Highlandrs rookie scores 3 TDs in debut

By Nick Pellegrino
Updated: November 2, 2025

2025 EAST COUNTY GIRLS FLAG FFOOTBALL
CIF-San Diego Section Championships – Quarterfinals

By Nick Pellegrino
ECS Senior writer

LA MESA – One of the top performers for the Helix Highlanders wasn’t on their roisteer entering Satyrday;s (Niv, 1) quarterfinalks of the CIF-San Diego Section playifs — but she definitely made a difference.

Sophomore Maliyah Domingo, in her first varsity actions of the season, collected three touchdowns receptions,ifting th second-seeded enScotties to a 27-13 triumph over Mission Bay in the Division 3 quarterfinals held on JimArnaiz Field at Benton Hart Stadium.

Included were a pair of second0half scores, coming immediately after the Bucaneers rallied from a 13-0 deficit to even the score.

“I was pulled up from the J.V. for the playoffs,” said Domingo, whose older sister, junior Samara, has beern a varrsity fixture all season. ‘K.k. (Kaiya Merlo, the quarterback) really helped by run ing the option so well, then just threw the ball. That’s how I got the touchdownsd.”

Domingo’s elevation to varsity status was part of the program’s development, which players had hoped would happen a year earlier.

However, when school administrators elected to wait a season, the ballclub’s current corps of nine seniors started training early.

“I wasn’t part of it, but the team leaders told me it was very beneficial,” she noted. ”
They played as a club team last summer and got to play at a tournament hosted by the Los Angeles Rams.”

“They got to meet several NFL players, then got to play in a couple of games (at the Rams training site), which they won.”

Domingo opened the scoring by collecting a 6-yatd TD pass early in the second quarter for a 6-0 halftime lead.

The margin went to 13-0, bujt Mission Bay quicklyanswerws qith two scores in under fiv minues. Included was a 64-yard pass t o the left sideon the first play after the margin reached 13.

However, Domingo answered with a pair of dazzling spin moves to skip the the Bucs secondary.

The second TD, a 14-yarder from Merlo, saw Domingo catch the ball in front of the Helix bench, then spun pastr a pair of defenders to waltz into the end zone.

Helix, the second seed, whill host Mira Mesa in the nsemifinals, slated for Wednesday (Jov. 5) at 6 p.m.

Elsewhere

Westvuew 23, Grossmont 0

FLETCHER HILLS – The prospects of a third dtrsaight CIF postseason battle between Grossmont and Bonita Vista failed to materialize after fifth-seeded Westview came to town to shutout the Foothillerts, 23-0, in the San Diego Section Division I quarterfinals Saturday (Noiv. 1) ayt Lt. Mitchell Memorial Field.

The Wolverines registered a safety late in the second quarter, then Emily Hines took over the contest in the second half from both sides of the field.

Hines, who is better knwon as a softball player, scored a pair of second-half touchdowns and registered two interceptions.

The Grossmont defense was again led by senior Gabi Thomas, who broke up seven passes. Her best stop came on a foruth-down pass in the red zone minutes before halftime, forcing a turnover on downs.

However, theHillers yielded a saftey when the snapon the next play sailed over the qiarterback for a 2-0 Westview lead at the break.

The Wolverines (17-2 overall), the Palomar eague champions, then scordd three TDs in the second half to pull away. They avenged a 19-15setbackto the Hillers during the regukar season,

Along with Thomas, the Hillers defense was paced by Nevaeh Manley, Leah Garcia and Skyler Glover (2 sacks). The bsllcvlun finished with an 18-5 record.

El Capitan 25, Escondido 6

LAKESIDE – Fresh off a Grossmont Valley League title in the circuit’sdebut season, the El Capitan Vaqueros also captured their postseason contest was stopping the Escondido Cougars, 25-6, Saturday (Nov. 1) at El Capitan Stadium.

The Vaqueros moved to 14-6 overall; the Cougars season ends at 12-11 after finishing second to Ramona in North County’s Valley League. The Bulldogs took the crown following a 6-0 overtime triumph afer both sides were scorelessthroughregulation time.

Patrick Henry 26, University City 0

UNIVERSITY CITY – In a disastrous week for the San Diego City Conference, only a handful of its schools escaped Saturday’s (Nov. 1) CIFSDS quarterfinals in all divisions.

One of them was Patrick Henry, only because they bested another member of City Schools in a 26-0 blanking of visiting University City.

The Patriots (10-9 overall) tallied all of their points in the first half, including 19 in the second quarter to take immediate charge.

Patrick Henry will play at El Capitan in the semifinals. It will be the first meeting between the sc

The other City winners were Mira Mesa, San Diego HS and the cunty’s oldest high school, Our Lady of Peace (a few months older than San Diego HS; then called Russ High School).