Billingsly just congratulated his players in a warm speech, telling them "You gave it your heart."

Logan Ketchum was just hugged by his brother, UCLA receiver Gavin. The mood was very different last time I saw Gavin, racing around the Rose Bowl turf Saturday after beating USC.

Yeah, I agree, the flag was probably warrented, although I don't know how out of bounds it was. It looked pretty close. I was just saying he was properly punished. Getting kicked out of the game would have been ridiculous.

Oaks Christian coach Bill Redell just told the Star's Derry Eads at midfield:

"As (Oak Park) coach (Dick) Billingsly said, we just dominated the line of scrimmage."

"This is my best team ever."

"If selected (for the first CIF state bowl game Sunday), we will feel privledged to play... And represent the Southern Section."

Anyone who was at the game knows it was a clear personal foul. Yes, his helmet was ripped and he was held, but when he was running toward Clausen, he was going to hit him regardless of whether he was going out or not. Moreover, it wasn't like Westgate forced him out of bounds--he roughed Jimmy as he was clearing the sideline. The flag was appropriate for what he did.

Final score, 46-7.

"Another one bits the dust" and "We are the champions" by Queen plays over the PA system.

I agree with comment that it is linebacker's duty to tackle quarterback but the way you put it, it sounded like he walked over to the sidelines and threw Clausen into the bench. That makes one whale of a difference if it was just an ordinary tackle. I went by the language you used as a commentator.

Yeah, no problem Brian. It was my wording that caused the misinterpretation.

46-7 1:32 left. Both teams have reserves in. Clausen just got a coach with a water bucket, maybe it was Redell but I couldn't tell.

The officials are from the South Bay.

well my misunderstanding then. i just know that in this rivalry game, emotions are up and kids on both sides have done stupid things in the past

Well, I didn't mean an actual bench as much as the Oaks sideline area. It drew a huge crowd response because he did so without his helmet, which was ripped off by the Oaks right guard.

It was probably only a flag because the Oaks coaches, players and fans went wild.

There's a huge difference between playing football and playing to injure somebody.

What unit are the officials from?

McGee scrambles to the 1 and Shorten takes care of it from there, running into the end zone off left tackle for a 1-yard touchdown.

Chris Potter replaces Jimmy Clausen at quarterback for Oaks. Clausen has thrown his final pass in Thorson Stadium. Fittingly, it was a 49-yard touchdown pass to Sean Wiser.

Oak Park 7
Oaks Christian 46 8:09 Q4

you yourself said he tossed him into the Lion's bench which drew a personal foul...so am i interpreting this wrong or was he not tossed into the bench. Plus, if it was just a normal tackle, do you really think fans would start cheering? You even said it was an act of defiance so my perception of the game is based off this blog.

Westgate was hardly trying to hurt Clausen.

McGee scrambles for 13 and 14 yards, hits Kyle Benton for a 17-yard pass and draws a late hit call to set the Eagles up inside the Lions 10.

I hope Redell throws up 30 more points on the Eagles. They clearly cannot play with Oaks (in fact they have never been able to play with Oaks) and now their players, or at least Westgate is getting physical and trying to hurt Clausen. I have no problem with rough play, once a player is going out of bounds and is clearly being drawn out, you cannot hit, or throw him some more. And from all accounts, it sounds like that is what happened. I hope the OP coach doesn't play dirty like this nor expect it from the players, but then again when parents cheer like you have done something good there clearly is an imbalance in the scale

Following Oak Park's sixth punt, Wiser makes it 46-0 with a 49-yard touchdown catch from Clausen on the first play of the fourth quarter.

Well, Jae, to respond to your question, Westgate is a linebacker and Clausen is a quarterback advancing the football. Tackling the quarterback is part of the game.

Westgate engaged Clausen in bounds, before momentum carried them both out together. To throw him out would have been a bigger disgrace than the holding call on Westgate that was missed.

Just now on the sidelines, Westgate said, "Their coaches were grabbing me. I said, 'What are you doing? You're not a player, you can't touch me.' "

It was easily the most memorable play of the night. Expect it to be the event most dissected in print.

And, for the first time tonight, the Eagles have some momentum.

RB Kyle Shorten rips off a 21-yard gain which not only triples the Eagles total offense, but represents a first down earned without penalty.

McGee follows the play up with a 11-yard pass to Logan Ketchum.

Oak Park has passes midfield for the first time tonight. 2:53 remains in the third quarter.

Can't understand why refs didn't get Oak Park player out of game for going after Clausen. And what's with the parents and fans???? Talk about lousy sportsmanship!!!

