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San Diego Section

2007 Football Log

Week 5 Game Reports

Area gridiron squads reach halfway point in season

Posted Oct. 4, 2007
Most high school football coaches will agree that non-league games, no matter how insignificant they might seem, serve a purpose. Many coaches schedule challenging opponents in the early part of the season in an effort to “toughen” up their teams both physically and mentally, bond through adversity and gain momentum heading into league play.

With the bulk of teams in the San Diego Section nearing the halfway point of the 2007 campaign, it is time for the teams that have been successful in achieving those goals to step forward.
A total of eight East County teams boast winning records through the opening five weeks of regular season play. Four more local squads have the chance to own winning marks with victories in their upcoming fifth games — the midway mark of the 10-game regular season.

Helix leads Grossmont Conference teams with a 3-1-1 record after soundly defeating visiting West Hills, 35-0, last Friday. The Christian Patriots follow with a 4-1 record, with Steele Canyon, El Capitan, Grossmont, Santana, Mt. Miguel and Foothills Christian all owning 3-2 starts.

With wins in their next game, Valhalla, Monte Vista, Granite Hills and Mountain Empire also can boast 3-2 records at the midpoint of the season.

Games of Sept. 28:

Record-setting Cougars
Steele Canyon may have made the biggest — certainly, it was the boldest — step forward with last Friday’s 47-27 non-league victory against visiting El Capitan. The Cougars set a school record with 404 rushing yards, led by the team’s “150-pound warrior,” senior running back Jamie Dale, who scored five touchdowns in the high-scoring contest.

Dale carried the ball 27 times for 281 yards, scoring on runs of four, 39, 55, 14 and 25 yards. His 30 points are a new school record. Senior fullback Scott Perlin added 136 rushing yards on five carries, scoring on breakaway runs of 73 and 46 games.

It was inarguably a night to remember for the Cougars, who bested one of East County’s quality programs.

The Vaqueros, who entered the game having scored 113 points in their last two outings, were led by Tila Case (129 receiving yards, one touchdown), Tanner Rust (227 passing yards, two short scoring runs and one passing touchdown) and Ben Wilkins (one rushing touchdown).

Steele Canyon, which set a school record with 42 points, built a 19-0 lead and proceeded to outscore usually high-scoring El Capitan 28-20 in the second half.

Steele Canyon has a bye this week before kicking off Grossmont South League play Oct. 12 at Monte Vista. El Capitan hosts Valhalla Friday, Oct. 5, to conclude non-league play before hosting Grossmont on Oct. 12 to start up Grossmont North League play.

Dale leads the Cougars with 763 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns (including two TD catches) while Rust has thrown for an amazing 1,418 yards and 18 touchdowns. Case has caught nine touchdown passes to go with 706 receiving yards.

Taking the high road
A week after issuing a big sigh of relief when Santa Fe Christian place-kicker Bock Miller’s potential game-winning 49-yard field goal attempt said wide on the final play of the game, Helix (which settled for a 7-7 draw with the defending Division IV champion Eagles) seems to have jump-started its largely dormant offense through the first half of the season.

Five different Highlanders scored touchdowns against the Wolf Pack (2-3). Anthony Diaz, Larry Gost, JoJo Phillips and Marquise Deadwiler each scored rushing touchdowns, with Diaz, taking over the starting signal-calling duties, also finishing with one touchdown pass.

Ty Culver, who had started his team’s opening four games at quarterback, saw reserve duty in the final quarter, hitting Anthony Williams on a 16-yard TD strike.

Diaz, a junior, opened scoring on a 39-yard run and later completed a 15-yard pass to Gist to help put the Scotties up 14-0 at halftime. He finished his first start with 94 passing yards and 79 rushing yards.

The game was a showcase for the Helix defense — unquestionably the team’s strength through the first half of the season. Chris Peterson had one interception and fumble recovery.

For the season, Gist has rushed for 223 yards and one touchdown while making 13 receptions for 153 yards and four scores.
Helix, which has a bye this week, hosts Valhalla to kick off Grossmont South League play on Oct. 12.

Patriot games
The defending Division V champion Patriots steam-rolled past defending Imperial Valley League champion Central Union, 31-7, which has to send shock waves throughout the section.

Lawrence Walker scored four touchdowns and Erick Allen threw for one touchdown and ran for another to lead Christian to its fourth win in five starts. Allen completed 14 of 17 attempts for 221 touchdowns while breaking off a 22-yard scoring run in the third quarter. Walker, who rushed 21 times for 88 yards, scored on runs of eight, four and 25 yards. Allen hit Walker on a 56-yard pass completion to kick off scoring in the game played Saturday (Sept. 29) at Valhalla High School.

