A story in yesterday’s Los Angeles Daily News features Zikel Reddick, the running back for Simi Valley, Calif., Grace Brethren High School’s football team. The team will be in their second consecutive appearance in the CIF finals on Saturday. A portion of the story appears below. Click here for the complete article. (The high school is a ministry of the Grace Brethren Church, Simi Valley, Jordan Bakker, pastor.)

Grace Brethren running back Zikel Reddick has helped lead his team to its second consecutive CIF finals appearance. (Photo by Andy Holzman)

Grace Brethren’s Zikel Reddick turns pain into gain

It was supposed to be the biggest game in Zikel Reddick’s high school career, a chance to represent Grace Brethren in a CIF Southern Section football final.

Instead, Reddick’s leg would not bend.

Hampered by a high ankle sprain sustained the week before, the bruising Grace Brethren running back tried to grind through the injury and put forth a valiant effort, but was clearly off his game in a tough-to-swallow defeat at St. Margaret’s in the East Valley Division final last season.

“I wasn’t able to run. The ability to make those cuts that I wanted just was not there,” Reddick said. “I wasn’t reliable. That hurt me.”

Reddick said the pain was more emotional than physical, and it stayed with him.

Through the offseason. Through summer workouts. Even in the midst of another dominant regular season, Reddick had just one thing on his mind.

Making it back to a CIF final.

Reddick finally gets his second shot at glory when unbeaten Grace Brethren travels to Saddleback Valley Christian for the East Valley Division final on Saturday.

Click here for the complete article.