Top of class Helix schools Dons on defense

By Bill Dickens
Updated: September 19, 2015

Helix junior Kendall Haiasy celebrates a tackle during the Highlanders’ win over Cathedral Catholic Friday night in La Mesa. (EastCountySports.com photo)

By Bill Dickens

© East County Sports.com

LA MESA (9-19-15) — If there’s any doubt that the Helix Highlanders are one of the top two teams in the San Diego Section, just ask Cathedral Catholic.

The No. 2 ranked Highlanders (2-1) clubbed Cathedral 37-7 in a physical non-conference battle Friday night (Sept. 18) at Jim Arnaiz Field.

Although the focus on Helix is offense, the Highlanders play a pretty punishing brand of defense.

Middle linebacker ZEKE NOA helped spearhead the Helix defense, notching 3 sacks and 5 tackles.

“I got bye on the outside to get a clear shot at the quarterback,” Noa recalled. “I thought our whole defense executed well but there are still a lot of things we have to fix.

“We noticed their quarterback (Tate Haynes) wasn’t running,” Noa added. “I got the green light to sack so I took it.”

Defensive end MASON VINYARD contributed 2 tackles, a fumble recovery and a sack to the Helix defensive stats.

If not for a rash of penalties, the Highlanders could have shutout the tradition rich Dons (1-3).

Helix strong safety SCOTTIE YOUNG (6 tackles and a pass breakup) said, “I feel like we came out with a real swagger – determined and hungry. I thought our defense was really tenacious, never letting up.”

Helix senior quarterback MICHAEL AUSTIN completed 13 of 19 passes for 238 yards, including touchdown strikes of 5 yards to RASHAD SCOTT and a 27 yarder to MEKHI STEVENSON.

Stinson / (EastCountySports.com photo)

Helix led 7-0 on a 5-yard TD run to NATHAN STINSON in the first quarter. Stinson finished with 197 yards and 3 touchdowns on 19 carries.

“I just followed my blocks,” he said. “They made the holes and I just ran through them.”

The Highlanders made it 14-0 in the second quarter, and led 21-0 at halftime as Austin completed 7 of 8 passes for 72 yards on a scoring drive that concluded with a TD bullet to Scott.

“We were a little bit nervous in the first half, but I was able to slow the game down in the second half,” said Austin. “I think we had a complete game tonight. Our seniors came up big and our newcomers followed.”

Stinson closed the first half with a 51-yard burst for a touchdown.

It was more of the same for Austin in the second half. He hooked up for 78 yards to Stevenson on two passes, the latter including a scoring strike that made it 28-7 with 3:47 to play in the third quarter.

Stevenson caught 4 passes for 123 yards to top the Highlanders’ aerial game.

“We were getting outside, which spread their defense and created a lot of one-on-one situations,” Stevenson said.