In five games, Walker has rushed for 651 yards and 12 touchdowns while Allen has thrown for 571 yards and five scores.

The Patriots continue their high profile schedule with a Friday, Oct. 5 matchup at undefeated Palo Verde (4-0). Robert Shupe passed for two touchdown passes to lead the Yellow Jackets past Coachella Valley, 14-8, last Friday.

Slashing Sultans
Santana, meanwhile, has quietly won three games in a row after starting the season 0-2. The Sultans’ latest victory came against El Centro Southwest by a score of 48-7 last Friday in Imperial Valley. The scoring was spread around for the victors, with seven players scoring touchdowns.
James Needy and Tyler Aubrey both scored on short runs to help the visitors off to a 21-0 first quarter lead thanks to a 55-yard interception return by Nik Hodge.

Needy passed for 227 yards and four touchdowns in a 45-14 win against Sweetwater on Sept. 21. Kyle Romero caught two scoring passes while Anthony Moreno finished as high-point man in the contest with one touchdown reception and six PAT conversions.

Needy has thrown for 934 yards and 10 touchdowns, with Aubrey leading the Sultans’ receiving corps with five catches for 428 yards and four TDs.
Romero (18 catches, 295 yards) also has caught four touchdown passes.

The Sultans close out non-league play by hosting Madison (2-2) on Friday, Oct. 5. The Warhawks are coming off a 23-20 setback at Patrick Henry.

Getting bullish
Mt. Miguel started the season 3-0 but has now dropped its last two games, falling 24-7 last Friday to visiting Bonita Vista. The Matadors’ Rico Smith scored on a three-yard run in the second quarter to cut into an early 10-0 Barons lead. However, the Matadors were held off the scoreboard in the second half as Bonita Vista tacked on 14 more points.

Quarterback Aaron Bryant paced Mt. Miguel with 689 passing yards and seven touchdowns through five games while Smith has rushed for 216 yards and five scores.

The Matadors, who have a bye this Friday, host Granite Hills Oct. 12 to kick off Grossmont South League play.

New horizons
Quarterback Garret Campbell has clearly been the fledgling Knight’s ironman thus far with 435 rushing yards and seven touchdowns while also having thrown for 440 passing yards and six touchdowns.

Foothills Christian kicks off its second year of 11-man play with resounding victories against Calvin Christian (34-18) and Borrego Springs (23-8) before dropping its first game to Escondido Charter (48-27).

The Knights topped the San Diego Jewish Academy, 62-12, on Sept. 20 to start the season 3-1 before running into small school power La Jolla Country Day last Friday. The host Torres came away with a 42-0 victory as Derek Hatfield passed for 331 yards and three touchdowns and ran for two more scores.
Foothills Christian won all of one game last season (1-9). The Knights, who next play Oct. 12 at Arrowhead Christian, open Southern League play Oct. 18 favored along with the Midway Baptist to win the four-team league’s championship title.

East County roundup
Monte Vista has a chance to finish above the .500 mark if it can solve West Hills this Friday. The Monarchs evened their record at 2-2 with last Friday’s 27-21 win at El Cajon Valley (1-4). Nick Williams led Monte Vista with three touchdown runs and 150 rushing yards while Maurice Payne (110 rushing yards) scored on a 45-yard burst.

The Braves, who host Temecula Great Oak on Friday, Oct. 5, to close out non-league play, received touchdowns from Isaac Soliz, Peter Alkass and Phillip Rogers. Soliz has passed for 784 yards and six touchdowns in five games, hitting on a career-best 267-yard effort against the Monarchs. Gerald Kendall racked up 120 rushing yards in the loss.

Monte Vista, which has already doubled its victory total of last season, hosts Steele Canyon on Oct. 12 to start league play.

Valhalla also can move above the .500 ledger with a victory Friday at El Capitan after leveling its record at 2-2 with a wild 35-31 come-from-behind victory against visiting Grossmont last Friday. The Norsemen scored the last three TDs of the game to reverse a 31-24 Foothiller lead. Traivonne Brown led the hosts with three touchdowns while QB Pete Thomas (259 yards) threw two scoring passes and added five PAT conversions.

Josh Simms threw for 301 yards and four touchdowns in the loss.

South Bay League Season Openers

Mater Dei tops Hilltop, 38-7, for first win
By Scott Hopkins
CHULA VISTA, Sept. 28, 2007 -- At first glance, it would appear that winless Hilltop High and winless Mater Dei would be evenly matched in last Friday’s South Bay League opener for both teams at the Lancers’ Robert Dodds Stadium.

