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Vaqueros first to retain Burner Trophy
- Updated: September 29, 2025
2025 EAST COUNTY PREP FOOTBALL
EL CAPITAN 16, WEST HILLS 3
EastCountySports.com
SANTEE – The El Capitan Vaqueros walked off West Hills’ turf Friday night with a 16-3 victory, retaining the Tony Burner Memorial Trophy for the second consecutive year in the series—the first back-to-back win since the trophy was established eight years ago.
In a defensive struggle, El Capitan’s balanced attack and opportunistic defense proved enough to keep the Wolf Pack from threatening in the series’ lowest-scoring matchup since 2017.
El Capitan came out strong midway through the first quarter when sophomore quarterback Hayden Passanisi powered in a 2-yard quarterback keeper for the game’s first touchdown with 5:40 left in the opening period.
The Vaqueros nearly struck again at the end of the quarter, driving down to the 2-yard line, but the Wolf Pack made a crucial fourth-down stop at the 1-foot line to prevent further damage.
West Hills responded late in the second quarter, marching deep into El Capitan territory.
The Wolf Pack settled for a 35-yard field goal from Christian Slojkowski with 3:34 left before halftime, cutting the deficit to 7-3.
El Capitan answered quickly, sending kicker Ryder Powers onto the field for a 40-yard field goal with 2:15 remaining in the half. Powers’ boot was the longest of his season and gave the Vaqueros a 10-3 halftime edge.
The defenses dominated the third quarter, with neither team able to score.
El Capitan’s defensive front held West Hills to just 43 rushing yards and four passing yards for the game, forcing multiple punts and keeping the Wolf Pack out of the end zone.
El Capitan’s defensive leaders Spencer Chastang and Brewin Ford, each with nine tackles, anchored the middle, while Matthew Eckis added two tackles for loss and two sacks to pressure the Wolf Pack consistently.
The fourth quarter brought the decisive score.
El Capitan sustained a long drive, mixing in effective runs from Michael Castillo and Brody Copp. Copp broke free for a 72-yard rushing touchdown midway through the quarter, his third of the season and a new career-high in rushing yards. A missed PAT left the score at 16-3.
West Hills’ last push reached the El Capitan 5-yard line with 2:38 remaining, but a costly loss ended the drive, sealing the Vaqueros’ victory.
El Capitan’s offense was led by Copp’s 72 rushing yards, Castillo’s 69 yards on 11 carries, and Passanisi’s 118 passing yards, completing seven of 13 attempts.
Logan Dulyea hauled in four catches for 79 yards, complementing the Vaqueros’ balanced attack that totaled 273 yards of offense.
For West Hills, running back Dill led the way with 13 carries for 13 yards, and the team managed only four passing yards on 10 attempts. Their lone points came from Slojkowski’s 35-yard field goal.
The win improved El Capitan to 4-2 and extended their winning streak to four games, outscoring opponents 92-24 over that span. West Hills falls to 0-5 on the season, continuing a six-game losing streak dating back to last season.
Looking ahead, El Capitan will hit the road to face Steele Canyon at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. The Cougars’ stingy defense, allowing just 8.2 points per game, presents the Vaqueros with their next challenge.
West Hills will host Monte Vista at the same time, aiming for their first in-conference victory of the season.
With this low-scoring defensive win, El Capitan has now successfully defended the Tony Burner Memorial Trophy for the second straight year, marking the first time the Vaqueros have accomplished back-to-back victories in the series since the trophy’s inception in 2015.
