- 2025 Flag Football Stadnings/Team Pix
- By inches, Pat. Henry grabs Western lead
- Community Colleeges: February 16-22
- Stars win opener at NBC World Series
- ROUND UP: Wolf Pack Take Down Eastlake
- Woodland’s Gem Propels Helix
- Patriots out-slug Vaqs to claim opener
- Rain Doesn’t Stop Wolf Pack
- Gallery: Boys Hoops – Week 10
- Vaqs continue qinning ways In tight contest
- VALLEY: Sultans finish undefeated season
- It takes the Pack to sweep Scotties
- Mujica & Co. keep rolling, win convincingly
- Singer retires again from coaching
- DIII: Southwest Eagles soar to championship
- 2018 EAST COUNTY SOFTBALL Schedule / Scores / Standings
- DV: LIONS ROAR TO CHAMPIONSHIP
- Williams, Vaqueros sweep into D3 final
- D2: After walk-off thrill, Sultans slump
- DII: SULTANS HAVE MADDY, MADDY, MAD POWER IN PLAYOFF WIN
EAST COUNTY FEARLESS FORECASTER – Week 7
- Updated: October 1, 2025
Grossmont's Ryder Robinson has nine sacks in four games. / Vic Marano
2025 EAST COUNTY PREP FOOTBALL
EAST COUNTY FEARLESS FORECASTER – Week 7
EastCountySports.com
The second half of the high school football season kicks off this week, and the spotlight shines brightly on the start of Grossmont League play. The calendar may read October, but this is when the real season begins – rivalries renewed, league titles on the line, and playoff positioning at stake.
This year’s forecast: Granite Hills continues its stranglehold on the Grossmont Hills League, while Grossmont, in its first season in the Grossmont Valley League, is the team to beat in its new surroundings.
FEARLESS FORECASTER – PREDICTED FINAL STANDINGS
Grossmont Hills League
- Granite Hills (three-time defending champions)
- Mount Miguel
- Steele Canyon
- Helix
- El Capitan
Grossmont Valley League
- Grossmont (Last league title was in 2005 when the Foothillers won the Hills League)
- Santana
- West Hills
- Monte Vista
- Valhalla
- El Cajon Valley
MONTE VISTA (3-2) at WEST HILLS (0-5)
On paper, the Monarchs have the better record and a top playmaker in Deon Hunter, but the ratings slightly point the other way likely due to the Wolf Pack’s home field advantage here. These teams are rated pretty closely and Monte Vista would likely be favored in Spring Valley. Both teams average just 165 yards of offense, but West Hills has been slightly stingier on defense, keeping El Capitan to just 16 points last week in the Tony Burner Memorial Trophy game. This Grossmont Valley League opener could be the lowest-scoring matchup of the week, and the Pack’s home field advantage may be just enough to spark a season turnaround in the balanced Grossmont Hills League where most of the games will be extremely competitive and closely-rated this season. West Hills comes in averaging just 10 points per game, while the Monarchs are averaging 22 points per game, but the Wolf Pack defense makes this one close.
Pick: WEST HILLS 17, MONTE VISTA 14
HELIX at No. 10 MOUNT MIGUEL (4-2)
Helix is in the unfamiliar territory of being an underdog in Grossmont Hills League play for most of their circuit conests. The Highlanders have been blanked in back-to-back games for the first time since 1996 and are averaging fewer than 12 points per game. Mount Miguel, meanwhile, boasts one of the most dynamic duos in the county with QB Jeremiah Loper and WR A.J. Logan, who has seven touchdowns in the last three weeks. The Matadors are balanced, explosive, and suddenly the power in the neighborhood rivalry, having already wrestled the Claymore Sword from the Scotties’ long-time grasp last season, 48-35, in La Mesa.
