Fearless Forecaster: SDCIF Championships

2025 EAST COUNTY PREP FOOTBALL – CHAMPIONSHIPS

EAST COUNTY FEARLESS FORECASTER

Welcome to the Championship Edition of the Fearless Forecaster.

This week, all eyes turn to Southwestern College’s DeVore Stadium for the San Diego CIF Finals, where three local teams will battle for championship glory and a little bling-bling, as well.

Division 2 will kick off the action on Friday at 7:00 p.m., followed by the Division 3 final on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. and the Division 1 clash on Saturday at 7:30 p.m.

Let’s break down the matchups.

Division 1: (2) Granite Hills Eagles (9-3) vs. (1) Lincoln Hornets (10-2)

The Division 1 final is a clash of titans.

Granite Hills, sitting on a six-game winning streak and fresh off a sharp 52-30 win over Mount Miguel, appears to be playing its best football of the season, just like every postseason for the last four years.

The Eagles added key players after the sit-out period, including unheralded new star Parker Johnson, making one of the best teams in the county even better.

Lincoln, always looking for respect, might approach this with an underdog mentality—a difficult position to hold against a team as balanced as Granite Hills.

While the Hornets may profess more college-level talent, the Eagles will have greater continuity.

Lincoln’s most significant loss this season came against Cathedral Catholic, a team that was missing its starting quarterback, which raises questions about the Hornets’ ability to close against elite competition.

Key Players to Watch:

• Granite Hills: Quarterback Zachary Benitez is coming off a great night, throwing for 129 yards and two TDs, and adding 27 rushing yards. The Eagles’ strength is their air attack, averaging 307.5 passing yards per game, thanks to the deepest receiving corps in the county, featuring the explosive Noah Walker, along with top possession receiver Tristan Diaz. Defensively, Brayden Wells has been one of – if not the best – defensive player in the East County this season, while Jesse Wilhite has been just as impactful during the league season and postseason.

• Lincoln: The Hornets lean on a stout run game, averaging 213.4 rushing yards per game. Running back Junior Curtis is a massive threat, rushing for 322 yards and three scores last week, averaging 131 yards per game for the season. Lincoln’s defense has playmakers like Prince Tavizon and safety Cammeron Purnell, who has had five or more tackles in ten straight games.

The Edge: The Eagles barely slipped past Lincoln last season, winning 27-26. This year, Granite Hills is simply stronger on both sides of the line and has too many offensive threats. The Eagles, who won this title last year (42-25 over San Marcos), prove themselves on the field, not through social media buzz. The Fearless Forecaster is backing the continuity and balanced attack of the Eagles to repeat as Division 1 champions. PICK: Granite Hills 35, Lincoln 31

Division 2: (2) Steele Canyon Cougars (9-3) vs. (1) Santa Fe Christian Eagles (12-0)

Steele Canyon has turned in a terrific season, rising from a fourth-place finish in the rugged Grossmont Hills League to reach the D2 title game. They face the county’s only undefeated team, Santa Fe Christian, in what should be a thrilling contest.

The Quarterback Battle: Steele Canyon’s Gavin Caha has been one of the top East County QBs, averaging nearly 180 passing yards per game. He goes up against SFC’s Dax Labrum, who, under the tutelage of quarterbacks coach Drew Brees, throws for 217 yards per game.

Key Players to Watch:

• Steele Canyon: Senior multi-way star Nico Jara leads the Cougars. Receiver Jacob Henton has emerged as a true scoring threat, coming off a career-high two receiving TDs last week. The Cougars’ defense brings the heat, logging three sacks against San Diego last week from Tyree Zarkaryan, one of the East County’s top sack men), Donte Brown, and Cameron Buchanan. Abel Lopez provides a goal-line rushing threat.

• Santa Fe Christian: Labrum has a deep receiving corps led by Chase Woolley. Running back Brady Berg is a dual-threat, picking up 40 receiving yards and a rushing TD in their semifinal win. The SFC defense is opportunistic, recording three interceptions in their last game, including a pick-six from Brody Caffrey.

The Edge: Despite SFC’s perfect record, it’s worth noting their prior struggles in this bracket, including a 62-34 loss to Mount Miguel in last year’s Division 2 playoffs. The Cougars are a legitimate Top 15 team in the county, and their strength of schedule from the Grossmont Hills League has prepared them for this moment. They will look to bring constant pressure on Labrum to disrupt the passing game. The Fearless Forecaster predicts a close, hard-fought game with Steele Canyon pulling off the slight upset. PICK: Steele Canyon 24, Santa Fe Christian 21

Division 3: (6) Christian Patriots (6-7) vs. (1) Central Spartans (10-2)

Don’t let Christian’s 6-7 record fool you. The Patriots played a brutal schedule, facing tough opponents like Madison, La Jolla, and SFC, and their early tests made them tougher. They’ve strung together four straight wins, winning their last two playoff games by exactly three points, including a tight 20-17 victory over Army-Navy.

Central comes in off a wild 44-42 win over University City. The Spartans have had a stellar season, but the Patriots’ tough road wins over Scripps Ranch, San Diego, Ramona, and Army-Navy give them a big edge against a strong Imperial Valley team that still took league losses to Imperial and Holtville.

Key Players to Watch:

• Christian: Quarterback Kaleb Runkle is the ultimate playmaker in the clutch, leading the team with 96 passing yards, two TDs, and a season-high 48 rushing yards last week. While the team lacks an impactful running game, Runkle’s ability to create separates them. Defensively, Chase Togerson is one of the top tacklers in the East County. Kicker Steven Benson is the East County’s top kicker and could be the difference-maker in a one-point prediction.

• Central: The Spartans’ offense is driven by running back Matthew Lizaola, who put up a monstrous 269 rushing yards and five scores in their semifinal. Fidel Jr Camarena is another strong runner. Their receiving corps is led by Emiliano Morales, averaging 66 yards per game.

The Edge: The Patriots’ ability to win on the road against comparable opposition is the tiebreaker here. Their disciplined defense held Army-Navy to only 3.2 yards per carry. In a game that is likely to come down to a single score, the Fearless Forecaster is banking on Runkle’s clutch play and Benson’s reliable kicking to edge out the high-powered running game of Central. PICK: Christian 24, Central Union 23