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Scotties, Hillers look impressive in wins
- Updated: September 3, 2025
Helix quarterback Kaiya Merlo (10, right) gets caught by the El Capitan defense while turning the corner / Photo by Jordan Cullen (El Cap student)
MORE TO COME
2025 EAST COUNTY PREP GIRLS FLAG FOOTBALL
By Nick Pellegrino
ECS Senior writer
LAKESIDE – El Capitan sat just one victory away from equaling the longest winning streak in the brief history of Grossmont Conference girls flag football.
The Vaqueros, after dropping their season opener to a CIF Southern Section program, were riding a 5-game streak, hoping to match the mark of six set by Grossmont last season.
The quest ended a mere three plays into Tuesday’s (Sept. 2) non-league contest.
Helix junior quarterback Kaiya Merlo fired a 63-yard bomb to sophomore receiver Serenity Williams in the ballgame’s opening minute, leading the Highlanders to a misleadingly close 20-13 triumph over the Vaqueros at El Capitan Stadium.
“Those are plays you live for,” Merlo explained. “They’re fun, they exhilarating, and you always want to to ut for your teammates. We’re a very well-rounded team.”
Merlo fired three TD passes, including a strike to another sophomore in Natalia Gonzalez, plus one to Kerrington Morris.
“That was super-fun,” added Merlo, who also plays free safety on defense. “They (El Cap) were a very competitive team that plays really great football, so we couldn’t wait to play them.”
Merlo ws tabbed the player of the game on offense. However, the game-winning difference may have been the speed of the Scotties’ secondary.
Getting jumps on the ball all after0time, several passes wer deflected or batted down, stalling most of El Capitan’s drives.
Several of the defensive stops were registered by Justice Brown, who was selected as the defender of the contest by the Helix head coach Dwayne Brown.
Following the initial scoring deep shot down the left sideline for the early lead, the Vaqueros started their long march into the Helix red zone. However, a Scotties defender ended the drive with an interception at the 3-yard line, leaping between two players to make the theft above her head.
Helix moved to 4-2 overall (4-1 against San Diego County opposition, with the setback coming by a mere one point). The Scotties continue their 3-game road trip Thursday (Sept. 4) at powerful Otay Ranch.
El Capitan (5-1), which earlier defeated Otay Ranch, 19-18, also are on the road Thursday, meeting neighborhood rival Santana at Santee Community Stadium at 5:30 p.m.
Grossmont 32, Torrey Pines 18
FLETCHER HILLS – In the first season of CIF-San Diego Section flag football, Bonita Vista defeated
Grossmont and undefeated Torrey Pines en route to the inaugural championship.
Last season, Grossmont gained its postseason revenge on the Barons, but then fell to Torrey Pines in the next round.
On Tuesday (Sept. 2), chalk up another revenge triumph for the Hillers in a non-league affair held at Lt. Mitchell Memorial Field.
Grossmont became the quickest Grossmont Conference program to achieve 10 victories, reaching the milestone in only its 12th ballgame. The Falcons fell to 5-3 overall. Grossmont’s 32 points equaled the third-most allowed in Torrey Pines history.
Scores
Tue. Scoreboard
Sept. 2
ECVHS 33, Sweetwater 12
Grossmont 32, Torrey Pines 18
Helix 20, at El Capitan 13
Patrick Henry 26, ay Lincoln 0
Ramona 18, at Scripps Ranch 14
Steele Canyon 64, SD-Southwest 0
Valhalla at Santana, mot reported
Good, Bad, Ugly
Good – Kudos to the El Capitan athletic training staff for quickly supplying water to all teams to keep student-athletes properly hydrated throughout the flag football contests.
Bad – Following rough contact between opposing players, the game officials huddled for more than two minutes to decide whether the hit was accidental pr needed to be penalized, either minor, m jor or warranting a game ejection. The decision was no penalty, but the fans did not agree. Both sides traded verbal barbs, including choice language threats of a fight. Is it Friday night yet?
Ugly – For the second time this season, Steele Canyon ran up the score on an opponent which should ‘t even be on the schedule. The Cougars first scored a KO on Orange Glen, then took down SD-Southwest with a Grossmont Conference record 64 points. Except for soccer, these two school haven’t been competitive for more than a decade, yet SCHS continues to schedule such opponents.
Record Book
Single-Game Scoring Records in
Victory
64 – Steele Canyon, vs SD-Southwestm
-2-2025
51 – Steele Canyon, vs Orange Glen,
8-24-2024
47 – El Capitan, vs. Canyon Hills,
2025
45 – Santana, vs Steele Canyon, 9-30
-2024
45 – Granite Hills, at Rancho Buena
Vista (CIF), 11-13-2024
40 – Granite Hills, vs Santana, 9-30
-2024 (SHS scored 39 – most in a
loss 79, most combined points))
40 – Steele Canyon, at Santana, 10-
28-2024
39 – Santana, vs Canyon Hills, 8-26-
2024
38 – Santana, vs Hilltop, 9-10-2024
