SD Prep Sports:

2006 Metro Conference

Prep Football Week 7 Report

Simply unbelievable!

Mustangs score 20 points in final 2:08, top Spartans, 27-10

CHULA VISTA, Oct. 13, 2006 -- The rain started coming down midway through the second quarter last Friday night at Joseph Rindone Stadium. The Otay Ranch High School football team, however, had to believe a ray of hope somehow made its way through the overcast skies in the waning minutes of its Mesa League opener against host Chula Vista to deliver it from defeat.

Trailing 10-7, the Mustangs rallied with three touchdowns in the final 2:08, to be exact, to leave the field with a whirlwind 27-10 victory and a 1-0 league record.

A divine win? As is his custom after every game, Otay Ranch coach Gene Alim gathered his team together in a circle and gave thanks to the Almighty.

In this case, however, it seemed particularly appropriate.

“We found a way to win. That’s passion,” Alim told his squad, heads bowed in respect. “That’s what these kids have.”

There is no dispute that the Spartans deserved to win the game. For 45 minutes, they were the superior team. When Andres Canizalez kicked a 32-yard field goal with just over five minutes to play, it appeared Chula Vista had enough to extend its winning streak to three games after opening the season 0-3.

But something happened. Maybe not necessarily a miracle, but something that could well spark the Mustangs onto a magical journey for the second half of the season.

Alim called it “character.”

His team definitely had it down the game’s stretch run, proving why teams play 48 minutes in high school football games, not 45.

Otay Ranch will attempt to draw on the momentum generated by last Friday’s victory when it visits Eastlake (1-0, 4-2) on Friday, Oct. 20, in a game that both teams have been waiting for ever since it was announced last year that the Mustangs would be joining its other two eastside neighbors in the Mesa League.

Otay Ranch hosts Bonita Vista on Oct. 27.

Together with a Chula Vista team that showed it can play with the league’s best, every game until the end of regular season play should be a huge one in terms of the championship race.

Eastlake hosts Bonita Vista on Nov. 9.

The Mustangs built a modest 7-0 halftime lead on the Spartans but Chula Vista had the first opportunity to score after Otay Ranch’s punter had to field an errant snap, giving the hosts excellent field position at the Mustangs’ 39-yard line. However, an ensuing 33-yard field goal attempt was wide, keeping the game scoreless in an otherwise evenly-matched ballgame.

The visitors took their lead with 2:25 left in the first half when Jared Jordan broke away for a 35-yard scoring run.

The Spartans tied the score, 7-7, with 4:07 left in the third quarter as Anthony Cazares caught an 11-yard touchdown pass from Josh Goldilla, who has thrown for 743 yards and nine touchdowns in six games. Chula Vista continued to control the momentum in the second half behind both the play of its defense and the bulldog running of Taimi Tutogi.

Tutogi helped set up the Spartans’ go-ahead field goal in the fourth quarter by taking a Goldilla pass to the Otay Ranch 30-yard line and then moving the ball to the Mustang 19 on a subsequent run.

When Canizales split the uprights with 5:28 left in the game, Chula Vista had its first lead of the game at 10-7.

The Spartans appeared like they would make that lead stand up when Otay Ranch quarterback Marcus Vasquez fumbled on the Mustangs’ own 32-yard line and Avon Ariy recovered for the hosts.

Game over? The main action was only beginning, as it turned out.

The Otay Ranch defense stiffened, with Edgar Valles throwing CV standout running back Matt Stacy for a loss with 4:02 to play, forcing a fourth down punt rather than a long (close to 50-yard) field goal try.

The Mustangs started on their own 33-yard line with 3:47 left and it was apparent that if the visitors were going to have a shot at winning the game, it would have to be on this drive. Thus, an air of urgency appeared to hang over the Otay Ranch sideline and increased after three consecutive incompletions (including bat-downs by CV’s Roberto Lopez and Sioeli Uhila) failed to move the ball forward.

The Mustangs were forced to punt once more with 3:27 left in the game.

The heavens started to part at this juncture.

