California School for the Deaf football team has undefeated season: ‘We’re showing the world we can play’

The California School for the Deaf varsity football team started the season ready to make history — and that’s exactly what they did.

The school was established 68 years ago in Riverside, California, and for the first time ever, the football team had an undefeated season. To top things off, the Cubs won the division championship game on Friday, and on Saturday, they’ll compete in the state championship. “We have one more,” running back Enos Zornoza told ABC 7 Los Angeles through an American Sign Language interpreter. “We are not done, we have unfinished business, championship is on the way.”

The players use ASL to communicate with each other and their coaches, and have proven that “we can do anything,” Zornoza stated. “Deaf people can do anything. We’re not this stereotype that’s out there.” Wide receiver Jory Valencia agrees, telling ABC 7 through an interpreter that knowing the school never had a good season “fired us up. And now we’re destroying every game. We’re showing the world we can play.”

Head Coach Keith Adams is proud of his team, on and off the football field. “We’ve got so many good players, honestly, not just players but we got great students, too,” Adams said through an interpreter. “They’re great kids. You know, whatever I say they’re doing it. It makes coaching so easy for me. It’s just been amazing.”

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