Scotties swerve into quarterfinals

By Ramon Scott
Updated: November 10, 2025

Lee Norman-Lester runs for a touchdown. / Vic Marano

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Vic Marano (@lvmarano)

2025 EAST COUNTY PREP FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS – FIRST ROUND

DIVISION 1

HELIX 49, SAN PASQUAL 27

EastCountySports.com

LA MESA — It’s playoff time, and the Helix Highlanders showed they still know how to rise to the occasion.

Behind a dominant ground attack led by quarterback Lee Norman-Lester, the seventh-seeded Highlanders stormed past No. 10 San Pasqual, 49-27, in the opening round of the CIF San Diego Section Division II playoffs on Friday night at Benton Hart Stadium.

The Highlanders, who have endured an up-and-down season filled with narrow losses and lineup changes, looked rejuvenated from the opening snap.

On their very first offensive play, Donte Wright raced 45 yards deep into Golden Eagle territory, then Jordan Lindley followed with a 22-yard gain and capped the short drive with a three-yard touchdown run to make it 7-0 just 32 seconds into the game.

Helix’s defense wasted no time making an impact, either.

Sophomore Jace Sells intercepted San Pasqual quarterback Robert Renteria on the Golden Eagles’ third play from scrimmage, returning it to near midfield. Ten plays later, Wright powered in from two yards out to double the lead to 14-0 with 5:51 remaining in the first quarter.

Helix’s front seven, led by junior linebacker Jeremy Davis, continued to dictate the tempo.

San Pasqual’s normally balanced offense could find no traction against the Highlanders’ defensive line, managing only 1.4 yards per carry for the night.

Davis totaled ten tackles, including two for loss, and added one of Helix’s three sacks, with DeAndre Wilson and Dean Niumata also recording sacks as part of a relentless pass rush.

By early in the second quarter, Helix had turned the game into a rout.

Norman-Lester took a shotgun snap, darted right, and accelerated past multiple defenders for a 58-yard touchdown run, extending the Highlander lead to 21-0 less than three minutes into the period. It was the first of several highlight-reel plays for the senior quarterback, who finished with 190 rushing yards and three touchdowns on just 11 carries.

San Pasqual managed to briefly close the gap after a pair of quick scores midway through the second quarter.

The Golden Eagles’ Landen Lockwood scooped up a fumble and returned it 46 yards for a touchdown with 5:50 left in the half. On the ensuing kickoff, the visitors recovered a well-executed onside kick, then Renteria connected with Marcus Rocha on a short scoring pass to make it 21-13 after a missed extra point.

But Helix responded immediately, showing the poise and firepower that has long defined the program. Norman-Lester orchestrated another efficient drive capped by Wright’s second touchdown of the night, a four-yard run that pushed the Highlanders ahead 28-13 at halftime.

Helix never let San Pasqual threaten again. In the third quarter, the defense forced a turnover on downs deep in Golden Eagle territory, and Norman-Lester capitalized with a four-yard scoring run to extend the lead to 35-13. The Highlanders’ offense, operating with precision and power, had effectively worn down San Pasqual’s front line by this point.

The Golden Eagles found a spark late in the third quarter when Jared Brecht returned a kickoff 89 yards for a touchdown, trimming the margin to 35-20.

But Helix countered with more of the same — another punishing ground drive ending in a spectacular play from sophomore Bryson Calloway, who jumped a defender at the 10-yard line and raced into the end zone for a 27-yard touchdown early in the fourth.

Norman-Lester then added a fitting exclamation point midway through the final period.

Breaking free down the right sideline once again, he took off 60 yards for his third touchdown, putting Helix ahead 49-20 and sealing the Highlanders’ most dominant win of the season.

San Pasqual tacked on a late touchdown pass in the final minute, but the outcome was long decided.

Helix finished with 450 total yards, including a staggering 403 on the ground.

The offensive line consistently created large running lanes, allowing Norman-Lester, Wright (112 yards, two TDs), Lindley (59 yards, one TD), and Calloway (43 yards, one TD) to control the game from start to finish.

Meanwhile, the Helix defense showed its best form of the season.

The Golden Eagles were held to just 30 rushing yards on 21 attempts, and Renteria was forced to throw into tight coverage for much of the night. Sells’ early interception set the tone, and Davis anchored a swarming unit that registered three sacks and six tackles for loss.

Norman-Lester’s emergence as a dual-threat force has transformed Helix’s attack.

The Highlanders are undefeated this season when he rushes for at least 80 yards, and Friday night’s 190-yard explosion may have been his finest performance yet. His combination of vision and acceleration helped Helix slip past what many believed would be a dangerous opening-round challenge and advance into the quarterfinals — the Highlanders’ next step on a late-season surge that suddenly feels full of promise.

The victory improved Helix’s record to 5-6 and marked their second consecutive win.

More importantly, it earned them a rematch with second-seeded Steele Canyon, a familiar rival the Highlanders defeated 39-34 just two weeks ago in an emotional rivalry showdown.

Steele Canyon had a first-round bye and will host the quarterfinal meeting next Friday at 7 p.m.

For Helix, the statement win was both a reminder and a reassurance — that even in a season of challenges, the Highlanders remain a force capable of overpowering smaller opponents when it matters most.

Next week, however, will be more of an equal test for both the Scotties and the Cougars.

Next: Helix (5-6) at Steele Canyon (8-2), Division II Quarterfinals, Friday, 7 p.m.