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Eagles blocked from regional title win

2025 EAST COUNTY PREP FOOTBALL

CIF STATE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA 1-AA REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

PACIFICA 42, GRANITE HILLS 35

Pacifica Score in Final Minute Ends Eagles’ Furious Comeback

EastCountySports.com


EL CAJON — The Granite Hills Eagles had spent nearly two quarters clawing back from a 21-point hole, turning a runaway into a dead-even classic.

But just when overtime seemed inevitable, Pacifica found one last spark — a seven-man surge that broke through on a punt block in the final minute and produced the deciding touchdown in the Tritons’ 42–35 win in the Southern California Regional Division 1-A championship on Saturday night at Granite Hills Stadium.

With 42.8 seconds left, tied 35–35 and preparing to punt the ball away to force overtime, Granite Hills had its kick blocked by Pacifica-Oxnard’s overload rush, and Deville Warner scooped the ball on the first bounce, racing 26 yards for the game-winning touchdown in the Southern California Regional Division 1-A championship, giving the unbeaten Tritons a dramatic 42–35 victory.

The Eagles (10-4) had erased a 21-0 deficit in the first quarter, trailed 35-14 at halftime, and then completely controlled the second half—outscoring Pacifica 21-0 in the third quarter alone, tying the game with a 48-yard strike to Parker Johnson and Johnson’s own physical two-point conversion run.

But after fighting back for two and a half quarters, the final break of the night didn’t belong to them.

Pacifica (15-0) advances to face Central East (Fresno)—who beat Pittsburg 55-36 on Saturday—in next weekend’s state 1-A championship at Saddleback College.

Granite Hills, appearing in its fourth straight SoCal regional, saw its season end four quarters short of another title shot.

A Wave of Punches Early — 21-0 in Six Minutes

The opening 15 minutes were as wild as either team played all year.

Pacifica set the tone immediately with a 16-play, 90-yard drive, using its trademark lightning-tempo offense that prevents defensive substitutions. Isaiah Phelps, the Tritons’ workhorse back, logged eight carries on the opening possession, finishing it with a short touchdown run for a 7-0 lead with 7:58 left in the first quarter.

On Granite Hills’ first offensive snap, quarterback Zac Benitez was intercepted. Pacifica converted seven plays later as quarterback Taylor Lee, one of the state’s most efficient juniors, scored on a keeper to the left side for a 14-0 advantage.

Moments later, Granite Hills misplayed the kickoff. Pacifica pounced on the live ball at the Eagles’ 25. On the next snap, Lee hit Alijah Royster for a 25-yard touchdown. With 6:15 left in the opening quarter, the Tritons held a stunning 21-0 lead—before Granite Hills had even run two plays.

Eagles Start to Strike Back

Benitez struck back on the next possession, hitting Noah Walker from 39 yards to get the Eagles on the board, 21-7.

But Pacifica answered again—Lee dialing up Royster for another explosive touchdown, this one from 34 yards. Pacifica led 28-7 with 4:17 left in the first, and Lee was a perfect 13-for-13 at that point.

Granite Hills showed its first spark of survival late in the quarter. Facing 4th-and-1 at the Tritons’ 15, Gage Spalding lined up in the Wildcat, scooped up a low snap off the turf and darted into the endzone to make it 28-14 with 20 seconds left in the first.

Still, Pacifica refused to slow. Phelps punched in his second touchdown—this from 13 yards—midway through the second, capping a first half in which the Tritons scored touchdowns on all five of their possessions and led 35-14 at halftime.

Lee was 15-for-15 passing, and Phelps already had 111 rushing yards by the break.

A Second-Half Surge for the Ages

Whatever adjustments Granite Hills made at halftime worked—and fast.

Benitez orchestrated a crisp opening march in the third. He went 5-for-5 for 65 yards, hitting Tristan Diaz for a 13-yard score, trimming the deficit to 35-21 with 9:25 left.

After a defensive stand, the Eagles came right back. Spalding powered in from two yards (PAT missed), cutting the margin to 35-27 at the 4:46 mark.

From there, Granite Hills’ defense delivered the jolt of the night.

