Wolf Pack burn Vaqueros in fourth
- Updated: September 29, 2019
Members of the Wolf Pack with the Tony Burner Memorial Trophy. / photo by Dave Dickens
Members of the West Hills Wolf Pack with the Tony Burner Memorial Trophy. / photo by Dave Dickens
2019 EAST COUNTY PREP FOOTBALL
WEST HILLS 24, EL CAPITAN 14
EastCountySports.com staff report
LAKESIDE – West Hills seniors Kole and Kip Klingerman made sure the Wolf Pack took back the Tony Burner Memorial Trophy with a 24-14 win over host El Capitan on Friday night.
Kole Klingerman caught the decisive touchdown on a diving catch in the back of the end zone on a fourth-down pass from Gerardo Hernandez with three-and-a-half minutes left in the game, and he threw a 17-yard touchdown pass on an option play to Kip earlier in the game.
Senior Steven Cristini has an interception return of 100 yards in the final seconds on an El Capitan passing attempt into the end zone, which would have likely given the Vaqueros a last-second victory.
The score was tied at 7-all at halftime.
Cristini had a 20-yard run in the third quarter on a scoring drive that resulted in a 31-yard field goal midway through the third quarter by Elijah Mullett for a 10-7 lead. The diminutive speedster also had a 50-yard kickoff return.
Senior Jake Maheu had 17 tackles on defense and 60 rushing yards for West Hills.
Head coach Casey Ash addresses the Wolf Pack following the win. / photo by Dave Dickens
Kole Klingerman finished with three receptions for 27 yards. He also had a 29-yard run out of punt formation to extend the second-quarter drive in which he completed the touchdown pass to his brother.
Vaquero senior Wick Hauser had 170 yards of total offense, although the Wolf Pack defense limited the Vaqueros to just 69 yards through the air.
Hauser rushed for both El Capitan touchdowns, including a 2-yard keeper in the first quarter behind the blocking of seniors Daniel Reed and Ryan Greaves to cap an 80-yard drive.
In the fourth quarter, Hauser scrambled on a fourth-and-2 to pick up a first down to the Wolf Pack 6. Then the quarterback took off on a misdirection run for a 2-yard touchdown, which gave the visitors a 14-10 lead.
Donny Green had 118 yards on 16 carries for El Cap. He had a 22-yard run on the Vaqs’ first scoring drive.
Savigon Yokley had three catches for 27 yards, while Sean Dickson had two catches for 27 yards for the Vaqueros.
For the second-consecutive year, it looked like the Vaqueros’ Jacobo Villa was going to come up with the defensive play to win the game when he came up with a third-down sack with four-and-a-half minutes left in the game. The play resulted in a fumble but the Wolf Pack retained possession following a scramble, giving West Hills at least one more chance.
West Hills (3-2) will host its Homecoming game next Friday to open the Grossmont Valley League against El Cajon Valley (3-2).
El Capitan (0-5) will face Helix (4-1) in La Mesa in the Grossmont Hills League opener on Friday. The Highlanders will also be hosting their Homecoming game.
