East County Sports

Foothillers close in on Valley title

Grossmont against West Hills on Friday. / Vic Marano

 

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2025 EAST COUNTY PREP FOOTBALL

No. 21 GROSSMONT 48, WEST HILLS 27

EastCountySports.com

SANTEE — In a matchup that effectively served as the Grossmont Hills League championship game, the Grossmont Foothillers left little doubt about who stands atop the league this season.

Grossmont used a flurry of early big plays in all three phases to take command and rolled to a 48-27 victory over West Hills on Friday night.

Both teams entered the contest 2-0 in league play, but it was the Hillers who emerged with firm control of the title race, improving to 7-1 overall and 3-0 in the GHL with two games remaining.

Senior Gage Weichelt opened the scoring in spectacular fashion, returning a punt 75 yards for a touchdown just over two minutes into the game. The two-point conversion made it 8-0 Grossmont early in the first quarter.

West Hills (2-6, 2-1 GHL) responded with an impressive 54-yard drive, capped by a 1-yard touchdown run set up by a short pass to Andrew Serrato on third-and-long. That brought the Wolf Pack within 8-7, but the Hillers quickly seized back momentum and never relinquished it.

Quarterback Tyler Holmes pushed the lead to 15-7 on a 2-yard keeper, then connected with senior Kenny Krauss for a 22-yard touchdown pass to extend the margin to 22-7.

The Grossmont defense then joined the scoring barrage when Colton Burke intercepted a pass from West Hills quarterback Evin Dill and returned it 32 yards for a touchdown, making it 28-7.

Holmes added an 18-yard touchdown strike to Logan Struck before halftime, while a 43-yard completion to Randy Ballard set up another short touchdown pass to Ballard. A two-point conversion by Corbin Dow made it 34-14 at the break, and Grossmont’s lead grew to 48-14 by the end of the third quarter.

Holmes finished with a standout performance, completing 19 of 25 passes for 292 yards and four touchdowns, spreading the scoring tosses to Ballard, Krauss, Struck, and Max Bewley.

Dow added 57 yards rushing and a touchdown, while Weichelt contributed on both sides of the ball with seven tackles and the early punt return score. Burke had a defensive highlight reel night with the pick-six and a forced fumble, and Jay Smith anchored the defense with 11 tackles.

West Hills continued to battle behind junior quarterback Evin Dill, who passed for 92 yards and a touchdown and also rushed for 64 yards and a score.

Jacob Timmerman caught Dill’s lone touchdown pass, while Julian DeBeneditto and Jacob Romeo each ran for touchdowns. Kicker Christian Slojkowski went 3-for-3 on PATs.

The Foothillers have now won five straight games, outscoring opponents by an average of 41-15 during that span.

With the victory, Grossmont moves within reach of its first-ever Grossmont Hills League championship, needing just one more win to clinch at least a share of the crown.

Grossmont will travel to El Cajon Valley next Friday at 7 p.m., while West Hills will look to rebound at home against Santana.

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