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Patriots’ prayer nearly answered
- Updated: September 30, 2025
Christian's Kai Rosier catches a hail mary pass on the last play of the game.
2025 EAST COUNTY PREP FOOTBALL
MADISON 30, CHRISTIAN 28
EastCountySports.com
EL CAJON – The Christian High Patriots threw everything they had into their Eastern League opener Friday night at Valley Stadium, including a pair of last-gasp miracle plays that had the home crowd on its feet.
But in the end, the rally fell just short, as Madison escaped with a 30-28 victory to hand the Patriots their fourth straight defeat.
Junior quarterback Kaleb Runkle once again put the Patriots on his shoulders, passing for 229 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for 96 more. His favorite target, Kai Rosier, turned in another electrifying performance with 231 total yards, including a jaw-dropping 95-yard touchdown run that gave the Patriots life in the second half.
Christian trailed 30-22 with under a minute remaining when Runkle uncorked perhaps the most remarkable throw of his career.
Rolling to his right under pressure, he leapt and fired a desperate jump pass into the end zone. A scramble for the football ensued, with bodies crashing to the turf, and after a long deliberation by officials, junior receiver Soren Lucey was ruled to have secured possession underneath the pile for a stunning 30-yard touchdown grab — the biggest play of his varsity career.
The Patriots lined up for the two-point conversion with a chance to tie, but Madison’s defense stiffened by crunching Runkle just short of the right pylon.
Still, Christian wasn’t finished. They executed a perfect onside kick recovery to give themselves one last chance at a miracle.
Runkle lofted a Hail Mary down the sideline, and Rosier made an acrobatic, bobbling catch in the end zone, somehow dragging his toes just along the back of the end line. But officials ruled him out of bounds, ending one of the wildest finishes the Patriots have been part of in years.
Despite outgaining the Warhawks 427–363, the Patriots couldn’t overcome the powerful running of Madison’s Adrian Sola, who rushed for 179 yards and two touchdowns. Madison improved to 2-3, while Christian slipped to 1-4 overall.
Senior Hank Houston anchored Christian’s defense with 10 tackles and continued his steady two-way play, while freshman Julian Morones added a key blocked field goal earlier in the contest to keep the Patriots within striking distance.
The loss was gut-wrenching, but Christian showed heart and explosiveness against one of the section’s tougher opponents.
With Runkle’s arm, Rosier’s versatility, and Lucey’s emergence, the Patriots’ offense is poised to break out as they head into the heart of Eastern League play. They’ll try to snap their skid next Friday on the road against La Jolla, where they’ll face a Viking defense allowing over 26 points per game.
For now, the Patriots are left to replay the what-ifs of Friday’s dramatic finish — one that won’t soon be forgotten at Valley Stadium.