Brian Lewis got everything on his punt, launching it 56 yards to the Spartan 11-yard line. All of a sudden, it was the Spartans who were backed up in the shadow of their own goal line, not the visitors.

The sense of urgency now prevailed on both sidelines.

Otay Ranch’s prayers were answered when Chula Vista fumbled on a sweep to the right, with Vasquez redeeming himself with the fumble recovery at the 18-yard line.

The scoreboard clock showed 2:58 left in the game.

Jordan promptly pushed the chains to the six-yard line for first down and goal and Ricky Daniels scored on a sweep to the right from three yards out with 2:08 left.

When Lewis hit the ensuing extra-point attempt, the Mustangs owned a 14-10 lead.

The ray of hope only got brighter for Otay Ranch’s gridiron warriors. Robert McCurdy recorded a sack on first down. Goldilla hit Brandon Taylor for an ensuing completion to bring up third and six but the Spartans were then nailed for an intentional grounding penalty, bringing up fourth and six.

“A nail-biter,” Otay Ranch principal Jose Brosz said on the Mustang sideline.

After Chula Vista’s fourth-down pass fell incomplete, Brosz added to that statement. “Unbelievable,” he said.

Otay Ranch took over on the Spartan 14-yard line with 1:49 left in the game. Vasquez kept the ball, moving ahead to the six-yard line and then to the four-yard line, giving the Mustangs another first and goal try.

The Otay Ranch signal-caller sneaked into the end zone with 27.1 seconds to go, giving the Mustangs a 21-10 advantage.

From there, the only place for the Spartans to go was through the air. The Mustangs’ Richard Vitalich, however, intercepted a pass directed toward the sideline and returned it 35 yards for a touchdown. There was no extra-point attempt as time had expired during the run-back.

The cap was thus put on one of the most fantastic finishes to a high school football game, to steal a line from old NFL highlight films.

27-10 Mustangs.

“Don’t ever led anyone tell you that it doesn’t start with one play,” Alim told his team after the game. “It started with that punt by Brian. We had a great defensive stand, and (because of that) Chula Vista wound up giving the ball back to us on the fumble.”

Alim had nothing but respect for the Mustangs’ opponent.

“Chula Vista did a great job. They outplayed us until the last couple minutes,” he said. “It’s amazing how things turned. We’re very fortunate to win. I think we did a great job but Chula did a great job as well.”

In other Mesa League games on Oct. 13:

Eastlake 42, San Ysidro 0
Jeremiah Andujo scored three touchdowns, including two on passes from Derek Witte, as the host Titans won a homecoming battle against the Cougars. Eastlake piled up a quick 21-0 first quarter lead as Will Duka scored on a 43-yard run and Witte threw touchdown passes of 31 and 35 yards to the versatile Andujo. The Titans added 21 more points in the second quarter as Michael Cottingham scored on a 12-yard run, Duka scored on a 15-yard run and Andujo capped his three touchdown night with a 27-yard scoring run.

Andujo finished the game with four receptions for 94 yards while Witte completed six of seven passing attempts for 114 yards.
The game was not simply a showcase for the Eastlake offense as the Titans defense produced a goal-line stand to deny San Ysidro (0-1, 2-4).

Bonita Vista 35, Sweetwater 0
The Barons opened defense of their Mesa League title by shutting down the Red Devils in a game played at Southwestern College. Terry Love caught scoring passes of six and 24 yards from Ace Morales, who also scored on a one-yard keeper, after Ramses Ramirez jump-started scoring in the contest with a two-yard run. Josh Boyd successfully converted on all five extra-point attempts for the Barons, who led 28-0 at halftime.

Morales completed 10 of 11 passes for 145 yards; Love caught seven passes for 122 yards. For the season, Ramirez has rushed for 567 yards in five games with seven touchdowns to his credit.
Bonita Vista nest hosts San Ysidro.

Sweetwater, which was scheduled to host Chula Vista in Thursday’s Channel 4 San Diego High School Football Game of the Week, dropped to 0-6. The Red Devils have been outscored 287-36 in those five games.