First came Parker Johnson’s drive-destroying tackle for loss, followed by Cayden Phillips’ backfield stop on Phelps, and then consecutive pass breakups—including Phillips blowing up a 4th-and-5 attempt on a stunt. Momentum belonged fully to the Eagles.

Benitez made it count. On 3rd down, he found Johnson wide open deep for a 48-yard touchdown, then Johnson muscled in the two-point conversion to tie the game at 35-35 with 2:23 remaining in the third quarter. Granite Hills Stadium erupted as the Eagles completed a 21-0 quarter.

Fourth-Quarter Missed Chances

Both teams had the chance to seize control early in the fourth.

Granite Hills pulled a field-goal attempt just wide right. Pacifica attempted one moments later—also no good from 31 yards.

Pacifica’s promising mid-quarter drive ended when Lee was slammed down by Brayden “Boogie” Wells and the Tritons were forced to punt—only for Granite Hills to extend the drive with a roughing-the-kicker penalty, though Pacifica again failed to turn that gift into points.

With just over three minutes remaining, Spalding ripped off a 28-yard run to spark the potential game-winning drive. But the Eagles stalled, forcing a punt that appeared headed for overtime.

And then the game changed.

The Deciding Play

Pacifica overloaded the right side and sent seven rushers. The punt never stood a chance.

The block ricocheted forward. Warner grabbed the ball in stride at the 26 and sprinted untouched to the endzone with 42.8 seconds left.

Granite Hills scrambled for one final miracle; Benitez hit Diaz on the drive’s final completion, but with only seconds left and no time to reach midfield, Pacifica iced the final snap and the regional title.

Granite Hills Epic Comeback Still Memorable

For a program that has built its reputation on responding to adversity, Granite Hills’ turnaround Saturday night nearly produced one of the most iconic wins in the school’s playoff history.

The Eagles were down 21-0 before many fans reached their seats.

They were down 28-7, then 35-14, against a quarterback who was perfect through two quarters and a running back who was chewing up yards in chunks.

And yet, Granite Hills flipped the game’s script entirely by halftime and dominated every phase of the third quarter.

The 21-0 run, triggered by Benitez’s precision and the defense’s sudden clamps on Lee and Phelps, showed why Granite Hills has reached four straight SoCal regional games—and won the state 2-A championship in 2022.

The problem was that the Eagles needed one more play.

One more third-down conversion. One more piece of protection.One more bounce.

Pacifica, undefeated and every bit as resilient, made the final play instead.

The blocked punt wasn’t a fluke; it was an all-out sellout rush from a defense that brought heavy pressure all night. Granite Hills’ punt unit had executed cleanly all game.

The Eagles’ comeback alone will be remembered as one of the most explosive quarters in school postseason history. But in elimination football, the margin between euphoria and heartbreak is thinner than any special-teams edge.

Saturday night, it was the difference between overtime and the Tritons advancing to Saddleback College.

Eagles’ Four-Year Run Still Historic

Though the ending was cruel, Granite Hills closed a 10-4 season that included:

• Fourth straight San Diego Section championship appearance
• Second straight Division 1 title
• Fourth consecutive trip to the SoCal regional
• Another top-15 state ranking

Benitez finishes his junior year with 3,674 passing yards and 39 touchdowns, fifth the state in yardage on the year. Walker surpassed 1,200 receiving yards. The defense produced 67 tackles for loss, 25 sacks, and 16 interceptions, with Brayden Wells, Cayden Phillips, and Hunter Hamilton anchoring the unit.

For a program that had never before reached a state bowl game since its inception, the Eagles now expect to play deep into December.

And based on what returns next season, that expectation won’t change.

Drive Chart Summary (Based on Provided Play-By-Play)

Pacifica — First Half:
TD (16 plays, 90 yards)
TD (off INT)
TD (off kickoff recovery)
TD (Royster deep)
TD (Phelps run)

Granite Hills — First Half:
INT
TD (Walker 39)
TD (Spalding Wildcat)

Pacifica — Second Half:
Punt
Punt
Missed FG
Punt (after roughing-kicker)
Turnover on downs

Granite Hills — Second Half:
TD (Diaz 13)
TD (Spalding 2)
TD + 2-pt (Johnson 48)
Missed FG
Punt (blocked)

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