The Trinity Classical Academy football team opened the 2025 season hoping last season’s success would carry over to this year.
But mistakes from Trinity’s offense would cost the Knights the win.
The San Fernando Tigers (1-0) edged the Knights (0-1), 7-6, and spoil any chance of Trinity starting the year with a victory.
“I think you learn more in the losses than you do the wins,” head coach Dave Eastham said, “So that’s what we’re going to look at it as. We’re going to keep this positive and we’re going to keep going in the right direction.”
The game started off promising for the Knights.
After a punt return from San Fernando’s Christopher Mosqueda gave the Tigers possession in Trinity’s red zone, the Knights’ defense forced a missed field goal that kept the game scoreless in the first quarter.
And in the opening minutes of the second quarter, Trinity’s offense was determined to break the stalemate.
On fourth down in San Fernando’s red zone, quarterback Andrew Carlson connected with Chase Backman for the touchdown that would give his team the early 6-0 lead.
“Tonight, he made some great catches for us,” Eastham said.
With momentum now with Trinity, the Knights’ offense didn’t have to wait long to get back on the field.
Trinity linebacker Patrick Cherry intercepted Tigers quarterback Julian Sarzo to hand possession right back to his team. The Knights would make nothing of it and wind up having to punt the ball in the following drive.
In the closing minutes of the first half, Sarzo and the Tigers’ offense drove down the field to Trinity’s red zone. But on fourth down San Fernando committed a turnover on downs after a stop from the Knights’ defense to give possession back to Trinity.
Despite the strong performance from the defense, the Knights’ offense was unable to generate any plays to keep drives alive.
With 40 seconds left until halftime, Carlson and Trinity’s offense forced the ball downfield, which would end up being intercepted.
On the following drive, the Tigers’ Melvin Pineda would go on a run down the field to score and hurt Trinity, scoring off the turnover. San Fernando would wind up leading 7-6 going into halftime.
The Knights received possession to start the second half, and it was the partnership of Carlson and Backman that brought some life back into Trinity.
On third and long and in their own half, Carlson connected with Backman for a 40-yard pass reception that would give Trinity’s offense a scoring opportunity.
“I want to make sure that everybody knows that my quarterback actually called that play,” Eastham said. “As down as he is about some things he did, he did some great things tonight, and that was a play that he suggested, and I trusted him because I trust my kids.”
But the momentum would end there.
Two yards away from the endzone, Trinity went for it on fourth down but would ultimately commit a turnover on downs after an incomplete pass from Carlson.
Trinity’s offense would be given another opportunity to score late in the third but again would fail to capitalize.
With 15 seconds left to go in the quarter, Carlson threw another interception in the Tigers’ territory, his second turnover in the game.
On the final drive of the night for Trinity’s offense, the team was again unable to generate any offense that saw the team play fourth down from their own 36-yard line.
And after throwing the ball intended for Backman, Mosqueda would come down with the interception, sealing Trinity’s fate.
Despite the loss, Eastham is hopeful his team can learn from the game and that they can bounce back from this result.
“I’m proud of them,” Eastham said. “You know, we lost a lot of great players last year. And so, this year we had to kind of come out and figure out what our identity was.”
After the game, Eastham spoke with his quarterback one-on-one, telling him to stay strong and that the team still has his back.
“He’s a leader in our team,” Eastham said. “Everybody looks up to him, so I told him ‘Keep your head up, and we’re going to win and lose, so head up.’”
The Knights hit the road next week for a matchup against Nordhoff, with kickoff scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday.