South Bay League Report:
Crusaders rise to the occasion

Marian Catholic turns back hilltop 52-14

SOUTH SAN DIEGO, Oct. 13, 2006 -- At 2-4, the Marian Catholic Crusaders might not own one of the top records in the San Diego Section but, considering the team’s imposing schedule to start the season, head coach Matt White’s crew might be right on course for something special to end the season.

In a battle of 1-4 teams last Friday, Marian Catholic pushed aside visiting Hilltop, 52-14, to place its name securely on the ballot in this year’s South Bay League championship race. The winner will be announced Nov. 9.

Marcel Pitre scored three touchdowns and Roman Owens returned to the end zone for the first time in three games as the Crusaders built a 24-0 halftime lead and then blitzed the visiting Lancers with 21 fourth-quarter points.

Pitre scored the only touchdown in the first quarter on a 16-yard run and helped double the Crusader lead to 14-0 on a three-yard run to kick off a 17-point run on the part of the hosts in the second quarter. After a 30-yard field goal hiked Marian Catholic’s lead to 17-0, Michael Fajardo then threw a 45-yard touchdown pass to D'Andre Henry.

Owens, who scored three touchdowns in a 35-20 loss to Otay Ranch, scored on a 10-yard run in the third quarter
The Crusaders’ wing-T formation amassed more than 300 rushing yards. Pitre, a sophomore, rushed for 127 yards. Owens, a junior, finished the game with 102 yards.

Hilltop (0-1, 1-5) received touchdowns from Luis Manzo (eight-yard run) and Kyle Howard (67-yard pass from Kris Ramirez).

Marian Catholic next plays at Mar Vista while Hilltop hosts Montgomery, also coming off a stinging loss last Friday.
Hilltop will host Mar Vista on Oct. 26 in a special Thursday night regionally-televised contest.

Castle Park 54, Mar Vista 7
David McGuire scored three touchdowns, including one on a 49-yard interception return, to help spark the visiting Trojans as they opened defense of their South Bay League title. Martin Bayess Jr. and Joey Valencia each scored twice and Jason Garber returned an interception 33 yards for a TD.

Russell McGuire finished the game with three touchdown passes for 136 yards, including two to Valencia (15 and nine yards) and one to Bayless (46 yards). Bayless scored his second touchdown on a 47-yard kickoff return to open the second half.
Mar Vista’s lone touchdown came on a 47-yard catch-and-carry to halve Castle Park’s early lead to 13-7. However, the Trojans (1-0, 3-3) finished the game with 41 unanswered points, leading 33-7 at the end of the first quarter.

Castle Park plays at Southwest (1-0, 2-4) on Friday. Russell McGuire keys the Trojans with 886 passing yards and 10 touchdowns in six games.

Southwest 9, Montgomery 7
The visiting Raiders pulled off the first upset of league play by marching nearly the length of the field for the game-winning field goal with six minutes to play in the game. Enrique Gaytan booted the ball through the uprights from 17 yards out to hand Southwest its second victory in its last three games.

The Raiders took a 6-0 lead in the second quarter after Adrian Jones scored on a three-yard run. The score remained in Southwest’s favor until Juan Moriel tossed a four-yard halfback option pass to Onil Vallecillo midway in the fourth quarter. Montgomery took a one-point lead, 7-6, when Jonathan Alcala kicked the ensuing extra point.

The Aztecs, who opened the season with a 2-0 record and a lot of promise, dropped to 0-1 in league play, 3-3 overall.
Quarterback Chris Pizarro, who has thrown for 626 yards and nine touchdowns to lead Montgomery, was sacked five times in the first half by the Southwest defense. Gaytan had a fumble recovery and interception on defense besides kicking the game-winning field goal.

Moriel totaled 137 yards in offense for the Aztecs in a losing cause. He has rushed for 369 yards and has 303 receiving yards on the season. Brandon Meredith follows closely with 365 rushing yards.

Friday’s game at Hilltop may stand as the biggest one of the season for Montgomery, which needs to get back in the winning column to maintain hopes of qualifying for the upcoming Division II playoffs. The Aztecs have dropped three of their last four games, albeit two against teams with winning records (Hoover and Orange Glen).

