WEEK 14 -- CIF PLAYOFFS / SEMIFINALS

© East County Sports.com
RANCHO SAN DIEGO (12-1-07) – All there is left for East County football fans to talk or cheer about are the Christian High Patriots and premier running back LAWRENCE WALKER.

Although they are the defending San Diego CIF Division V champions, the Patriots will be making their first appearance at Qualcomm Stadium since 2001 when they face off against The Bishop’s School on Friday (Dec. 7) in a battle of 11-0 teams.

“How many times are you going to see a pair 11-0 teams battle it out in the finals?” Christian coach MATT OLIVER pondered. “This is a dream-type matchup.”

As excited as Oliver is about the pending championship fracas, he wasn’t overly pleased by the Patriots performance in a 26-21 semifinal victory over Francis Parker Friday night (Nov. 30) at Valhalla High.

“We’ve certainly played better, and we’ll have to do a lot better next week against Bishop’s,” said Oliver, who is taking his Patriots to a third consecutive championship game.

The Patriots led 19-0 and 26-7 before surviving heavy rain and a furious Parker rally in the second half.

“For the first 2 ½ quarters we were like a machine out there,” the coach continued. “We’ve got to get better at finishing. But it is hard to beat a good team like Parker twice in the same season.”

Not to be a sourpuss, Oliver did give credit to his troops for extending their season while ending Parker’s at 5-6.

Workhorse Walker became East County's all-time career rushing leader gaining 169 yards while scoring two touchdowns on 29 carries. His 5,012 yards on 642 carries in 38 games ranks 5th best in SDCIF history. Only Marian’s Patrick Gates (5,039), Rancho Buena Vista’s Markeith Ross (5,158), USDHS’ Justin Green (5,397) and Cathedral’s Demetrius Sumler (5,650) have more.

Walker’s latest effort propelled him past Helix’s REGGIE BUSH (4,925) into the East County lead.

That’s some fast company – a long list of talent.

In addition to Walker's effort, backfield mate CHARLES THOMPSON added 148 rushing yards and a third-quarter touchdown on 23 carries.

The Patriots pounded their way to 321 yards rushing. Sophomore QB ERICK ALLEN attempted only two passes (both fell incomplete), but did score on a 1-yard run, giving Christian a 13-0 advantage after one quarter.

Both of Walker ’s TD junkets came on 7-yard runs.

Defensively, the Patriots held off the Lancers with some big plays.

Oliver noted some key tackles down the stretch by senior veteran PAT KELLY. The coach also heaped accolades upon freshman defensive end TYRONE SAULS.

“We named Tyrone our defensive player of the game,” Oliver said.

COLIN RYAN created a pair of turnovers for Christian with an interception and a fumble recovery. Kelly also fell on a fumble.

“It seemed like they converted seven 4th down plays,” Oliver said. “I never felt like we’d lost control, but when you’re playing in the rain you never know what can happen. Late in the game it was raining so hard you couldn’t even see out there.”

One eagle-eyed Patriot – corner SAM HERNANDEZ – intercepted a pass to stall the Lancers’ final chance to punch Christian’s ticket to Qualcomm.

Bishop’s advances to the finals following a wild 63-45 slugfest win over Horizon. The Patriots and Knights did not meet in the regular season due to the massive wild fires and subsequent cancellation of games.

MISSION HILLS 17, HELIX 14 – It wasn’t the kind of finish coach DONNIE VAN HOOK and his Highlanders had in mind.

Sure, Helix can claim that the winning touchdown scored by Mission Hills’ Brian Wilson should not have counted. Television replays will verify that.

For the record, Wilson attempted to leap over the pile of humanity at the goal line from 1 yard out with 6:30 remaining in the third quarter. Even though the ball squirted loose and ANTHONY LARCEVAL caught the loose pigskin in the air, one referee threw his hands in the air to signal touchdown.

Like a sign from above, what had been intermittent showers most of the evening, became a deluge just seconds after Wilson’s go-ahead score.

“The weather hurt us more than it did them,” Van Hook said. “We couldn’t throw the ball out of our spread offense. And when we can’t do that, it hurts our running game.”

Neither of the Highlanders’ two quarterbacks – ANTHONY DIAZ (3-for-9, 30 yards) or TY CULVER (1-for-4, 6 yards) – could find 6-foot-7, 243-pound LEVINE TOILOLO. While Toilolo did catch 2 passes for 31 yards, the majority of the aerials directed his way sailed over his head.

Mission Hills’ defense didn’t help matters. As many as six Grizzlies were prowling around Toilolo when aerials came his way.

Helix took a 7-0 lead on its second possession of the soggy evening. Diaz seemed to baffle the Grizzlies on this set which culminated on his 3-yard TD run up the middle.

