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Lonnie and Khukheper Help O’Dowd Advance to the State Championship
 Monday, December 12, 2016 
After finishing 9-1 during the regular season and winning the league title, Lonnie Turner (c'14) and Khukheper Awakoaiye (c'14), juniors at Bishop O'Dowd High School in Oakland were not done, and after over a month battling through the successive rounds in the playoffs, the two are joining their team as they travel to southern California on December 16th for the 2016 California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Division 5-AA championship. Lonnie believes the victories were, "well deserved and we had to let others know that O'Dowd is more than basketball and track". This is the first time the football team has played in a state championship in the school's history.
O'Dowd began the playoffs with two dominating wins in the first and second rounds of the North Coast section, division 3 playoffs where they were seeded #2 among 16 teams. They opened with victories against Terra Linda (San Rafael, Ca) and Encinal in Alameda, beating Terra Linda 56 to 14, and scoring 28 against Encinal while pitching a shut out on defense.
They faced a tough opponent in the third round against Rancho Cotate of Rohnert Park. Rancho Cotate averaged over 300 yards passing per game this season, but instead opted to run the ball against O'Dowd's defense. After falling behind 13-0 in the first 3 minutes of the contest, Rancho Cotate seized control of the game, forcing O'Dowd to launch a late comeback. Down, 34-27, O'Dowd scored a touchdown in the final 3 minutes of the contest, and later kicked the winning field goal with just 3 seconds on the clock to win 37 to 34.
Both Ile Omode alums missed a game during the playoffs due to injuries. Lonnie missed the Rancho Cotate game, and Khukheper suffered an injury in practice that forced him out of the Division 3 match up with Marin Catholic. With great line play from Lonnie, O'Dowd easily won, 27-7, and secured the school's first division championship in 12 years.
They earned the right to face the San-Joaquin section champion, Capital Christian, for the regional championship. Both young men were back in the game, and after trailing by a touchdown after Capital's first drive, O'Dowd began to control the ball and was able to slow down Capital Christian's strong ground game. Lonnie's play at guard powered a strong offensive they maintained ball control, and Khukheper had stand out play on special teams.
The two will need to take finals while preparing for the state championship, but Lonnie doesn't see this as an obstacle. He says he prepares, "constantly for finals; this is mostly a mental challenge. Preparing for football is more of a physical challenge, you stay out on the field for two and a half hours then go home and study for the next final".
They received medals for both the division and regional championships, and will play Valley View High School in San Bernardino county for the state crown.
Mxolisi Says Dec 12, 2016 ASE! Ile Omode, for jobs well done -- in and out of the classrooms; in the hearts, minds, bodies and souls of students (and their families)!!! ASE-O !!! |
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