Chaminade defense stifles Trinity Christian to extend historic title game streak
Jasen Lopez has scored plenty of touchdowns during his two seasons at Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna.
But the Lions’ senior receiver and Florida State University signee hasn’t always busted into a dance post score the way he did on Friday night.
“I’m not really a celebration type of guy, but I felt like I needed to do something to get the team’s energy up,” Lopez said. “I know Coach Jones wasn’t too happy with it, but it’s part of the game and it worked.”
For Chaminade, it was time to dance once again.
Thanks to Lopez’s two touchdown grabs, and even more to a stifling defensive effort, the Lions extended a decade-long string of dominance at its home Vince Zappone Field with a 35-0 shutout of Jacksonville Trinity Christian in a Class 1A state semifinal.
Chaminade (11-2) is in the state finals for a state-record 10th consecutive season, and will attempt to win its fifth consecutive state championship on Thursday afternoon at 12:30 when it takes on West Palm Beach Cardinal Newman at Pitbull Stadium at FIU.
The Lions are seeking their eighth state title during that 10-year stretch of advancing to at least the finals.
“Coach (Dameon) Jones is like a father to us,” Chaminade edge rusher and Eastern Michigan signee RJ Alphonse said. “He makes us work hard throughout the spring and if we just listen to him and our coaches we’re good. We give them 100 percent.”
Jones, who has been Chaminade’s coach during the entire state title run, watched his defense step up when needed early in Friday’s game.
Led by Alphonse’s two sacks, Chaminade blanked Trinity Christian (9-5), the lone team to beat Chaminade in a state final over the past eight seasons.
The Lions held the Conquerors to only 51 yards rushing, 140 total yards, and only allowed them to cross midfield twice.
“Our coaching staff puts a lot of time and effort into preparing us all week so we know exactly what the other team will run,” Alphonse said. “Our scout team is a blessing. Our main focus was to maintain pressure on the quarterback and we did what we had to do.”
Chaminade’s defense and some clutch punting by FIU-bound senior kicker/punter Noah Sidan allowed the Lions to withstand early offensive struggles, which kept the game scoreless until late in the second quarter.
Texas-bound running back Derrek Cooper, who appeared to injure his shoulder in the second half, was held to only 29 yards including 17 in that slow first half against Trinity’s stout defense.
With 3:34 left in the second quarter, Chaminade broke through on freshman quarterback Malik Leonard’s 65-yard touchdown pass to Lopez, who caught the ball in stride and darted down the sideline for the score.
Lopez then spun the ball on the ground and busted into a dance, drawing a penalty. But the play woke up the Lions’ sleeping offense.
Leonard connected with Lopez again from 28 yards out before halftime to stretch the lead to 14-0.
The Conquerors kept it a two-score game until with 1:08 remaining in the third quarter, junior safety John Gay intercepted Trinity Christian sophomore quarterback Terrel Dallas and returned it 45 yards for a touchdown.
Chaminade added a pair of long scoring plays in the fourth on an Arwin Jackson 65-yard touchdown run and a third touchdown pass for Leonard, who found sophomore Tromon Isaac open for an 84-yard score.
This story was originally published December 6, 2025 at 9:16 AM.
