ROUNDUP: Pack rally past Foothillers
- Updated: October 13, 2023
El Cajon Valley quarterback Darrick Dubose fires a pass against Valhalla on Friday night.
2023 EAST COUNTY PREP FOOTBALL
Friday, Oct. 13
GROSSMONT HILLS LEAGUE
WEST HILLS 29, GROSSMONT 18
FLETCHER HILLS — Visiting West Hills rallied from a 9-point deficit after dominating the second half to trip Grossmont, 29-18, in Friday’s (Oct. 13) Grossmont Hills League affair.
Moments after West Hills closed to within 18-15 early in the third quarter, the Foothillers marched deep into Wolf Pack territory, earning a first down in the red zone.
Thus, West Hills (5-3 overall) moved into a 3-way deadlock for third place in the GHL standings with Grossmont (4-4) and Steele Canyon (also 4-4). The trio all stand at 1-2 in league play with two ballgames remaining.
West Hills has now won two straight over Grossmont after the Hillers had captured the previous 8 straight meetings.
For Grossmont this season, win or lose, each have been decided by at least 10 points except a 2-point win over Palo Verde Valley HS of Blythe Calif.
The Wolf Pack scored on a field goal just four or so minutes into the first quarter but Grossmont answered with a touchdown to take a 6-3 lead with a pass from Hudson Herber to Noah Walker
West Hills recorded an interception in the final minute of the first quarter.
Both teams scored a touchdown in the second quarter. West Hills got their touchdown on the ground, while Grossmont passed for a score that made it 12-3 at the time.
West Hills forced a turnover on downs with under three minutes to play in the first half.
The Foothillers took an 18-9 lead with under a minute left before halftime on a touchdown pass from Herber to Cody Bigley.
Grossmont was o-for-3 on two-point conversion tries in the first half.
West Hills had the first touchdown of the second half with a rushing score four-plus minutes into the period to draw to within 18-15.
The Wolf Pack took the lead in dramatic fashion in the final minute of the third quarter thanks to a long completion to help get into the red zone.
A wild flea-flicker style play led to the final margin for West Hills.
West Hills added another huge score with a touchdown pass with under seven minutes remaining in the game for an 11-point lead.
The Pack defense then forced a turnover on downs on the ensuing possession.
GRANITE HILLS 45, STEELE CANYON 7
JAMUL — Granite Hills matched Helix in preparations of next week’s Grossmont Hills League showdown for the championship by pulling the starters early in a romp over host Steele Canyon, 45-7.
The Eagles (8-0 overall, 4-0 GHL) ran their record winning streak to 17 contests by running up 45 straight points before the Cougars (4-4, 1-2 GHL) tallied a TD with 3:47 remaining to avoid the shutout.
In the schools’ last two meetings, Granite Hills owns a decisive 79-14 scoring advantage. Over the past 14 meetings, the series is even at 7-all.
Granite Hills scored on their opening drive on a touchdown by Pablo Jackson from a short gain. The Eagles led 7-0 with 5:08 left in the first quarter.
The Eagles added a field goal by Robert Petrich with 22 seconds left in the first quarter to extend the lead to 10-0.
In the second quarter, Turner turned in a big run down to the Cougar 10 on 3rd-and-1.
On the next play, Zach Benitez ran it in ffor a touchdown with 8:46 left in the second quarter.
Granite Hills scored a touchdown on a pass from Benitez to Brenden Lewis in the second quarter to extend the lead to 24-0. Lewis made a leaping catch in the back of the end zone.
Granite Hills scored on a long touchdown in the third quarter when Benitez connected with Lewis on a bomb to midfield that was actually deflected by the Steele Canyon defender, but Lewis was behind him and the ball fell into hands and he was off to the races. The Eagles led 31-0 with 8:50 left in the third quarter on the 90-yard play.
Granite Hills extended the lead to 38-0 on a touchdown throw from Benitez to Lewis with 4:34 left in the first half.
The Eagles had a long completion to end the third quarter as Benitez hit Josh Zander with a deep ball inside the 10.
The pair hooked up on the next play for a touchdown pass to extend the lead to 45-0.
The Cougars scored a touchdown on a 15-yard run by John Weaver IV.
GROSSMONT VALLEY LEAGUE
EL CAJON VALLEY 37, at VALHALLA 18 – Chris Cosio had an 89-yard touchdown interception return for a touchdown for El Cajon Valley. He also had a 67-yard touchdown reception.
Paris Dixon had a touchdown run for ECV. He also had two touchdown receptions.
El Cajon Valley’s Shane Hopson had a 5-yard touchdown reception to make it 21-6 in favor of the Braves.
Braxton Estes passed to Dominic Cruz for an 18-yard touchdown for Valhalla.
PACIFIC LEAGUE
FOOTHILLS CHRISTIAN 57, at ST. JOSEPH ACADEMY 34 – At San Marcos, St. Joseph scored first with a touchdown pass five minutes into the game.
Foothills Christian took a 7-6 lead with a touchdown pass midway through the first quarter.
FCHS extended the lead to 14-6 with two minutes left in the first quarter on a rushing touchdown.
St. Joseph tied the game at 14-all with a rushing touchdown in the final minute of the first quarter.
Foothills took the lead, 21-14, with a rushing touchdown three-plus minutes into the second quarter.
St. Joseph scored to pull back within one with a rushing touchdown five minutes into the second quarter.
However, Foothills Christian pulled away for a 34-20 lead with five minutes left in the second quarter with a passing TD following buy a rushing TD.
Foothills eventually took a 42-28 lead into halftime. The Knights led 42-20 when St. Joseph scored on a run.
Foothills had a rushing score with under three minutes left in the first half.
St. Joseph scored the first touchdown on the ground in the second half with a score midway through the third quarter for a 42-34 lead.
The Knights added a pair of touchdowns on the ground in the second half to extend the lead to 57-34.
