Wolf Pack’s strong finish ends early

By Ramon Scott
Updated: November 9, 2025

2025 EAST COUNTY PREP FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS – FIRST ROUND

DIVISION 4

EASTLAKE 35, WEST HILLS 0

EastCountySports.com

CHULA VISTA – The West Hills Wolf Pack’s late-season charge into the postseason met a firm wall Friday night, as host Eastlake executed a dominant all-around performance to eliminate the visitors, 35-0, in the first round of the CIF San Diego Section Division IV playoffs.

The Wolf Pack, who had battled back from an 0-5 start to win four of five in Grossmont Valley League play and finish just one game shy of a league championship, saw their inspiring turnaround story close against a Titans team firing on all cylinders.

Eastlake senior quarterback Tyler Balko accounted for four touchdowns — three through the air and one on the ground — throwing for 163 yards and keeping the Wolf Pack defense on edge all night. The Titans rolled up 365 total yards of offense while holding West Hills to just over 100.

For West Hills, the season-ending defeat couldn’t erase the grit and progress that defined the second half of their year.

Head coach Casey Ash’s squad had relied on strong defense, sound special teams, and balanced leadership to claw their way into playoff position. But on Friday, the Wolf Pack simply ran into a Titans team that executed nearly flawlessly.

Eastlake struck early, scoring two touchdowns in the first half — one coming on a 30-yard scramble from Balko with 9:53 left in the second quarter — and took a 28-0 lead into halftime. The Titans’ defense stifled the Wolf Pack attack, blocking a Christian Slojkowski 30-yard field goal attempt and forcing an interception before halftime.

West Hills junior quarterback Evin Dill completed four passes for 57 yards, connecting twice with senior Anthony Rosolino, who finished with 27 receiving yards.

Seniors Zach Marticorena and Brett DeAngelis also had catches of 23 and 7 yards, respectively.

The ground game, which helped carry West Hills during their league resurgence, found limited room to run against the Titans’ front seven.

Junior Andrew Serrato led the way with 14 yards, while Jacob Romeo, Rosolino, and Dill combined for modest gains as the Pack totaled 48 rushing yards.

On defense, senior linebacker Rey Garcia made his presence felt one more time in a standout season, recording an interception for the third straight game and adding a long return to stop an Eastlake drive. The Wolf Pack also got strong effort from their special teams unit, as Slojkowski averaged 48 yards on four punts, flipping field position several times.

Eastlake’s attack proved relentless, however. Senior Ryan Branco caught two touchdown passes and his brother, junior David Branco, added both a rushing score and eight tackles on defense.

Santi Aleta caught a 64-yard touchdown pass, while the Titan defense pitched the shutout behind big plays from Nicolas Alba, who blocked a field goal, and Jovani Ceja, who recovered a fumble.

The Titans (5-6) advanced to the quarterfinals to face No. 4 Mt. Carmel next week.

West Hills (4-7), meanwhile, exits the postseason but rebounded from a winless non-league start to earn a playoff berth and reassert itself as one of the Grossmont Valley’s toughest, most disciplined units.

The senior class — led by Garcia, Rosolino, Marticorena, DeAngelis, Romeo, and DeBeneditto — helped lay the foundation for a team that refused to fold, instead finding its rhythm late and proving capable of standing toe-to-toe with anyone down the stretch.

It wasn’t the ending they wanted, but it was a season that reminded everyone in West Santee what Wolf Pack football is built on — resilience, heart, and the belief that no matter the start, the finish can still define the story.