Following a long Mission Hills drive resulting in a field goal, the Highlanders took advantage of a roughing-the-kicker call and toured 65 yards on nine plays to extend their advantage to 14-3. PAUL BLAKENEY did the scoring honors with a 15-yard burst up the middle.

Blakeney led the Highlanders’ lukewarm running game with 35 yards on nine carries.

Mission Hills – now in its fourth varsity season – will take its first trip to Qualcomm. The Grizzlies will face No. 1- ranked Oceanside for the SDCIF Division II section crown.

To be sure, Van Hook and Co. were disappointed. But bitter? No.

“There was a questionable touchdown call that went in our favor last year,” Van Hook said of the Highlanders 13-12 semifinal nod over Mission Hills in 2006.

Van Hook’s review of Friday’s tape led him and his staff to believe Wilson did not have possession when he crashed into the end zone this time around.

“After looking at our tapes, we could see their guy didn’t score, but the refs said he did,” the veteran coach said.

Wilson is somewhat of an unknown in terms of the SDCIF section this season. Maybe so, but he made a major statement at the Highlanders’ Jim Arnaiz Field against a pretty sound defense.

“No. 40 really surprised me,” Van Hook said of Wilson who slithered his way for 242 yards and two TDs on 35 carries on an artificial grass field that was more like a sponge than a fast track on this night. “He did a good job of reading his blocks and got a lot of YAC yards.”

Helix, which sputtered on offense most of the night, was limited to 22 yards and one first down in the final two quarters. The Highlanders totaled 129 yards for the night.

CATHEDRAL CATHOLIC 37, MOUNT MIGUEL 0 – The Matadors missed a chance to make history as they were dissected by a hard-charging squad from Cathedral Catholic in Friday's (Nov. 30) rain-pelted SDCIF Division III semifinal in North County.

Mount Miguel (8-4), which has never won two playoff games in succession and last reached the semifinals in 1987, fell behind 14-0 in the early going. The Matadors were in position to make a game out of it in the final minutes of the first half until Jordan Lance intercepted a tipped AARON BRYANT pass in the end zone.

Not only did that kill Mount Miguel's momentum, it set the stage for the Dons' knockout punch. One play after that critical theft, Cathedral's Tyler Gaffney crashed through the Mount Miguel line and raced 93 yards for a touchdown and a 21-0 lead.

It wasn't much of a game after that. Four interceptions by the Dons foiled any comeback plans Mount Miguel might have been entertaining. Two of the thefts led directly to Cathedral touchdowns.

Cathedral (9-2) has won six straight, clubbing those half-dozen foes by a 245-77 scoring margin. It was first time in 31 games that the Matadors had been shut out.

Mount Miguel, in fact, had averaged more than 28 points in the six games leading up to Friday's washout.

One of the few bright spots was Bryant, who despite a dislocated finger on his passing hand, completed 12 of 22 for 185 yards.

AHMAAD NUNLEY led Mount Miguel receivers with 5 catches for 56 yards. TRAVON CAPLES reeled in 4 passes for 61 yards. ELLIOT TAYLOR topped the Matadors rushers with 46 yards on 16 carries.

© East County Sports.com
LA MESA (11-29-07) -- A trio of East County football teams adorn Friday's (Nov. 30) San Diego CIF semifinals, with two playing in critical rematches to earn a berth to Qualcomm Stadium to play for championships.

In Division II, Helix (8-1-1) will again need to deal with Mission Hills (9-1), while a rematch of the past pair of Division V title games features defending champion and top-seeded Christian (10-0) placing its undefeated record against Francis Parker (5-5).

Meanwhile, in Division III, Mount Miguel goes for its second consecutive road upset, but the feat will be much more difficult when the Matadors (8-3) travel to top-seeded Cathedral Catholic (8-2).

Division II
Mission Hills at Helix (7:05 p.m.) -- Since the opening week of the season when Helix upended Oceanside, 28-20, everyone has been talking about a rematch of the perennial Division II powers.

"Hopefully, they play at Qualcomm together -- it would be kind of fun just watching them," said Steele Canyon coach RON BOEHMKE. "You used to be able to tell Helix from Oceanside because their offenses were distinctly different. But now it's pretty hard to tell those guys apart, right down to the green and white uniforms and helmets."

First things first -- a semifinal rematch with a Grizzlies team still smarting from a late 13-12 setback at Helix in 2006.

Both teams enter with the top defensive units from their respective parts of the San Diego Section. While second-seeded Helix easily tops the East County and the Grossmont Conference charts, third-seeded Mission Hills is No. 1 in the North County at 186 yards per contest with a roster which features North County leaders Tyler Hanks (7 interceptions) and Frank Gaines (12 QB sacks).. The Grizzlies allowed a minus-4 rushing yards in a 37-0 romp over Bonita Vista in the quarterfinals.

