Patriots limping for rest of spring
- Updated: March 27, 2021
2021 EAST COUNTY PREP FOOTBALL
SAN DIEGO 20, CHRISTIAN 18
EastCountySports.com staff report
SAN DIEGO – The Christian High Patriots are currently beset by injuries that will likely impact their roster for the remainder of the season.
The Patriots have six starters currently sidelined and currently out of the lineup. Five of them are seniors.
Gabe Krug, Jack St. Fluer, Andrew Carlock, Carson Stroman, Cole Bryant, and Andrew Fierro have recently suffered injuries that could end their seasons.
“Losing five seniors is devastating not only for our team but also for those seniors losing their opportunity to play,” Christian High head coach Danny Mitchell said. “We were wounded tonight but hats off to San Diego, which physically dominated us offensively.
Stroman has a broken fibula, while Krug is suffering from back pain after slipping at the 2-yard line, playing in just the first two series of the game.
St. Fleur suffered a broken ankle in last week’s win, while Bryant is in concussion protocol.
“They ran all over us,” Mitchell said. “We got physically beat up.”
The Patriots will have to regroup and it may be with sophomore quarterback Jake Davila.
Davila and the Patriots connected on a 69-yard play with a nifty hook-and-ladder on a dig route down the middle of the field to Chris Akridge, who lateralled the ball to J.C. Gustin in perfect stride for the final 56 yards of the play.
“I was really happy with how the team rallied around me and took me with them,” Davila said. “I knew that my number was going to be called, I just didn’t know it was going to be on the most important drive of the game.
“Oh that drive, we had a really young lineup, so the fact that we were able to go down and score makes me excited for the years to come. I am thankful for the opportunity that coach Danny gave me.”
Joey Merritt, a sophomore, had an interception for CHS.
A blocked punt and subsequent recovery by sophomore Aiden Hypes kept the Pats’ hopes alive in the second half.
Krug had a 43-yard touchdown run in the first half before suffering the injury.
Noah Pisia has a good game for Christian forcing pressure from his linebacker spot. He made a big stop when he blitzed past linemen to make a tackle on a back for a loss.
Hunter Provience caught a key pass for the Patriots, then added a short field goal before the end of the first half.
The Patriots got inside the 2-yard line in the second half on a drive that ended with a forced fumble by the Cavers.
