Eagles soaring highest in East
- Updated: March 20, 2021
Granite Hills tracks down El Capitan's Savigon Yokley on Friday. / Billy Ortiz
2021 EAST COUNTY PREP FOOTBALL
GRANITE HILLS 48, EL CAPITAN 21
EL CAPITAN – Are the Granite Hills Eagles the top-rated team in East County?
With the only two local teams ranked in the county’s top ten suffering measurable defeats on Friday night, Granite Hills could be the top vote-recipient among media panelists when the new poll arrives early this week.
The 12th-ranked Eagles got revenge against El Capitan on Friday night as part of its case.
Granite Hills stunned last year by the Vaqueros in Lakeside, 25-23. It was El Capitan’s only win of the season.
The Eagles, as expected, dominated most of the game.
Justus McComb had a 10-yard run in the first quarter as Granite Hills took a 7-0 lead.
McComb hooked up for Angel Almazon for the second-straight week, this time it was from a long distance, as the fleet-footed receiver caught a long pass down the right side for a 67-yard score, giving the Eagles a 20- advantage.
“I liked my matchups when it came to my receivers,” McComb said. “The line gave me lots of time even though they were bringing seven.”
Jaquayle Hodges, a junior running back, fought out of a goal-line pile up to break into the end zone for a short touchdown run in the second quarter.
After McComb added his second touchdown run of the game, this time from seven yards away, El Capitan’s Xavier Peace, who scored a decisive touchdown in last year’s upset of the Eagles, took a bounding kickoff inside his own 5-yard line and turned it into a 97-yard return. The score made it 27-7.
McComb hit Keeley for a 4-yard score to make it 34-7, then Almazon caught another touchdown pass for McComb, who lofted a floater to the back of the end zone. Almazon made the catch look smooth, but his post-touchdown moves would’ve gotten called for a penalty if there was a school dance this year.
“Angel Almazon really stretched the field for us,” Granite Hills head coach Kellan Cobbs said. “I have really been happy with our depth on the offensive line.”
El Capitan quarterback Savigon Yokley scrambled for a 22-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter.
Granite senior back Austin McVey made a series of red zone carries that culminated in his 3-yard bowling touchdown run in the fourth.
“Zach Burton (two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery) really impressed me on defense,” Cobbs said.