Oak Park defensive end Tony Scaletta reaches up and bats down Clausen's pass for Oak Park's first defensive stop of the game.

Anybody out there have any questions I can try to answer or issues I can attack as Oaks Christian marches for another score.

Chris Potter's third down catch is for nine yards and Oaks is looking at fourth-and-1 from the Oak Park 11 with 6:19 left third quarter.

Oak Park loses 7 yards on its second possession of the second half, but gets a second chance when its punter is roughed. It's the Eagles second first down of the game, both by penalty.

Three McGee incompletions and a shanked punt follow.

"It might as well go all bad," says one Oak Park fan.

Oak Park 0
Oaks Christian 39 9:33 Q3

A few people were leaving at halftime. Their ranks will be boosted soon as Oak Park QB Darren McGee is intercepted on the first play of the second half by Marshall Jones, who tap dances down the visiting sideline 34 yards for a touchdown.

Seventeen seconds into the second half, it's 39-0.

Let's check out some halftime stats.

Clausen is 15 of 20 for 173 yards and two scores. Jones has 14 carries for 59 yards and two scores. Wiser has 59 yards on five catches.

Oak Park's offense has five yards on 12 carries rushing, five yards on two completions passing and one first down.

Oaks Christian has 15 first downs.

The game has turned chippy.

The Oak Park fans chant "That was worth it.". Westgate is repaid for his act of defiance by throwing Clausen out of bounds by Texas A&M-bound tackle Mike Ebbitts, who sticks a knee in Westgate's prone back after a play and shoves his helmeted head into the dirt.

The play moves the ball inside the Oak Park 5, but Jones is repelled on a series of dives. The second loses more than 20 yards, but Clausen throws a 25-yard touchdown pass to Wiser on fourth-and-goal.

The first half ends with Oaks Christian well in line of their fourth straight CIF title, leading 32-0.

These teams are just sick of each other.

As Clausen escapes the pocket, Westgate is obviously being held and loses his cool. Without his helmet, that has been ripped off by a lineman, the junior stalks Clausen out of bounds and tosses him into the Lions bench, drawing a flag for a personal foul.

He slowly strides back to the huddle to a standing ovation and chants. It is an act of defiance to his opponents, the scoreboard and the officials.

"We've got them right where we want them," jokes Kevin Ketchum, father of Oak Park captain Logan, on the visiting sidelines.

Oak Park does get a first down on its fourth possession, thanks to a pass interference call on third-and-3. But the Eagles punt after the next series.

Oak Park has just 1 yard of total offense.

The answer is of course.

Oak Park goes three-and-out for the third straight time, as Westgate can only gain 11 yards on a third-and-14 screen.

Florida-bound defensive end Duke Lemmens blocks the subsequent punt and Wiser picks it up inside the Oak Park 5 and runs it in for the fourth Lions score.

Clausen is incomplete on the two-point conversion, but it's still 25-0 Oaks Christian with more than eight minutes left in the half.

The third scoring drive was eight plays for 60 yards. Clausen is 12 of 17 for 138 yards and a TD.Jones has 10 carries for 55 yards and two TDs.

Can things get worse for Oak Park?

Clausen takes over on his 40 and hits Potter for 20 yards along the home sideline on the final play of the first quarter,

After an incompletion into the end zone, he only gets 6 yards out of Sean Wiser and chews out his Stanford-bound receiver for his route.

"Run your damn route and let's go," Clausen shouts within earshot.

When Jones is stacked up by Westgate for a three-yard loss on third-and-4 from the Eagles 18, the Oak Park fans rise to their feet in appriciation.

It is premature. Under pressure, Clausen finds an uncovered Jones on a wheel route for a back-breaking 19-yard gain on fourth-and-7.

Jones dives in from the 2 on the next play. Clausen is incomplete on the two-point try but it's still 19-0 Oaks Christian with 10:35 left in the first half.

Oak Park goes three-and-out on its second drive. This game won't be competive for much longer without some Eagle offense.

Despite the two scores, the Oak Park defense has played pretty well, with two dubious pass plays anchoring both scoring drives. LB Sean Westgate is flying around the field. They've put on pressure and, outside the draw play, have stopped the run

Yet it is 13-0 Oaks Christian at the end of the first quarter, which can only outline just how powerful this OC team is.

Brian, don't have a reason why, but both of Clausen's deep balls thus far have been down the field and should have been intercepted.

Clausen throws a 16-yard touchdown pass to Owuso. All the reporters on the sideline are saying the play was an obvious push off for offensive pass interference.

The Oak Park sideline is warned for arguing the call, which, from my angle, was pretty obvious.

