Undefeated Foothillers look cool in win at El Cap

By Ramon Scott

© East County Sports.com

LAKESIDE – The undefeated Foothillers found the road a bit difficult in the opening stages of Friday night’s (Oct. 9) Grossmont Hills League clash at El Capitan.

But it was only a matter of time until Grossmont found its footing on El Capitan’s new ultra-cool turf on this hot Friday night, as the Hillers whitewashed the struggling Vaqueros, 26-0.

The synthetic turf stadium field was replaced with grants from The County of San Diego Neighborhood Reinvestment Grant, The El Capitan Stadium Association, The Barona Band of Mission Indians, the El Capitan High School Foundation and the Grossmont Union High School District with a total construction cost of $430,000. The Field Turf synthetic field features CoolPlay infill, which is made of cork instead of rubber, reducing the surface temperature on the field.

El Capitan quarterback PHOENIX CATES hit with a 50-yard completion to JAVIER VIDALEZ to the Grossmont 26 early in the first quarter, but the drive was halted when Grossmont junior defensive back RAYMOND PERRAULT made a big-time read of a quick out and intercepted the pass for a return of 30 yards.

Cates finished 10-for-27 for 118 yards. Vidalez caught 3 passes for 71 yards.

SEAN DUNNE then intercepted a Grossmont bomb, as he looked like the intended receiver, hauling in an over-the-shoulder catch at his own 17-yard line, as the teams battled to a scoreless tie in the first.

In the second quarter, junior quarterback HUNTER GAINES found big-play wideout KHALEED DAVIS for a 48-yard streak down the right side, as the senior outstretched his fingers to haul in the well-timed deep aerial that even the best of the conference’s corners would have trouble defending.

JAKE HARR rushed for a 57-yard touchdown on the first play following halftime, as he made three El Cap defenders bang together off of him after the initial surge past the line, before bouncing out to the left side for the jaunt into the end zone. A two-point try failed for a 19-0 lead.

Following an El Capitan turnover, Grossmont senior quarterback JARED REDFIELD threw an 8-yard TD score to Davis on a screen that Davis bowled right through the form tackle of the El Cap defender at the 5 before hopping into the goal over the final strides for the final score with 6:46 left.

Grossmont junior ANDREW MINK helped snuff out a late El Capitan drive in the first half with a sack.

The Foothillers’ defense didn’t allow the Vaqueros to score despite a few short fields due to turnovers, as senior ELI QUINN and JOHN BARBA, along with juniors BRANDON ARMS and LUKE MORSE, led the way.

Grossmont was led up front by junior linemen JAMES ROGERS, JUSTIN SMITH, TOMMY MLYNIEC, and senior CAMERON LISK.

Dunne added a second interception for El Capitan in the fourth quarter. The Vaqueros’ defense also forced and recovered a pair of fumbles in the waning minutes.

In all, El Capitan’s improving defense, led by hard-hitting JOSH BENSON, forced six Grossmont turnovers on the night. DYLAN HELMHOLTZ recovered a pair of fumbles in the second half for the Vaqueros.

Gaines was knocked from the game in the third quarter on a hard hit during a pass release. He warmed up before the next series, but did not return to the game.

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