Sierra Canyon mocked Serra for cramping during a high school football game in California. The shenanigans did not go over well with its opponent.
Both sidelines cleared during a heated kerfuffle.
Tempers flared during the blowout win because of the constant stoppages, which the visitors may or may not have used to intentionally slow down the offense. Either way, both high school football coaches were completely outraged by their opponent’s behavior.
Sierra Canyon dominated Serra in the second half.
Sierra Canyon is one of the better high school football teams in the state of California on the Division-I level of competition. The Chatsworth-based program finished at 10-5 in 2022, 11-1 in 2023 and 8-4 in 2024. The Trailblazers are off to a 6-0 start after their win over the weekend.
Serra, which is located in Gardena, is not quite as good. However, it not a cupcake opponent by any stretch of the imagination so Sierra Canyon made a statement with its second-half dominance on Friday night.
It was only 9-0 at halftime. The Trailblazers went on to beat the Cavaliers 30-0.
High school football cramping controversy.
The final score was not the biggest story of the game. Cramping became a point of contention.
Serra players kept cramping on defense, which repeatedly slowed down the up-tempo offense of Sierra Canyon. It appeared to be intentional. For example:
Did you see this too?
— Chris Fore (@chriscfore) October 4, 2025
Is Serra faking injuries to stop play here? What is 2 doing?! 😂😂😂 https://t.co/8fSsYH9iDF pic.twitter.com/sk2sffRMvR
Cavaliers head coach Scott Altenberg denied the use of fake cramps to influence the game.
“I’m not that kind of coach,” he told the Los Angeles Times.
Trailblazers head coach Jon Ellinghouse initially thought (and might still think) otherwise. 10 of the 11 Sierra Canyon players on the field simultaneously fell to the ground at their coach’s direction at the end of the third quarter. They collectively engaged in fake cramping .
Never seen this one! Been a lot of injuries on the Serra side tonight and Sierra Canyon took exception and just ran this play. Wild! pic.twitter.com/CUTAqahjbf
— Matt Moreno (@MattRMoreno) October 4, 2025
The entire offense (everyone but the center) went down together.
Drama in Chatsworth.
— Dan Lovi (@LoviSports) October 4, 2025
Sierra Canyon players mocking Serra players who have been dealing with cramps all game
SC players drop to the floor in unison faking cramps pic.twitter.com/dKLhWIWN7l
That did not go over well with the Serra sideline.
Officials briefly halted the game. They called 15-yard penalties on both teams.
Ellinghouse later admitted that he regrets the fake cramp mockery but he was frustrated with the repeated stoppages. Altenberg said he has never been more angry during his 27 years of coaching.
The two teams did not shake hands after the game.