Redondo Union advances to CIF-SS Division 3 final after overcoming slow start

Damian Calhoun| Daily Breeze

The Redondo Union football team played its first game of the season Aug. 29.

It could also be said that this season really began for the Sea Hawks in October.

Redondo Union lost its first three games this season and after the first week of October, the Sea Hawks were 2-4 overall after they lost to Torrance in a Pioneer League opener.

“We competed out there, but we’re our own worst enemy,” Redondo coach Keith Ellison said after the loss to the Tartars. “We killed ourselves, and that’s been the story of our team. Not good enough at the moment to execute what we’re supposed to and it showed.”

The Sea Hawks (9-4) haven’t lost since that game. They have a chance to win their first CIF-SS championship since 1944 when they host Rio Hondo Prep (13-0) in the Division 5 final Saturday at 7 p.m.

Rio Hondo Prep is trying to win its third consecutive CIF-SS title, having won Division 9 in 2023 and Division 7 in 2024.

“The first half of the season, we had some transfers, injuries, No. 7 (Bo Ausmus) was out and that hurt a lot,” Redondo quarterback Cole Leinart said after the team’s playoff-opening win against Torrance.

The Sea Hawks’ turnaround coincided with the return of Ausmus, who missed the first five games while recovering from a foot injury. His first game back without any limitations came against North Torrance on Oct. 10. He scored two touchdowns and has had at least two scores in every game since.

“He’s the leader of this team,” Leinart said of Ausmus. “He’s a baller.”

Ausmus has 15 total touchdowns during the Sea Hawks’ current seven-game winning streak.

“I like to talk and motivate the guys, but to be able to do it myself was huge,” Ausmus said after the playoff win against Torrance.

After the win against Torrance, Ausmus has continued his playoff dominance. He had a rushing touchdown and a kickoff return for a touchdown in a 14-13 win over St. Paul in the quarterfinals, and he gained 193 yards (129 rushing, 64 receiving) with two touchdowns in a win over Loyola, 21-7, in the semifinals.

He ended Pioneer League play with a total of nine touchdowns in wins against North, Peninsula, South and Santa Monica.

“He makes a difference,” Ellison said of Ausmus. “He’s just an excellent football player.”

The Sea Hawks advanced to the 2015 Western Division semifinals and lost to Calabasas. The school has not been to the finals since 1944. From 1942-1944, the Sea Hawks won CIF-SS titles.

Saturday, this year’s group has a chance to make more school history.

“It’s been over 80 years since we’ve been back in the CIF title game and so our players have talked all year about leaving a legacy,” Ellison said. “They’ve worked so hard to get to this point.”