ll understand why so many Power Four programs are chasing the 5-foot-9, 175-pound running back. He began his junior season doing a little bit of everything in the win.

Piling up 542 yards and nine touchdowns on 56 carries (9.7 yards per carry) in 2024, Stokes ran the ball 13 times in Friday’s game, amassing 96 yards (7.4 average) and three touchdowns. He also had a 20-yard reception and finished with two catches for 24 yards and added a 46-yard kickoff return. He finished with 166 total yards.

Performances like that will only draw more attention to a young man who already holds offers from Oregon, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Penn State, Tennessee, USC, UCLA, Washington State, Arizona State, California, Kansas, Oregon State, San Diego State and Sacramento State.  

Stars Showed Out

In his first game at Sierra Canyon, senior quarterback Laird Finkel – a transfer from Bishop Alemany – settled in nicely and had a solid game for the Trailblazers. Despite a slow start, Finkel recovered nicely and finished the game 14-for-23 passing (60.9% completion percentage) for 233 yards.

Still searching for his first touchdown pass after Sierra Canyon scored all of its touchdowns on the ground, Finkel formed a connection with a host of receivers, as eight players had at least one catch for the Trailblazers and all but one had a long of at least 14 yards.

Sierra Canyon five-star EDGE Richard Wesley, a Texas commit, picked up his first sack of the season against JSerra Catholic in Friday's 35-0 win. / Rene Morales

Finkel’s biggest connection went to senior Da’Markus Barnes for 32 yards, who had a nice game with three catches for 70 yards. Dino Scordia was second on the team with two catches for 50 yards.

Senior tailback Jerod Terry Jr. averaged 9.5 yards per carry, running six times for 57 yards and a touchdown. He also had a 28-yard clutch reception that set up a touchdown.

Defensively, five-star EDGE prospect Richard Wesley, a Texas Longhorns commit, broke out with his first sack of the season late in the first half, while four-star senior defensive backs Havon Finney Jr. (LSU) and Brandon Lockhart (USC) and four-star junior Myles Baker each had notable nights.

While he lost a fumble on a return, Finney finished with 50 yards on five punt returns and had one of the biggest hits of the night when the cornerback leveled a receiver on a quick screen to the delight of the home crowd.

The hit was a product of the tone Sierra Canyon set from the opening kick.

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