Davila OK after Patriots’ loss to SFC
- Updated: September 12, 2021
2021 EAST COUNTY PREP FOOTBALL
No. 11 SANTA FE CHRISTIAN 28, CHRISTIAN 15
EastCountySports.com staff report
CLAIREMONT – Christian High junior quarterback Jake Davila was released from the hospital late Friday evening after being knocked from the Patriots’ game with Santa Fe Christian with a back injury, which required him to be taken from the field by paramedics.
That was about the best news the Pats could get following a 28-15 loss to their long-time section rival in a non-league game played at Clairemont High on Friday night.
Santa Fe Christian put up over 400 yards of total offense to improve to 4-0 in a matchup of unbeaten teams coming into the game.
Jake Davila and his dad, Robert, late Friday night.
Davila had accounted for over 200 yards of his own before the hard hit by an opponent’s helmet in the third quarter.
Christian freshman quarterback Josh Herber completed four passes for 38 yards in relief and didn’t hurt his team’s cause.
Herber rushed for a score in the opening minute of the fourth quarter after taking over for Davila. He took the team on a time-consuming scoring drive on the same possession after Davila was knocked from the game.
Herber’s poise provided stability as Christian remained in the game in the game’s final quarter-and-a-half.
After a scoreless first period, a long Eagle scoring drive that culminated one minute into the second quarter was countered by Christian with a bizarre-looking score.
Ryan De Los Reyes scored when a completion by Davila to hot target Joey Merritt was stripped loose by an SFC defender.
The ball bounced once on the ground and directly to De Los Reyes, who was already in stride toward the play. He calmly grabbed the ball in mid-air and took it into the end zone for a score.
After the Eagles forced a turnover, they scored to take the lead three minutes before halftime.
The Eagles took a two-score lead midway through the third on a touchdown pass by Thomas Greupner.
Shortly after, Davila suffered his injury with 5:51 left in the third quarter.
SFC went on a 64-yard drive to regain the two-score advantage with under four minutes to play in the game.
Merritt caught six passes for 79 yards, while J.C. Gustin, a senior, hauled in seven passes for 66 yards.
Davila was 13-of-20 passing and rushed 12 times for 57 yards.
Christian’s underclassmen-led defense had two sacks.
Junior Brady Bingham had five solo stops, including a tackle for loss for CHS.
Junior Brady Dierkop had two tackles for loss and forced a fumble for the Pats.
Senior Cooper Whitten scored three touchdowns, including rushing for two of them, defended three passes, and made five tackles for SFC. He had 160 yards of total offense.
Christian will travel to face Central Union on Friday.
Non-league
Christian 0 7 0 8 — 15 Santa Fe Christian 0 14 0 14 — 28
SFC — Whitton 2 run (Lehberg kick)
C — De Los Reyes 3 fumble recovery (Provience kick)
SFC — Torti 10 run (Lehberg kick)
SFC — Whitton 31 pass from Greupner (Lehberg kick)
C — Herber 1 run (Merritt pass from Herber)
SFC — Torti 3 run (Lehberg kick)
