CIF Championships: Unlikely pairing of D2 seeded teams

By Nick Pellegrino
Updated: May 27, 2026

2026 EAST COUNTY PREP BASEBALL
CIF-San Diego Section Championships

East County Sports.com

EL CJAON — The Helix Highlansers, the lone Grossmont Conference program alive in the CIF-San Diego Section baseball championships, will meet a former conference member for the Division 2 title when the Scotties meet top-seeded Christian.

What? Is Christian a former member of East County’s public schools circuit?

Well, technically, yes — the Patriots were official members for one season back in 1979-80, but the other nine schools believed Christian held an advantage because they were allowed to recruit — how times have certainly changed.

Helix, the third seed, advanced through the D-3 lower bracket by upending second-seed Bonita Vista, 5-2, handing the Barons their second setback to get eliminated.

Meanwhile, Christian also posted a perfect 3-0 slate trough the upper bracket to the final, whipping fourth-seeded Santa Fe Christian, 13-5.

The Scotties-Patriots title tile will be held Friday at 11 a.m., from USD’s Fowler Park in Linda Vista.

Helix 5, Bonita Vista 3
At Bonita Vista: A classic battle of “sticks and stones” — either ones and zeroes were featured on the scorebioard — only had one exception whe Helix tallied three times in the fifth inning to pull ahead and down host Bonita Vista.

Trailing 2-1, the three-run rally saw Kei Smith lift a sacrifice fly to send Jake Johnson home with the game-tying run.

Moments later, Romeo Briones pulled a short grounder to the left side, leaving the Barons no choice but to register the out at first base as JoshRivera scored.

Jace Sells, Briones’ courtesy runner, late made it 4-2, coming home on another ground ball to the right side, this time by Bryan Herma.

Bpnita Vsta answered with a run, but Smith then followed with an RBI single on a grounder to center field, cashing in Randy OPerez.

When Helix took the lead in the fifth, the Scotties pitcher was sophomore Braydon Rehbein. who only needed to collect a pair of outs in facing thee Barons batters to thwart a rally.

However, it was enough for Rehbein to register his first career varsity victory. (Speaking about “sticks and stones,” he also wears uniform No. 11.)

Bem Williams closed with perfect relief, retiring all six batters he faced for the save. The “Big One” struck out three Bonita Vista batters.

Early on, Herman collected his first RBI when he beat the throw to first base on a potential double-play grounder with the bases loaded in the first, with Smith scoring.

The Barons immediately answered with a solo home run by Kennedy Johnson.

But in the second, Helix again loaded the bases but only scored once when Adrian Figueroa coaxed a walk to force in Levi Aguirre.

Both ballclubs finished with nine hits.

Helix (20-11), which shared the Grossmont Hills League banner with defending CIFSDS Open Division titlist Granite Hills, reached the 20-win plateau for the first time since the pandemic.

Before the stoppage, the Scotties went four straight seasons with 20 wins and won a (then) record four GHL championships.

Bonita Vista (22-10) finished second in the Metro Mesa League to Open Division semifinalist Eastlake.

Christian 13, Santa Fe Christian 5
At Greenfield: Much of the success of Santa Fe Christian this season was contributed to the Eagles’ pitching staff.

Nothing could be further from the truth on Tuesday (May 26), when the Christian Patriots destroyed the SFC staff, which allowed a season-high 13 runs in falling to the top seeds.

Christian (21-9-1), which “navigated” through the upper bracket by taking three straight, will be seeing their fifth CIFSDS crown under head coach Mike Mitchell, but the first in Division 3.

The school’s highest previous crown came in Division 3 in 1997.

Santa Fe Cgristian completes its season with a 17 -14 mark.

Game stuff

Senior shortstop Benji Molina registered four RBI before coming out easrly because, the Patriots piled up eight runs in the first inning, then five mor ein the fourth for a 13-0 cushion.

Molins now owns 10 RBI in three postseason starts.

Braeden Casey posted a team-best three hits, while Roman Gustin and Molina added two hits each. All nine Christian starters also scored.

L.J. Rook tossed a leasurely complete game, striking out six Eagles batters without issuing a walk.

Rook was simply asked to throw strikes down the stretch, sp SFC scored four of its late five runs on a trio of home runs, including a pair by Kyle Brunn, the center fielder.

— Nick Pellegrino