SD Prep Sports:

2006 Grossmont Conference

Prep Football Week 4 Report

And then there were two ... El Capitan and West Hills

And then there were two. El Capitan and West Hills. Both Grossmont North League football teams hiked their records to 4-0 with a pair of non-league victories last week to stand as the Grossmont Conference’s lone two undefeated squads.

Both teams are slated to meet in league play Oct. 13 at West Hills High School. It could be one of the proverbial “Games of the Year” in the San Diego Section this season.

El Capitan’s 31-0 shutout victory against visiting Valhalla, a one-point loser in the CIF quarterfinals to last year’s eventual Division III champion St. Augustine, had to convince any remaining doubters that the Vaqueros were indeed one of the section’s elite teams this season.

Ryan Lindley — the section’s top quarterback — threw three touchdown passes in the Sept. 22 game, including a pair to Anthony Lybarger as El Capitan built a 14-0 halftime lead and then added 21 additional unanswered points in the second half of play.

Ben Noy put the Vaqueros ahead 7-0 on a 43-yard scoring run in the second quarter and Lindley (300 passing yards in the game) followed with a seven-yard pass to Lybarger prior to the halftime break.

Noy scored his second touchdown of the high profile contest on a 30-yard pass from Lindley to account for the only points of the third quarter. Lindley went to the air again, hitting Lybarger on an 11-yard touchdown pass in the final period.

A.J. Conti supplied the final points for El Capitan on a 26-yard field goal. Conti also kicked extra points on all four Vaquero touchdowns.

Take note: Valhalla defeated El Capitan, 70-7, last season.

With state bowl games slated for the first time this year, poll-makers are already starting to take notice. Entering the game against Valhalla, El Capitan was ranked third in the state by MaxPreps.com. After the win, the Vaqueros climbed to No. 4 in the weekly San Diego Sportswriters/Broadcasters Association poll behind No. 1 Torrey Pines (4-0), No. 2 Carlsbad (3-0) and now No. 3 Oceanside (3-1).

Lindley leads all Grossmont Conference passers with 1,391 yards and 13 touchdowns while Noy has 24 catches for 392 yards and seven touchdowns.

But the story of the win against the Norsemen (2-2) was not necessarily El Capitan’s prolific offense but its stalwart defense. Valhalla failed to penetrate the Vaqueros’ 20-yard line. Linebacker Tommy Towns led El Capitan with 17 tackles and one sack while Taelor Worrell (two sacks), Bryce Burkleo and Jake Steuermann each recorded one interception.

For the game, the Vaqueros out-gained the Norsemen 411-148 in total yards.

El Capitan next plays at Santa Fe Christian (2-1) in a rare day game on Saturday, Sept. 30, starting at 2 p.m. while Valhalla (led by Spencer Myers’ 483 rushing yards) will not play again until Oct. 6 when it plays at Santana (2-1).

West Hills, meanwhile, had a chance to showcase itself on regional television by defeating visiting Monte Vista, 31-3, Sept. 21 as part of Channel 4 San Diego’s Thursday Night High School Football Game of the Week.

Eric Fiege, who completed 10 of 14 passes for 154 yards in the contest, scored on runs of 13 and 10 yards while Raleigh Sevier (17 carries, 113 yards) scored on runs of one and 41 yards in the third quarter to blow open the contest after the Wolf Pack had taken a 17-3 halftime lead. Jonathan Wick also booted a 41-yard field goal in the game.

Trevor Kolocheski and Nick Armstrong each recovered fumbles to key West Hills defensively.

The Wolf Pack, which now stands eighth in the section rankings, will attempt to reach the midpoint of the 2006 season with a perfect 5-0 record when it travels to Granite Hills (2-1) on Friday, Sept. 29. Fiege had thrown for 483 yards and five touchdowns in four games while Sevier had rushed for 421 yards and six touchdowns.

Monte Vista, which fell to 1-2, will next play at Cathedral Catholic (1-2) on Friday, Sept. 29.

Best of the rest
Christian (3-1) and Granite Hills (2-1) both fell from the ranks of the undefeated in non-league games on Sept. 22. Christian fell, 22-19, to visiting Taft Union while Granite Hills suffered a mistake-plagued 45-7 loss at previous winless Chula Vista.

Kyler Dwyer scored on touchdown runs of 45 and 37 yards, kicked field goals of 34 and 24 yards and tacked on one point-after-touchdown conversion to lead Christian to a 19-7 halftime lead but Taft closed out the game with a pair of unanswered touchdowns to slip past the Patriots.

Dwyer, who finished the game with more than 200 yards in all-purpose offense, has 55 points to his credit this season on five touchdowns, 16 extra points and three field goals. He has yet to miss a kicking try this season.

Granite Hills quarterbacks combined to throw six interceptions and the Eagles lost two additional fumbles to lose in a rout. The Spartans, who were led by diminutive Matthew Stacey’s four touchdowns, led 38-0 at halftime. Stacey set the game’s tempo by returning the opening kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown.

Cody Swanson, who entered the game in relief of starter Chris Misensol (three Interceptions), threw an 11-yard scoring pass to Chase Ketchum but also was picked three times.

Ketchum keyed the Eagles with five catches for 89 yards. Swanson passed for 140 yards, completing 12 of 19 aerials, after Misensol was limited to just 26 yards on four-of-nine passing.