The extra point fails. It's 13-0 Oaks with 2:26 left in the first quarter.

The drive went 62 yards on eight plays.

it seems like oaks hasn't thrown deep yet..are they trying to establish the run and short pass in order to get one on one coverage down field to break open a big play?

Under intense pressure from two linebackers, Clausen completes a sweet look-in to Chris Potter for 11 yards and a first down. Then the Lions take a delay of game penaly.

Oaks Christian starts its second drive on its own 46. Jones churned for 11, Clausen scrambled, left outside the pocket, and found Anthony Gildon for 7 and then scrambled left for 5 and a first down.

First and 10 on the Oak Park 30. Clausen incomplete deep. Jones for 6 on another draw and 1 on an off tackle to bring up fourth down.

78

Jones gains 1 on a catch and then 10, and the game's opening touchdown, on the next play. It's 7-0 OC 8:19 Q1.

Clausen was 5 of 7 for 43 yards on the opening drive. Jones carried four times for 37 yard and the score.

And Oak Park just went three-and-out of its first possession, thanks to a Casey Matthews sack.

Interesing start. After a touchback, Marshall Jones runs up the middle for a first down before Clausen's first pass is dropped -- but an Oak Park defensive back.

The excitement intensifies as Clausen throws incomplete on third down and appears to throw incomplete on third down. But the Oak Park celebrations are overtaken by cheers on the other side of the field. WR Chris Owusu is adjudged to have made a diving catch on the visiting sidelines.

The Eagles are incensed, saying the pass hit the ground.

A Jones draw and a Clausen pass later and it's first-and-10 Oaks on the OP 11 with 8:36 left in the first quarter.

Interesing start. After a touchback, Marshall Jones runs up the middle for a first down before Clausen's first pass is dropped -- but an Oak Park defensive back.

The excitement intensifies as Clausen throws incomplete on third down and appears to throw incomplete on third down. But the Oak Park celebrations are overtaken by cheers on the other side of the field. WR Chris Owusu is adjudged to have made a diving catch on the visiting sidelines.

The Eagles are incensed, saying the pass hit the ground.

A Jones draw and a Clausen pass later and it's first-and-10 Oaks on the OP 11 with 8:36 left in the first quarter.

Lassen, our columnist, just refused to give a score. Saying, "I don't do that man."

Eads -- aka "The Deuce" -- did predict 38-27 Oaks Christian in the paper today.

J.J. Rivera, one of our correspondents who often covers these teams, says 46-20.

"Oaks Christian just has too much for them man."

The Oaks Christian administrator leading the prayer just thanked God for the opportunity to play for a championship.

Predictions?

Hmm, I'd love to see an upset, if only because Oak Park would have won two CIF titles the last few years without having to face the Lions. And Oaks Christian has already beaten Oak Park in two of the last three title games.

Considering Tyler was the difference when the two teams faced off in October, it may be an interesting night. I guess my head will go 38-21 Lions and my heart will go 28-27 Eagles.

Loren Ledin, who predicted the UCLA upset, won't put a score down. He did, however, call Oaks Christian "the best freaking team I've ever seen" earlier today.

I'll walk around and try to get some more predictions.

The prayer, national anthem and introductions are next.

Uh oh, it's starting to rain, which is starting a ruckus in the stands behind me.

any score predictions before kickoff?

For those of you wondering if there will be room in the stadium tonight, we're a half hour to kickoff and there is still plenty of room.

The home side is about 70 percent full. According to Oaks Christian, Oak Park presold 1,500 tickets and the visiting sections hold about 1,800 fans.

The fans are trickling in. The cheerleaders are dancing to the hip hop being piped in over the PA system. Tyler is in his jersey, sweatpants and crutches on the Oaks Christian bench.

Oaks Christian, hosting its first CIF title game because of addition bleachers resting on the track on the visitor's side, has won 44 straight games since Oak Park beat them in overtime in 2002. Four of those have been over Oak Park. The team Oaks Christian has beaten the most? Nordhoff (six times). The winning streak is two wins short of the record of 46 owned by Temple City and Canyon High of Canyon Country.

is the stadium full or do people not really care for the game? How is the atmosphere? Does it feel like a championship setting or are people already crowning Oaks victorious?

We've arrived at Thorson Stadium and already on the field.Star staffers Derry Eads, David Lassen, Loren Ledin and myself are gathered behind the home bench going over the game plan.

The first time these two teams met, Oaks Christian got more than 300 yard and four touchdowns from tailback Marc Tyler, whose season ended with a broken leg three weeks ago.