Friday’s game against Montgomery is equally important to Hilltop, which can resurrect its playoff chances by piling up wins in its remaining four regular season games. Besides the Aztecs, the Lancers also have Mar Vista, Southwest and Castle Park left on their schedule.

To make things even more interesting in the at-stakes department, both teams are vying for a berth in the same playoff division.

The Lancers are led by running back Jose Duran (638 yards, five touchdowns) and receivers Howard (554 yards, three touchdowns) and Chris Prather (336 yards, one touchdown). Starting quarterback Craig Rasmussen had piled up 592 yards and four touchdowns in four games before being sidelined recently by an injury. Bryce Robison keys Hilltop with 64 tackles while Michael Tupuola has a team-leading five sacks.

Otay Ranch’s Robert McCurdy:
Making the grade on the field and in the classroom

By Ryan Rudnansky
Sports intern

As a child in the 1990s, Otay Ranch High School senior Robert McCurdy would stand on the sidelines and watch his father, Bob, coach football at Sweetwater High School.

The experience the younger McCurdy gained from the sidelines was a catalyst for his love of sports and a springboard for the future.

“When I watched (the players), they all played 100 percent and I really learned a lot from how they played the game,” McCurdy said.

“He’d always be playing catch at halftime,” Bob McCurdy said.

Now it is the elder McCurdy who is coaching his son from the sidelines at Otay Ranch High School.

Robert McCurdy is a key player at fullback and linebacker for the Mustangs this season, and was ranked the fifth best high school football player in San Diego County earlier this season by one metropolitan newspaper.

He has done this despite being a 16-year-old playing with 18-year-olds.

If McCurdy’s birthday was one day later, he would have had to remain a junior this season.

Last season as a junior, he rushed for 1,127 yards and scored 12 touchdowns as Otay Ranch completed a 9-1 regular season campaign in the team’s second varsity season. In the team’s 4-2 start this year, he has provided invaluable blocking assignments to open holes for teammates to score.

McCurdy’s hard nosed attitude and discipline have not only translated into success on the field, but academically as well.
McCurdy is enrolled in five AP classes this year, including economics and calculus, and is one of two candidates being considered for valedictorian at Otay Ranch High School.

However, McCurdy’s approach this year on and off the field hasn’t exactly been as difficult as rocket science to figure out.
Why has McCurdy been able to tackle more than one thing at once?

“My parents have always been tough on me,” he said.

However, nothing could have prepared McCurdy for the Cedar Fire of 2003.

During the infamous disaster, the McCurdy family’s house was within striking distance of the flames. But, despite the surrounding houses being engulfed, the family’s house was not touched.

Some of the younger McCurdy’s friends weren’t so lucky. “I tried not to let it distract me because a lot of my friends lost their homes,” he said.

It was especially difficult for McCurdy because a lot of these friends were on his team and were part of why he played football in the first place.

“It’s the camaraderie and the friendship that I enjoy (about football),” McCurdy said.
But now, three years later, McCurdy is back to punishing defenses with his blocking and punishing offenses with his hard hitting.
And Bob McCurdy couldn’t be happier.

“He was always a kid who did the right things at the right time,” the elder McCurdy said. “He enjoys the game and his future might be on defense. His potential is in front of him.”

Metro Conference
2006 Standings

Mesa League
League Overall
School W-L-T W-L-T
Bonita Vista 1-0-0 4-2-0
Eastlake 1-0-0 4-2-0
Otay Ranch 1-0-0 4-2-0
Chula Vista 0-1-0 2-4-0
San Ysidro 0-1-0 2-4-0
Sweetwater 0-1-0 0-6-0

Friday, Oct. 13
Bonita Vista 35, Sweetwater 0
Eastlake 42, San Ysidro 0
Otay Ranch 27, Chula Vista 10

Thursday, Oct. 19
Chula Vista at Sweetwater

Friday, Oct. 20
Otay Ranch at Eastlake, 7 p.m.
San Ysidro vs. Bonita Vista at Southwestern College, 7 p.m.