Not so.

With 28 points in the second quarter, the Crusaders (formerly Marian Catholic) put their first-ever victory under the school’s new name into the books en route to a 38-7 no-doubter against the Lancers.

“This feels pretty nice,” a relieved Mater Dei coach Matt White said after the game. “We’ve been battling and played some tough teams.”

White was referring to losses to St. Augustine (27-21) and powerful Cathedral Catholic (49-0) besides currently undefeated Hoover (26-14) and Division IV runner-up Valley Center (44-14).
Crusader quarterback Jake Marrion, a sophomore, threw four touchdown passes in the victory — two each to juniors Will Stewart (29 and six yards) and Marcel Pitre (19 and 42 yards).

A 19-yard sweep to the left by senior Roman Owens and a 21-yard first quarter field goal by junior Jason Myers, who added five PATs, rounded out the Mater Dei scoring.

The hosts, who dropped to 0-4, relied once again on their shotgun passing attack unveiled the previous week against South Bay power Chula Vista. While the Lancers gained yardage during the game, two Crusader interceptions ended possible scoring drives.

With Mater Dei up 3-0 in the first period, Hilltop drove to the visitors’ 20 before the drive stalled.When a field goal attempt failed, the Crusaders took over from that location.

Senior running back DeShon Thomas-Bruner ran left twice on sweeps for major yardage before Marrion and Stewart hooked up for their 29-yard score.

It was still a game when the Lancers struck on their next drive. After a 40-yard catch and run by junior Ariel Perez, Alcala then hit junior Chris Prather twice, once resulting in a key first down at the Mater Dei 20 and moments later for the score. After Carlos Ugarte’s PAT, the Lancers trailed 10-7.

With 8:01 left in the second quarter, Mater Dei opened the flood gates by scoring on their next four possessions to wash away any Lancer hopes.

First, it was a 36-yard pass from Marrion to Pitre that set up Owens’ score.

Then, it was Pitre, catching his first scoring pass on the next play following an interception by teammate David Matranga, a junior.

With only 15 seconds remaining before intermission, Pitre, left alone by Hilltop defenders, grabbed his 45-yard touchdown pass to take a 31-7 lead.

Receiving the second-half kick-off, the Crusaders tacked on the game’s final score. Although Lancer Kris Ramirez broke up one pass in the end zone, Marrion then connected with Stewart from the six-yard line for the score.

“We’ve been telling the boys that every game is for the league championship,” White said of his Crusaders, now 1-0 in the South Bay League. “We have to bring this kind of intensity every week.”

The second Crusader interception came in the final period when junior David Harding snatched an Alcala pass after it appeared the Lancers were headed for their second score. On the previous play, Alcala had connected with junior Aaron Aranda for a gain of nearly 40 yards to the Mater Dei 15.

Ironically, the Lancers meet yet another winless team tonight (Oct. 5) when they travel south to meet league foe Mar Vista (0-5).

Mater Dei attempts to turn its win into a streak tonight when it hosts its nearest geographical rival and fellow new school Olympian (2-2). The Eagles, competing in their first varsity year as a Division V team, will be playing their first-ever South Bay league contest. This compares with the Crusaders (Division IV) and Lancers (Division II).

Extra points
•The Lancers have given up consecutive-game 28-point second quarters to Chula Vista and Mater Dei. For the season, opponents have scored 77 points in the quarter (67 percent of all points allowed) compared to 39 in all other quarters combined.

•For the game, Alcala again put up big numbers. He completed 17 of 32 passes for 271 yards and the lone Lancer score. Prather, with six catches, was his favorite target.

•The late Robert Dodds was a much-loved gentleman and principal at Hilltop. It's too bad then that the scoreboard bearing his name and that of sponsor Lolita's Mexican Food has so many burned out light bulbs. The result? Numbers often cannot be read by spectators, especially in the game time section.

•Additionally, the public address system, which worked at the previous week's Kiwanis Bowl, was completely inaudible on the visitors' side, leaving Mater Dei parents and fans unable to hear game information and announcements.

Montgomery is too much for Raiders
By J. Carlos Rico
SOUTH SAN DIEGO, Sept. 28, 2007 -- Before last Friday’s game at Southwest, Montgomery head coach Julio Alcala told his team to treat its first league game as if it were a championship game. His team responded with a 38-7 beat down of the Raiders, as the Aztecs made a statement to everyone in the South Bay League that they are a team to be reckoned with by winning their third game in a row.

