The football team at Grace Brethren High School in Simi Valley, Calif., is headed to postseason play. It’s the first they’ve been eligible for in two years. Yesterday, the Venture County Star looked at their recent season and what it has meant for the team. A portion of the story appears below. Click here for the complete article. The high school is a ministry of Grace Brethren Church, Simi Valley (Jordan Bakker, pastor).

Grace Brethren leads inspired group of playoff teams

The postseason bandwagon for the Grace Brethren High football team is going to require some extra seating.

Lancers coach Josh Henderson says his newly-crowned Tri-Valley League champions will take a special group of guests along for the ride.

“Our guys know they’re playing for more than themselves,” says Henderson. “They’re playing for Grace Brethren. They’re playing for the 2015 and 2016 players that didn’t get a chance to participate in postseason, through no fault of their own.

“These playoffs are going to be about more than our 2017 team. It’s also about the guys who didn’t get a chance to play.”

What’s more, the postseason ban carried over to 2016.

Grace Brethren’s program hasn’t forgotten.

“That’s absolutely 100 percent been our catalyst this season,” Henderson said. “I’ve been coaching for 20 years and that’s the hardest thing I’ve ever gone through. It hurt so much to see our kids denied the chance to be in the playoffs. What we did was just press on.

“That’s been our motto for 2017: Press on.”

Click here for the complete article.