South Bay League
League Overall
School W-L-T W-L-T
Castle Park 1-0-0 3-3-0
Marian Catholic 1-0-0 2-4-0
Southwest 1-0-0 2-4-0
Montgomery 0-1-0 3-3-0
Hilltop 0-1-0 1-5-0
Mar Vista 0-1-0 1-5-0

Friday, Oct. 13
Marian Catholic 52, Hilltop 14
Castle Park 52, Mar Vista 7
Southwest 9, Montgomery 7

Friday, Oct. 20
Castle Park at Southwest, 7 p.m.
Marian Catholic at Mar Vista, 7 p.m.
Montgomery at Hilltop, 7 p.m.

Thursday, Oct. 26
Mar Vista at Hilltop, 7 p.m.

Thursday Night Game of the Week
All games 7:05 p.m.
Channel 4 San Diego
Regular Season Schedule
August
31: Oceanside 27, Helix 0
September
7: Bogalusa (Louisiana) 19, Bonita Vista 14
14: El Capitan 46, Poway 28
21: West Hill 31, Monte Vista 3
28: Mission Hills 21, Valley Center 7
October
5: Escondido 38, Ramona 19
12: Steele Canyon 31, Valhalla 7
19: Chula Vista at Sweetwater
26: Mar Vista at Hilltop
November
2: Carlsbad at Rancho Buena Vista
9: Cathedral Catholic vs. St. Augustine

San Diego Section Rankings
SD Sportscasters/Broadcasters Poll
(Oct. 16)
(Records throiugh Oct. 14)
1. Torry Pines (6-0-0)
2. El Capitan (7-0-0)
3. Carlsbad (4-0-1)
4. Oceanside (3-2-0)
5. La Costa Canyon (3-2-1)
6. Helix (4-2-0)
7. Mission Hills (5-1-0)
8. Escondido (5-2-0)
9. Poway (4-2-0)
10. Mission Bay (5-1-0)

Others (in order of votes): El Camino (5-2), Hoover (6-1), Santa Fe Chrisitan (4-2), Point Loma (5-1), St. Augustine (3-3), Steele Canyon (4-2), Brawley (5-1), Scripps Ranch (5-1).

San Diego Section: The Undefeated
(Through Oct. 14)

Division I
Torrey Pines (6-0-0)
Carlsbad (4-0-1)

Division III
El Capitan (7-0-0)

Eight-Man
Borrego Springs (5-0-0)
Warner Springs (5-0-0)
San Pasqual Academy (4-0-0)

Measuring up

Metro Conference
Non-League Standings
(Through Oct. 7)
Team Record
Bonita Vista 3-2-0
Eastlake 3-2-0
Montgomery 3-2-0
Otay Ranch 3-2-0
Castle Park 2-3-0
Chula Vista 2-3-0
San Ysidro 2-3-0
Hilltop 1-4-0
Mar Vista 1-4-0
Marian Catholic 1-4-0
Southwest 1-4-0
Sweetwater 0-5-0

Metro Tracker
Non-conference opponents
Metro Conference: 13-31 (.295)

Metro Conference Schedule/Results
Friday, Oct. 6
Chula Vista 47, Hilltop 7
Santa Fe Christian 35, Marian Catholic 14
San Ysidro 22, Mar Vista 21
Bonita Vista 27, RBV 14
Granite Hills 52, Sweetwater 6
Otay Ranch 48, Sultana (Hesperia) 3

Friday, Sept. 29
Eastlake 28, Castle Park 19
Otay Ranch 35, Marian Catholic 20
Steele Canyon 33, Hilltop 17
Orange Glen 20, Montgomery 10
Vista 28, Bonita Vista 3
Coronado 19, Mar Vista 7
Hoover 34, Southwest 7

Friday, Sept. 22
Castle Park 38, Morse 6
Eastlake 32, Marian Catholic 14
Chula Vista 45, Granite Hills 7
Montgomery 42, Kearny 0
Southwest 17, San Ysidro 0
Point Loma 20, Otay Ranch 11
Santana 56, Sweetwater 0
Scripps Ranch 42, Mar Vista 0