Pick: MOUNT MIGUEL 35, HELIX 10
EL CAPITAN (4-2) at No. 18 STEELE CANYON (6-0)
El Capitan has rebounded from its slow start with four straight wins, thanks to a defense that has kept the Vaqueros in every game. But Steele Canyon is rolling, averaging nearly 37 points per game with QB Gavin Caha and all-around star Nico Jara leading the charge. The Cougars look like a team built for a deep playoff run in Division 1 and own an eight-game win streak against El Capitan. The Vaqueros will find the going tough in their return to the Grossmont Hills League, where they will be underdogs in every game, but the tough circuit will have them primed for a strong division playoff run if they stay healthy. El Capitan has some of the top defensive players in the East County in Spencer Chastang and Brewin Ford. The teams met in a non-league game last season and Steele Canyon won at El Capitan, 19-13.
Pick: STEELE CANYON 31, EL CAPITAN 7
VALHALLA (1-4) at GROSSMONT (4-1)
Grossmont makes its Grossmont Valley League debut after shifting down from the Hills League, and the Foothillers immediately become the favorite. Tyler Holmes leads an offense averaging 34 points per game, while Ryder Robinson anchors the defense with nine sacks in four games. Valhalla has dropped four straight and will need LB Brody Shartel and DL Zachary Haggar to apply the pressure to try and slow Grossmont. The Hillers haven’t lost to the Norsemen since 2014, and that streak won’t be ending this week.
Pick: GROSSMONT 42, VALHALLA 10
SANTANA (3-2) at EL CAJON VALLEY (2-3)
The Braves have the Valley League’s top rusher in Janvier Kashindi, but the Sultans counter with one of the league’s most effective passers in Ethan Miller. Santana has owned this series, winning 13 straight meetings, and the common opponent results suggest the Sultans are simply further ahead at this stage. The Sultans defeated Canyon Hills, 30-0, and Hilltop, 28-7, while the Braves lost to Canyon Hills 32-13, and lost to Hilltop, 29-7. The Sultans are led defensively by Jordyn Gillissie, who averages nearly 7 tackles per game, while the Braves’ defense is led by Paul Marcelin, who averages over 7 1/2 tackles per game.
Pick: SANTANA 38, EL CAJON VALLEY 13
CHRISTIAN (1-4, 0-1 Eastern) at LA JOLLA (3-2, 0-1 Eastern)
Two teams trying to avoid an 0-2 league start face off. Christian nearly pulled off a miracle last week with a Hail Mary against Madison that was ruled just out of bounds on the back end line, while La Jolla struggled against undefeated Point Loma, 37-7. Both teams have outstanding quarterbacks in Kaleb Runkle (Christian) and Hudson Smith (La Jolla), and each features a 100-yard-per-game receiver in the Pats’ Kai Rosier and the Vikies’ Carson Diehl. Expect fireworks, but La Jolla’s defense may provide the difference. The Vikings defeated the Patriots, 49-19, in the 2023 Eastern League finale at Valley Stadium, but the Patriots won here in 2022, 20-14.
Pick: LA JOLLA 37, CHRISTIAN 24
MOUNTAIN EMPIRE (5-1, 2-0 Sunset) at O’FARRELL (2-3, 1-0 Sunset)
This Sunset League clash has title implications. Mountain Empire’s Elishia Lashone Robinson is one of the county’s most productive backs, averaging over 150 yards per game, while O’Farrell QB Dakobi Coleman is a dual-threat who can keep defenses honest. Both teams have split results against Calipatria, as MEHS beat Calipatria 28-22, while OFC lost to the Hornets, 32-28, in their only common non-league opponent, but the RedHawks’ defensive consistency, led by Jason Landman (averaging 10 tackles per game), gives them a slight edge.
Pick: MOUNTAIN EMPIRE 26, O’FARRELL 22
FOOTHILLS CHRISTIAN (0-6) at CALIPATRIA (2-2)
The Knights are still searching for their first win and face a tough challenge on the road. Jack Sudi is a bright spot with 120 rushing yards per game, but the Hornets are averaging 42 points per outing and coming off a 68-point explosion at Clairemont. Expect more fireworks from Calipatria’s offense.
Pick: CALIPATRIA 52, FOOTHILLS CHRISTIAN 24
