Past, Present, and Future: football

Among the many bright lights of Grant Road, one shines brighter than the others on Friday night. Accompanied by intermittent cheers and the smell of nachos, the Saint Francis High School football stadium houses some of the best weekly excitement on fall evenings. 

The traditions you see today are rooted in a century full of history. The earliest origins of football can be traced back to early Europe. Back then there was no limit on the number of players, and each team’s goal was to use their mob to move the ball by any means possible to the other end of the city. Although football spread to universities across the United States in the early 1800s, many of these games were banned for being too violent. Canada’s adoption of the running aspect of the game from rugby and early American universities’ adoption of the kicking game brought along the early formation of the sport that is known today.

The earliest standardization of football occurred in 1869, when Princeton and Rutgers normalized the rules and made each goal worth one point. The only way to achieve these goals was by hitting the ball through goalposts. Eventually, Harvard adopted the “try” from rugby, which would later become the touchdown.

Around the time when the National Football League (NFL) was first founded and gained stability in 1933, the beginnings of youth football were also beginning to take shape. Pop Warner was the first pioneer of this movement, hence the name often given to youth football programs.

In the 1960s, the Lancers joined the West Catholic Athletic League (WCAL), with their participation in football also beginning the same year. They later joined the Central Coast Section (CCS) in 1973, nearly winning the CCS title, but falling short by two points. As of recently, the team won a state championship in the 2017 2-A divisions as well as a 2024 CCS football title.

This year, the varsity Lancers’ defense, led by linebacker Chase Cahoon (’26) and several returning starters from last year, is a force to be reckoned with. There is a similar situation on the offense, led by a dual-quarterback system featuring Andrew Franzino (’26) and Drew Cumby (’28).

However, Lancer dominance has been defined by a strong rushing attack. Last year, led by a quality performance from running back Kingston Keanaaina (’25), who accounted for an astounding 336 yards of total offense and two touchdowns, the Lancers won a close matchup 30-27 on the road against Archbishop Mitty High School. This year, the Lancers find themselves with Keanaaina’s younger brother, Motu Keanaaina (’27), hoping to take the reins from his elder sibling and continue leading the Lancers’ rushing attack. 

The Lancers finished third in the WCAL following their close win over Valley Christian High School on Senior Night. They faced a brutal non-league schedule to begin the year, but bounced back well once league play started. The Lancers have found their stride in the second half of the season, establishing an offensive identity and a persistent defense.

The quality performances the Lancers put up in this year’s regular season bode well for the playoffs. CCS playoffs begin November 14, and the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) NorCals start December 5. It will be exciting to see whether the Lancers can exact revenge in their upcoming matches against their WCAL rivals. Thrilling playoff games await the Lancers, and we will be watching closely to keep up with all the action!