"With Mission Hills' defense and offense, there's just no way we're looking to Oceanside -- Mission Hills could come in here and beat us, and they remember last year, too," said Highlanders coach DONNIE VAN HOOK. "They thought they should've won and will come here buzzing."

In the memorable battle, the Grizzlies broke a 10-10 deadlock by scoring a safety with 2:35 remaining, only to see the Scotties defense force a 3-and-out to get the ball back, then marched 66 yards in less than 2 minutes to kick a game-winning, 32-yard field goal.

Indeed, it was the Helix offense, defense and special teams units which all had a major hand in that victory. More of the same can be expected when these teams again collide in a 7:05 p.m. television special on Cox 4 San Diego (Chl. 704 in hi-def.).

Mission Hills major problem will be attempting to run against a Helix front line which has been sturdier than the 40-foot steel gate at NORAD (the North American Aerospace and Defense Command in Colorado ). Plus, Grizzlies tight end Joe Moreno may miss the contest with a broken hand for the Valley League titlists, further hindering the blocking.

Mission Hills coach Chris Hauser is familiar in dealing with Helix. As a player for Vista , he recently talked about losing the 1981 championship to the Scotties in a recent radio interview.

"We're in the same situation Helix was in when I was a player," recalled Hauser. "We beat them in the regular season, but they came back with players like Jim Plum, Karl Dorrell and Dan Hammerschmidt and got us in the playoffs."

Defensive lineman Vince Misa-Amituanai moved to tight end in last weekend's victory over Bonita Vista in the quarterfinals, but a junior varsity player filled the new defensive opening. This should allow Helix to run the ball more than ever behind 6-foot-7, 300-pound tackle BRIAN MILHOLLAND, who is being recruited by USC, California and Stanford. It will also keep the Grizzlies' offense, which averages more than 325 yards per game in the regular season, off the field.

Meanwhile, the Highlanders skated past West Hills, 35-7. It was their seventh straight ballgame yielding seven points or less as a team; the 9th straight by the defense (among Carlsbad's 14 points, one TD came by the Lancers defense). Those cRaZy numbers are the reason to select... Helix, 14-7.

Division V
Francis Parker vs. Christian, at Valhalla -- While Mission Hills plays for fallen defender Scotty Eveland, the Patriots are now playing for KURT METCALFE, who fractured three vertebra in his neck during last Friday's (Nov. 23) victory over Holtville in the quarterfinals.

After being tackled from behind, Metcalfe landed head-first into the turf, yet walked off the field although knowing there was a problem with his neck. He currently sports a halo brace with his playing career effectively over -- his prognosis is a full recovery.

While the news is good for the Patriots, it was the last thing Francis Parker needed -- additional motivation by an opponent. Plus, Christian (10-0) knows full well that a victory will hand the Lancers (5-5) a sub-.500 record.

In 2006, Christian lost in the regular season, but bounced back to win the title game. But that final was held at Patrick Henry High. With CIF Division IV and V now flip-flopping slots annually, this year's winner now gains a spot at Qualcomm Stadium, which will be a nice showcase for running back LAWRENCE WALKER.

Walker, fresh off a 251-yard outing against Holtville, now needs only 83 yards to supplant REGGIE BUSH of Helix (2000-02) as East County all-time leading rusher. Walker is currently 9th on the SDCIF career list with 4,843 yards.

When the teams met in a Coastal League contest on Nov. 3, Walker collected 214 yards, featuring the longest run by an East County back all season with an 81-yard burst among his 3 touchdowns. The game sent the defending league champion Lancers to a last-place finish while Christian shared the title with The Bishop's.

No reason for anything to change here... Christian, 20-10.

Division III
Mount Miguel at Cathedral Catholic -- Following postseason triumphs over El Capitan (34-17) and Ramona (29-27) -- the most successful run by the Matadors since 1987 -- Mount Miguel will face a major hurdle against the top-seeded Dons (8-2).

Mount Miguel quarterback AARON BRYANT needs just 48 yards to pass for more than 2,000 this season, but it's the Matadors defense which must step forward to contend with North County's second-best offense at more than 390 yards an outing.

The balanced Dons attack features quarterback Nick Russell (1,421 yards, 14 TDs) and running back Tyler Gaffney (1,170 yards, 19 TDs).

Except for those in Spring Valley, few thought the Matadors could get past Ramona-- yet did. Now the entire county is watching, which makes an upset bid even tougher. And Matadors coach TOM KARLO has preached all season his team could be better if they simply cut down on turnovers.

The count shows Bryant with 11 passes picked-off, while Russell owns just three thefts. Plus, with massive size linemen on both sides of the ball, the winner should be... Cathedral Catholic, 28-13.