Helix continued to build on its season opening 27-0 loss to Oceanside by scoring its third consecutive victory after defeating host Grossmont, 20-16, in an exciting non-league encounter on Sept. 22 that was not decided until the final minute of play.

Eric Forney scored two touchdowns to lead the Highlanders (3-1) while Dorian Staton added two passing scores, including a 66-yard touchdown reception by Forney to jump-start the scoring in the game. Staton later tossed a 32-yard scoring pass to Chris Smith.

Helix led 14-0 at halftime but the Foothillers (2-2) stormed back with 14 unanswered points in the third quarter to tie the score. Charlie Piro passed 30 yards to Josh Simms and Shea Porter recovered a fumble in the end zone to get Grossmont even. The two scoring plays came a breath-taking six seconds apart.

Forney gave the lead back to the Scotties at 20-14 on a one-yard run in the fourth quarter but the Foothillers inched closer on a two-point safety.

That set up the game’s dramatic finish as Grossmont took the ensuing free kick back to the Helix 15-yard line on a 25-yard runback and 28-yard pass play. But the Highlanders defense promptly stiffened, recording a quarterback sack and fumble with 17 seconds left in the game to end the Foothillers’ scoring threat. Edward Hickerson was credited with the timely hit.

By virtue of the victory, Helix (which totaled five sacks in the game) retained The Musket in the teams’ long-time rivalry game. The Highlanders have now won the battle for The Musket 16 consecutive times.

Helix, which has re-entered the section rankings at No. 10, will collide with unbeaten Brawley (3-0) in Imperial County on Friday, Sept. 29, in one of the section’s premier midseason matchups.

Grossmont will also travel to the desert for a Sept. 29 game at Central Union (3-1) in El Centro.

Mt. Miguel improved its early season record to 2-1 with a 26-7 win against Madison while Santana bombed host Sweetwater, 56-0, to also hike its non-league mark to 2-1.

Elliott Taylor keyed Mt. Miguel’s win by rushing for 151 yards and two touchdowns while the Matadors defense set a school record by holding the Warhawks to minus-43 rushing yards. Kenny Vaughn and Rico Smith each snared interceptions for the winners.

Mt. Miguel next hosts Christian on Friday, Sept. 29.

Grossmont Conference scoring leader Jon Tippin caught five passes for 165 yards and scored two touchdowns — 45 and 77 yards — to key Santana’s lop-sided victory. Sultans quarterback Collin Taylor passed for 224 yards and three touchdowns while also running five yards for the game’s opening score. Santana led 40-0 at halftime.

In three games, Tippin has eight touchdowns and kicked 14 of 16 PATs for 62 points.

Credit also goes to other players. Blake Kahler scored on a five-yard run and later returned a blocked punt 42 yards for another touchdown. Sean Caplan returned a kickoff 90 yards for another score while the Sultans also recorded a safety in the contest.

Santana hosts El Centro Southwest (1-2) on Friday, Sept. 29.

El Cajon Valley (2-2) suffered through a forgettable performance in losing 34-0 to previously winless Patrick Henry. Alex Otero and D.J. Behzadipoor each scored two touchdowns for the Patriots (1-2).

Kianie Brooks passed for 170 yards but threw three interceptions for the Braves, who host Calexico (2-2) on Friday, Sept. 29.

Who’s on top?
The list of undefeated section teams has shrunk to 10 after eight teams dropped their first games of the season last week. Heading the list was No. 1 Oceanside’s 27-9 loss to San Clemente and St. Augustine’s 31-29 setback at Ramona. For good measure, Mission Hills’ 23-12 comeback victory handed Hoover its first loss this season.

Unbeaten (11-man) teams through games of Sept. 23 include Torrey Pines (4-0), El Capitan (4-0), West Hills (4-0), Mission Bay (4-0), Francis Parker (4-0), Brawley (3-0), Bishop’s (3-0), Scripps Ranch (3-0), Mt. Carmel and Carlsbad (2-0). In eight-man play, Borrego Springs (3-0), San Pasqual Academy (2-0) and Warner Springs (2-0) all boast undefeated records.

San Diego Section Rankings
SD Sportscasters/Broadcasters
School Record
1. Torrey Pines 4-0-0
2. Carlsbad 2-0-0
3. Oceanside 3-1-0
4. El Capitan 4-0-0
5. St. Augustine 2-1-0
6. La Costa Canyon 2-1-0
7. Mission Bay 4-0-0
8. West Hills 4-0-0
9. Poway 3-1-0
10. Helix 3-1-0
Others (in order of votes): Scripps Ranch (3-0), Mission Hills (3-1), Escondido (2-2), Ramona (2-1), Rancho Buena Vista (2-1), Mira Mesa (1-3), Brawley (3-0), Eastlake (2-2), Point Loma (3-1), Mt. Carmel (3-0).

San Diego Section: The Undefeated
(Through Sept. 23)

Division I
Torrey Pines (4-0-0)
Carlsbad (2-0-0)

Division II
West Hills (4-0-0)
Scripps Ranch (3-0-0)
Mt. Carmel (3-0-0)

Division III
El Capitan (4-0-0)
Brawley (3-0-0)

Division IV
Mission Bay (4-0-0)

Division V
Francis Parker (4-0-0)
Bishop’s (3-0-0)

Eight-Man
Borrego Springs (3-0-0)
Warner Springs (2-0-0)
San Pasqual Academy (2-0-0)