“We stuck with our game plan,” Alcala said. “We ran the ball like we wanted to and we were able to throw the ball a little bit better in this game … we took care of business the way we wanted to.”

With a backfield that rushed for more than 200 yards and two touchdowns, a quarterback who ran and threw for two scores and a defensive unit that caused three turnovers and scored a TD, Montgomery is a team that seems focused on winning a league banner.

“I think we’re one of the teams out there in the hunt (for a league title),” Alcala said. “I think our guys are good enough to win it.”

After some sloppy play early by both teams with unforced penalties, the Aztecs (1-0, 3-2) finally got it going midway though the first quarter when senior defensive back Eugene Afalla intercepted a pass by Southwest senior quarterback Ruben Nunez and returned it 20 yards to the Raiders 33-yard line. Eight plays later, senior halfback Brandon Meredith banged it home with a five-yard run up the middle for the first score of the game.

In the second quarter, Montgomery was able to put two more touchdowns on the board to go up 21-0 at the half.

The Aztecs’ second touchdown of the game came off a designed bootleg by junior quarterback Marvin Bobadilla, but the big play on that drive came from senior running back Juan Moriel (11 caries, 97 yards) when he ran 37 yards down the left side of the field to the Raiders’ one-yard line.

On Montgomery’s third TD of the game, Meredith ran a 35-counter and cut back to the left side of the field, where there was nothing put blockers and daylight to spring him for an 81-yard TD run with 50 seconds left in the second quarter.

“The (offensive) line made a beautiful hole, and I got excellent blocks from my wide receivers,” said Meredith, who had 123 rushing yards and two touchdowns on seven caries. “It was great blocking all around.”

In the third quarter, Southwest (0-1, 1-4) got its only score from a Montgomery turnover at the Aztecs 18-yard line, when a hand-off exchange was fumbled. Six plays later, Nunez threw an 11-yard TD slant to sophomore Joshua Brown to put the score 21-7 with 8:37 left in the quarter.

After an Aztecs field goal, Afalla came up with one more interception, which led to another TD. The last score of the game occurred on defense when the Aztecs came up with two sacks in a row and recovered a fumble in the end zone.

For the season, the Aztecs have scored 105 points and allowed 54 — both league bests.
Next on the schedule for Montgomery is a home game Friday, Oct. 5, against Castle Park (1-4, 1-0). The Trojans have won the last three meetings, and are coming off their first win under first year head coach John Senesky.

“That’s our next championship game,” Alcala said after the victory against the Raiders. “If we get by them, then we will go to the next step. But we’ve got to take it one game at a time.”

Castle Park stops Mar Vista, 26-6, to earn first win
CHULA VISTA, Sept. 28, 2007 -- After starting the season with blowout losses against Chula Vista (47-0) and Mt. Miguel (48-7), it clearly wasn’t the same Castle Park team that lost in subsequent weeks to currently undefeated Hoover (22-14) or rising Division II power Bonita Vista (13-0). The Trojans finally turned the corner last Friday by handing George Senesky his first victory as a head coach via a 26-6 decision against visiting Castle Park.

The timely win also doubled as the Trojans’ South Bay League opener. Castle Park enters the second half of the season 1-0 in league play, 1-4 overall.

Richard Cooper connected with Ahakeem Saunders for a pair of touchdown passes and George Bucio and Tim Taylor each scored rushing touchdowns to key the Trojan victory.

Castle Park scored a touchdown in each quarter, with Adam Tolbert catching a pass from Cooper for a two-point conversion on the hosts’ second TD of the game.

Dominique Fuqua led the Trojans with 21 carries for 127 yards, springing one rush for 36 yards, while Bucio had 13 attempts for 122 yards with a scoring run of 21 yards.

Saunders pulled in touchdown passes of five and four yards while Taylor scored on a one-yard run.

The Mariners (0-5) avoided being shut out when Greg Charley hit Brennon Scales for a 13-yard touchdown pass in the final quarter.

South Bay League
League Overall
Montgomery 1-0, 3-2
Castle Park 1-0, 1-4
Mater Dei 1-0, 1-4
Southwest 0-1, 1-4
Hilltop 0-1, 0-4
Mar Vista 0-1, 0-5

Mesa League
League Overall
Chula Vista 0-0, 4-0
Bonita Vista 0-0, 3-1
Otay Ranch 0-0, 3-1
Eastlake 0-0, 3-2
San Ysidro 0-0, 3-2
Sweetwater 0-0, 2-2

Southern League
League Overall
Midway Baptist 1-0, 3-2
Foothills 0-0, 3-2
Julian 0-0, 2-3
Sun Valley 0-1, 3-2