Quarterback John Sanders #4 of St. Francis scrambles for yardage against Mira Costa in the first half of a prep football game at St. Francis High School in La Canada on Friday, August 25, 2023. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Preston Jernegan #44 of St. Francis catches a pass and runs for as first down against Mira Costa in the first half of a prep football game at St. Francis High School in La Canada on Friday, August 25, 2023. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Mira Costa fumbles as Tim Murphy #10 of St. Francis dives for the loose ball in the first half of a prep football game at St. Francis High School in La Canada on Friday, August 25, 2023. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
John Calmette #5 of St. Francis runs for yardage against Mira Costa in the first half of a prep football game at St. Francis High School in La Canada on Friday, August 25, 2023. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
JT Martin #3 of St. Francis catches a pass for touchdown past Brady Prince #9 of Mira Costa in the first half of a prep football game at St. Francis High School in La Canada on Friday, August 25, 2023. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Mattie Miller #5 of Mira Costa catches pass for yardage as Julian Navarro #12 of St. Francis makes the tackle in the first half of a prep football game at St. Francis High School in La Canada on Friday, August 25, 2023. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Quarterback Nico De La Cruz #3 of Mira Costa passes against Alex Juarez #35 of St. Francis in the first half of a prep football game at St. Francis High School in La Canada on Friday, August 25, 2023. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Mattie Miller #5 of Mira Costa catches a pass for first down against St. Francis in the first half of a prep football game at St. Francis High School in La Canada on Friday, August 25, 2023. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Preston Jernegan #44 of St. Francis fumbles as Michael Butler #1 of Mira Costa makes the tackle in the first half of a prep football game at St. Francis High School in La Canada on Friday, August 25, 2023. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Dean Staso #15 of Mira Costa catches a pass for touchdown over Jamie Lawyer #14 of St. Francis in the first half of a prep football game at St. Francis High School in La Canada on Friday, August 25, 2023. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Head coach Dean Herrington of St. Francis reacts after a touchdown against Mira Costa in the first half of a prep football game at St. Francis High School in La Canada on Friday, August 25, 2023. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Quarterback John Sanders #4 of St. Francis scrambles for a first down against Mira Costa in the first half of a prep football game at St. Francis High School in La Canada on Friday, August 25, 2023. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Quarterback John Sanders #4 of St. Francis scrambles for yardage against Brady Prince #9 of Mira Costa in the first half of a prep football game at St. Francis High School in La Canada on Friday, August 25, 2023. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Jamie Lawyer #14 of St. Francis runs back a kick for yardage against Will Nammack #13 of Mira Costa in the first half of a prep football game at St. Francis High School in La Canada on Friday, August 25, 2023. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
JT Martin #3 of St. Francis catches a pass for touchdown past Jackson Reach #7 of Mira Costa in the first half of a prep football game at St. Francis High School in La Canada on Friday, August 25, 2023. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
John Calmette #5 of St. Francis is upended by Eli Cebula #18 of Mira Costa in the first half of a prep football game at St. Francis High School in La Canada on Friday, August 25, 2023. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Preston Jernegan #44 of St. Francis catches apes and runs for touchdown against Mira Costa in the first half of a prep football game at St. Francis High School in La Canada on Friday, August 25, 2023. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Preston Jernegan #44 of St. Francis fumbles as Camden Stone #14 of Mira Costa recovers the ball in the first half of a prep football game at St. Francis High School in La Canada on Friday, August 25, 2023. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Preston Jernegan #44 of St. Francis reacts after catching a pass for a touchdown against Mira Costa in the first half of a prep football game at St. Francis High School in La Canada on Friday, August 25, 2023. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
LA CANADA FLINTRIDGE — St. Francis High’s dual threat of both quarterback John Sanders and tight end Preston Jernegan might prove near impossible for opposing defenses to stop this season as Mira Costa found out. Sanders found Jernegan six times, including three touchdowns, as the St. Francis football team held the Mustangs in check for a 34-21 win in nonleague action on Friday night.
Jernegan racked up 122 receiving yards against Mira Costa which follows his eight-catch, 92-yard, four-touchdown performance a week ago in a 58-13 win against West Ranch.
“(Jernegan) is one of the best two-way players in all of CIF,” said St. Francis coach Dean Herrington. “He should have scholarship offers everywhere. He can play anywhere. That’s how good the guy is.”
Sanders completed 14 of 24 passes for 271 yards in another solid performance for St. Francis (2-0). He also rushed for 50 yards on eight carries.
The biggest Sanders-to-Jernegan strike came in the fourth quarter as St. Francis was holding on to a 27-21 lead. The Golden Knights faced a third-and-7 at the Mira Costa 11. Sanders took the snap and rolled to his right where he fired a pass to the right front corner of the end zone to Jernegan to put the Golden Knight up by two scores.
Mira Costa was led by quarterback Nico De La Cruz. He completed 29 of 52 passes for 282 yards and three touchdowns. Reese Leonard caught two of those touchdowns as he hauled in eight passes for 51 yards. Charlie O’Connor led Mira Costa in receiving yards with 98 on eight receptions.
St. Francis led 27-7 at halftime. The Golden Knights scored with 8:32 left in the first quarter to grab a 7-0 lead when Sanders found Jernegan on a crossing route. Jerengan then turned upfield on the left sideline to rumble for a 53-yard touchdown.
Mira Costa tied the game at 7-7 on its next possession when quarterback De La Cruz found Dean Staso in the end zone for a 7-yard touchdown pass.
The rapid-fire St. Francis offense needed only five plays on its next possession to regain the lead 14-7 when Sanders found Jernegan again. This time it was a 23-yard touchdown pass over the middle that Jernegan caught in the end zone to end the 50-yard drive.
The Golden Knights made it 21-7 with 3:35 left in the opening quarter when Sanders found JT Martin over the middle. Martin then out-raced the Mustang defenders for a 50-yard touchdown.
St. Francis extended its lead in the second quarter thanks to two Shawn Sanders field goals. He hit one from 20 yards out and then nailed a 39-yard field goal with just three seconds left before halftime.
Even though St. Francis led by 20 points at halftime, it could have been a bigger margin. The Golden Knights lost two fumbles and committed nine penalties, most of them on offense.
The Golden Knights defense, which had its struggles at times last season, held Mira Costa to only 123 total yards in the first half and forced one fumble. That turnover led to Sanders’ first field goal.
Mira Costa came back in the second half. The Mustangs used 13 plays to drive 64 yards halfway through the third quarter to cut the St. Francis lead to 27-14 when De La Cruz found Leonard in the left side of the end zone for a 9-yard touchdown pass.
Mira Costa then cut the Golden Knight lead to 27-21 on the first play of the fourth quarter when De La Cruz found Leonard in the end zone for a 14-yard pass on a fourth-and-10.
Mira Costa will take the lessons learned from its season opener to its second game next week when the Mustangs face Mayfair.
St. Francis will host Millikan from Long Beach next Friday.
