Cam High’s Varsity football team won nine games in a row and finished the regular season with a record of 9-1.

Cam High plays in the Camino League with schools such as Grace Brethren, Bishop Diego, Thousand Oaks and Moorpark. The varsity team finished second in the league with a 3-1 record. The team’s only loss of the regular season came on Nov. 1 in a 42-21 loss against Grace Brethren.

The team won in the CIF Southern Section Division 4 first-round against Damien 34-28 on Nov. 8. On Nov. 15, the team won against Downey 28-27, and Cam High moved on to the CIF semifinals.

Mr. Jack Willard, Cam High’s head football coach said the team improves in all areas throughout the season. He said the offensive line-up has stood out to him this year. “If players hold each other accountable that’s when you know you have a special team,” said Willard. 

The players have also been focusing on the improvement of the team as a whole. “I think of my football team as a family and we work as one, too,” said Colton Schlimgen, sophomore.

Mario Jones, sophomore and junior varsity running back and linebacker said cooperation is crucial to the team. “Varsity players’ chemistry is so much better because they don’t have time for it to be bad,” he said.

Before each game, the team watches videos of their improvement in past games. This helps them become mentally prepared for their next game.

Every player has their own personal routines to prepare for a game. Schlimgen said, “On game day, I wake up in the morning and eat two ham-and-cheese croissants. After school, I go home drink a red-orange smoothie from a blender.”

Jones stressed the importance of being prepared on game day, saying that he is ready mentally days before a game, which allows him to play better.

Each player has their own stand-out memories of the season. “We played Oxnard in week 5. It was a really close game and then we were really close when we kicked a field goal to put us up late and then we blocked the field goal to win the game. It was just really exciting to win that big in that situation,” said Grady Lidell, varsity senior wide receiver and safety.

Cam High will play in the CIF Southern Section Division 4 Semifinal on Nov. 22 against Loyola.