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November 3, 2025
By Loren Kopff • @LorenKopff on X
It’s no secret that the 605 League was formed because of how La Mirada High was dominating the less superior teams of the former Suburban League. The irony to that is a 75-0 La Mirada win over Cerritos High on Nov. 6, 2015 marked the beginning of a 19-game losing streak by the Dons in league competition.
Since then, Cerritos has won 18 straight 605 League contests, including a 50-0 win over John Glenn High last Thursday at Dr. Hanford Rants Stadium in the regular season finale. Cerritos goes into the CIF-Southern Section Division 9 playoffs at 8-2 and will travel to Fillmore High in Friday’s first round contest. It’s the 17th shutout for the Dons since 1998 with seven coming against Glenn, and the third shutout of at least 50 points to anyone. Another irony is that the week before getting blanked by La Mirada in 2015, the Dons defeated Glenn 22-16.
“That’s huge, because we started this league, from my knowledge, we were basically getting our butts kicked in the other league,” said Cerritos head coach Demel Franklin of the league winning streak. “We wanted [to get into another league] where we actually had a shot, and what do you know, we’re the king of this league. So, I’m proud to represent Cerritos High school.”
John Glenn High senior running back Okaro Lee tackles Cerritos High senior linebacker Sebastian Soto after a third quarter interception in last Friday’s 50-0 victory by the Dons. On the next play, senior quarterback Justin Sagun threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to junior Matthew McCoy to make it a 43-0 contest. PHOTO BY DAVID PAGE.
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In three short seasons, Franklin now has a 25-11 record, tying Kurt Bruich for most Cerritos victories since 1998. From 1998-2001, Bruich went 25-17. Next on the victory totem pole over the past 28 seasons is Brad Carter, who went 13-13 in three seasons prior to Franklin’s arrival as the head coach.
“It feels good,” said Cerritos junior running back Sam Reeves, who transferred from Glenn in January. “I finally get to go to the playoffs this year; this is my first time going to the playoffs in my whole high school career. I saw some of my boys out there [on the other sideline], but I’m happy that we executed.”
After going 6-4 in 2023, the Eagles have combined to win half that total in the past two seasons combined and will miss the playoffs for the fifth straight full season.
“I guess the positive is we finished the season,” said Glenn first-year head coach Dwon Drummer. “We were able to field a full team in Week 10. It wasn’t the outcome that we hoped; I think we just weren’t prepared to play Cerritos today. I think we put so much effort and emphasis into Artesia last week and not getting that win…like I told the guys, I think we took a step back from momentum. We had momentum after that tough loss to Artesia, and then today, we just did not want to play this game.
Reeves rushed four times for 27 yards and caught a 47-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback Justin Sagun on the second play of the game after gaining eight yards on his first carry of the game. He also had a pair of tackles in the third quarter.
“It felt amazing,” said Reeves of his first Cerritos touchdown reception. “Justin [threw a] great ball, and there was great blocking up front; great blocking by my receivers, and I got in there.
“It feels good to be a part of something; a winning program,” he later added. “We have great coaches, great staff…everything. It finally felt good to get that [league title].”
“They have an abundance of players, so it’s hard to say let’s focus on one,” said Drummer. “The players on the field know Sam better than I do. They have a personal relationship with him. I would imagine having a personal relationship with him…it’s wanting to stop him is probably a little bit more emphasized. But we were worried about a lot of their players, not just him.”
Cerritos High senior quarterback Justin Sagun gets loose for a 38-yard touchdown run late in the first half in a 50-0 win over John Glenn High last Thursday. Sagun completed 10 of 15 passes for 258 yards and threw three touchdown passes while rushing three times for 34 yards. PHOTO BY DAVID PAGE.
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A sign of things to come from the Cerritos defense came on Glenn’s initial possession of the game as a high snap to Glenn senior punter Juan Navarro sailed high and landed into the end zone for a safety. Then when the Dons (8-2, 3-0) got the ball back, senior running back La’Brenten Wilson scored on a 21-yard run and with 7:21 left in the stanza, it was 15-0.
Wilson would add a two-yard score on the second play of the second quarter and Sagun’s 38-yard touchdown run with 70 seconds remaining in the half made it 29-0. While the offense had already put up 263 yards in the half, the defense was more stellar, limiting the Eagles (2-8, 0-3) to negative 29 yards on 19 first half plays. Glenn was forced to punt on their first six possessions before running a pair of plays as time expired after the first 24 minutes.
In fact, it took a roughing the passer penalty early in the second quarter to put Glenn into Cerritos territory for the first time, at the 48-yard line, and it took a fumble recovery on the team’s fourth punt from senior lineman Oscar Sanchez to set up the Eagles at the Cerritos 31-yard line.
“This week, we didn’t go full gear one day,” said Franklin. “I was trying to rest up a little bit just to heal from my injuries and it kind of showed out there. We were rusty, and at halftime we made our adjustments like we always do, and then we came out firing.”
After junior defensive back Terrence Grissom picked off sophomore quarterback Ryder Perez, the Dons went up 36-0 as Sagun threw a 43-yard touchdown strike to senior wide receiver Jayden Bagaygay. Three plays later, senior Sebastian Soto’s interception led to Sagun connecting with junior Matthew McCoy for a 13-yard score. Grissom would cap off the game’s scoring with a 52-yard run on the first play of the fourth quarter.
Sagun would complete 10 of 15 passes for 258 yards and had 34 yards on three carries while seven other ball carriers picked up 127 yards on 14 touches. Defensively, senior Tyler Ky had three first quarter tackles while Soto had two and a half tackles, the interception and a sack.
Still, the performance by Reeves, who has played in five games this season, brought a smile to Franklin’s face. In the previous four games, Reeves had gained 200 yards on 22 carries and scored twice while catching two passes for a yard.
“I love it, because when we played Glenn [last year], he wasn’t doing the things he’s doing now,” said Franklin. “He’s matured, he’s worked his butt off and he’s a Don now. I loved that he was able to perform on the stage in front of his old school.”
“I just wanted to come out, do my job, make no mistakes and get in that box,” said Reeves.
Perez completed five passes for one yard and was sacked four times for a combined loss of 27 yards while senior Christian Afonin had 39 yards on seven carries, all coming in the last 18 minutes of the game. He also had a 32-yard reception late in the third quarter. Of the 39 offensive plays, 13 went for negative yardage. Sanchez had three tackles and a fumble recovery while Afonin, sophomore lineman Jayden Chavarin and freshman defensive back Kevin Huckleberry all added three tackles. Afonin also had an interception.
“They’re a great team,” said Drummer of Cerritos. “I’m not going to take anything away from them. They are the flagship team of this league. There’s a reason why they’ve won 18 straight league games. They’re really good.
“We’re not where we need to be and they are where they need to be,” he continued. “They do a great job; kudos to their staff for having their team prepared. We were outmatched, but we still have to look in the mirror, we have to evaluate, and we have to get better.”
