Isaiah Travis hoists the championship trophy after the RedHawks 33-17 win over Sweetwater (National City) on Dec. 9. Photo courtesy of Emily Corriea

TORRANCE, CA (MPG) - History was made last Saturday afternoon as the Colusa RedHawks completed an undefeated season and earned their first CIF State football title with a resounding 33-17 victory over Southern California Regional Champion Sweetwater. The CIF 6-A Championship was held at El Camino College’s Murdock Stadium.

“Our mindset was that we were going to go out and get the job done,” said Travis, who played an integral role on both sides of the ball.  “We were determined, and we knew we were undefeated for a reason.”

That fortitude has been abundantly clear all year long as the RedHawks, with Mikey Badaluco as head coach, have outscored their opponents 450-133, a fact that was in stark contrast to Sweetwater, a school from National City with an enrollment of 2,800, who had put 406 points on the board but yielded 359.

Thus, it came as no surprise that Colusa turned its first possession of the game into points, mounting an 11-play, 52-yard drive to take an early lead.

It was a 4.5-minute march, highlighted by two passes from quarterback Bo Coronado to Landon Humphrey, and a big fourth down conversion in which Aiden Selover got just beyond the line to gain before the running back ultimately capped the drive with a one-yard run into the end zone.

Charlie Santana hauls in a 37-yard pass from Bo Coronado during the CIF 6-A Championship on Dec. 9. Photo courtesy of Emily Corriea

However, things changed quickly on the Red Devils’ next possession, as their vaunted ground attack answered with a 64-yard touchdown run, then tacked on a two-point try to take the lead 8-6.

Undeterred, the RedHawks countered via the pass with Coronado hitting Peyton Humphrey and Charlie Santana for 18 and 37 yards respectively, to put the ball in the red zone at the 17.

Four plays later, Colusa regained the advantage when Coronado found Landon Humphrey in the end zone for the RedHawks’ second touchdown of the game although a second missed extra point put them in front by a narrow four-point margin.

At this juncture things got interesting, as with a minute remaining in the first quarter, Sweetwater embarked on a time-consuming drive that continued into the second period, chewing up nearly 10 minutes of clock.

But that possession was also a turning point, as the RedHawk defense forced the Red Devils to settle for a field goal and with that stop, ultimately changed the nature of the game.

Making the stand was something that came as no surprise to linebacker Will McCoy, who has spearheaded the defense this season.

“Mikey had a plan and we practiced it all week,” said the senior captain. “We had confidence in our defense and the big thing was never to let up and always go full speed. And, like the other 13 teams that gave up against us, this one did too. I knew we were going to be in this position because we set the tone for our playoff run after going 10-0.”

As a result, with just over two minutes remaining before halftime, the RedHawks saw an opportunity for more when Selover returned the subsequent kickoff 60 yards to the Sweetwater 15-yard line.

Aiden Selover runs back a kickoff in Colusa’s win over Sweetwater in the CIF 6-A Championship game on Dec. 9. Photo courtesy of Emily Corriea

Following a seven-yard run by Coronado and a Red Devil penalty that placed the ball at the one, Selover scored his second touchdown of the day to put Colusa on top 19-11 at intermission.

The RedHawks cheerleaders performing at halftime. Photo by Chris Pedigo

Starting the third quarter, Sweetwater, who had outgained the RedHawks 138 to 43 on the ground but still trailed, got the second half kickoff looking to close the gap, but once again the Colusa defense stood tall, forcing a three-and-out.

After another short punt, the RedHawks moved deep into Red Devil territory with consecutive completions to Peyton Humphrey and Travis.

Colusa’s #9 Isaiah Travis catches a pass in traffic from Bo Coronado. Photo by Chris Pedigo 

Then on the next play, Coronado connected with Santana for a 13-yard touchdown, the senior receiver’s second big catch of the game, making the score 26-11.

For his part, Coronado, who completed 10 of 12 passes for 127 yards, was once again efficient and effective in leading Colusa down the field.

Colusa’s senior quarterback Bo Coronado scrambles towards the endzone with two Sweetwater defenders in pursuit. Photo by Chris Pedigo

Colusa’s #3 Charlie Santana races down the sidelines after catching a pass from Bo Coronado. Photo by Chris Pedigo

However, the Red Devils responded to cut the deficit to nine points and had their best chance to whittle it down to a one score differential as the third quarter ended.

But five plays into the final period, Colusa’s Abimael Fuerte picked off a pass to end the threat.

From there, the RedHawks went on to capitalize, putting the final nail in the coffin when Selover recorded a hat trick after breaking free for a 27-yard touchdown.

It was a big game for the senior, who carried eight times for 32 yards in addition to his three scores, and after the game expressed pride in the team’s performance as well as an appreciation for the opportunity to get back on the field after starting the season rehabbing an injury.

“The offense was dynamic today and able to score at will,” said Selover. “We trusted each other on every single drive. It was very special for me because I worked hard to come back and I’m glad my teammates and coaches never gave up on me.”

While Sweetwater did hold Colusa below the 357 yards of offense it averaged this season, the Red Devils were unable to keep the multidimensional RedHawks out of the end zone.

McCoy was the leading rusher, carrying 14 times for 72 yards. Santana caught two balls for 50 yards, Landon Humphrey hauled in four passes for 36 yards, and Peyton Humphrey made the most of his three targets, accounting for 34 yards.

Defensively, Travis and Hayden Sines each recorded a sack, while Nicko Mata and Parker Goodman continued the strong play they have shown throughout the playoffs.

On the bus ride home, Badaluco reflected on his squad’s toughness and how that adversely affected the RedHawks’ last two opponents saying, “My biggest take away from playing these two big schools is that they just don’t like the physicality that these Northern Section kids bring. Both of them were large and we beat them down. They just aren’t as hard-nosed as our small-town kids.”

Yet, in the end, Badaluco attributed Colusa’s success to the dedication of a very special group of athletes.

“We knew early in the summer when we competed against big schools that we had something really good,” said Badaluco. “Our kids have responded to every obstacle they faced. This has not been easy, and we won a lot of tight ball games, but our kids are incredible, and my assistant coaches are the best. These guys set a standard of showing up to work over these past few years, win or lose, and they are leading by example. All our coaches feel honored to be part of their journey.”

With the conclusion of their remarkable season, the RedHawks (14-0) became the first football team in the county to capture a state title and the second in school history as they joined the Colusa boys’ basketball team that won the CIF Division V championship back in 1990.

The 2023 CIF 6-A Champion Colusa RedHawks. Photo courtesy of David Johnstone