Granite Hills receiver Bradley Carter gains position inside the defensive back for this touchdown catch. (Photos by Travis Downs)

WEEK 4
Montgomery's arm in tune
3 TD passes tame Orange Glen

© East County Sports.com
EL CAJON (9-22-07) – It was a mighty exciting bus ride home from North County Friday (Sept. 21) night for the Granite Hills Eagles, who always break into song when they move to within a mile of their East Madison campus.

“It’s kind of a team thing,” laughed Eagles coach RANDY DeWITT, without identifying the song.

The Eagles had reason to be filled with glee following its 27-14 victory, which spoiled Orange Glen’s homecoming.

Senior quarterback JUSTIN MONTGOMERY did not shred the Patriots defense with pinpoint passing, but made the most of 6 of 16 passes. Montgomery, a converted tight end, totaled 249 passing yards – an average of 41.5 per hookup.

“It was a waggle pass,” said Montgomery. “I saw Landon over the middle and I threw the ball to him.”

Turley, known more for his defensive play, turned his third reception of the season into a victory-clinching catch.

As thrilled as he was by the prospect of reaching the endzone, the 6-foot-5, 235-pound Turley makes his living on the gridiron as a defensive lineman. It’s in that aspect that Turley notched a pair of sacks to run his total to a Granite Hills career record 29.

Turley credits senior teammate EDDIE MINEAR for helping him break the Eagles’ record for quarterback muggings.

“I was on a regular blitz, went inside the tackle,” Turley said. “Eddie got a piece of the blocker and let me get by to finish off the quarterback.”

“Teachers, students, friends and seems like everybody I know kept asking me when I was going to get that sack record,” Turley said. “It feels good to get it done, so now I can focus on the rest of the season.”

Not to be overlooked was Granite Hills defensive lineman EVAN WILKINS, who matched Turley with 2 of Granite Hills’ 7 sacks.

“This is the best we’ve been able to run the ball all year,” said DeWitt of the Eagles, who have garnered 121 yards on 24 carries. “ Montgomery is coming along so well. We’re coming up on a bye week and it’s good to be where we are right now.”

HELIX 7, SANTA FE CHRISTIAN 7 (tie) – It's one thing to barely fall to the top-ranked team in the county in Carlsbad, the defending CIF San Diego Division I champions. But when the Highlanders were only a kick away from getting upended by the defending champions from Division IV, the Helix Highlanders just became another large-enrollment school to receive a rude awakening that small, private schools from throughout the Southland are making breakthroughs by recruiting top talent.

Such was the case Friday (Sept. 21) at Jim Arnaiz Field, as Santa Fe Christian saw a 49-yard field goal sail just wide to the right, allowing the third-ranked Scotties to salvage a 7-7 draw with the visiting Eagles.

"Our offense is struggling -- no excuses -- we just did a bad job," said Helix coach DONNIE VAN HOOK. "We need to shore up our offensive line and the quarterbacks, too. They couldn't find open receivers, and when they did, we dropped the ball."

Give credit to Helix -- they refuse to duck playing any team of caliber -- but this contest seemed to keep slipping away as the offense became bogged down by its own mistakes and a solid effort from the Santa Fe Christian defensive line.

Except for a 51-yard touchdown run by Helix back LARRY GIST, the Eagles allowed just 86 yards on the ground -- the Highlanders managed a disappointing 197 yards in total offense.

"We were trying to stop Gist all night and did a good job on him," noted Eagles coach BRIAN SIPE, the 1980 NFL MVP who was raised in the East County (Grossmont High/Grossmont College/San Diego State). "We just couldn't play any better football on defense than the 48 minutes we played tonight."

Sipe noted the play of defensive ends Mario Kurn and Jake Kenyon, limiting Helix (2-1-1) to a mere 52 yards in the scoreless second half.

But the Scotties' defense was equally impressive, allowing only 191 yards all night.

ANTHONY DIAZ, a junior safety, registered a pair of interceptions, while the line recorded three sacks, including stops by JAMAR BURKE, Diaz, and a shared sack by HOMER MAUGA and ISAIA OSOLMALO.

Osolmalo registered a team-best 11 tackles for Helix, while Mauga and TRELAN TAYLOR added six each.

"Our defense played with soul -- team defense," noted Diaz. "We all did our assignments; the linebackers filled, the D-line contained. We only gave up one cheap touchdown by playing our hearts out."

In fact, the lone Santa Fe Christian touchdown came on a trick play.

Two plays after Eagles punt returner Sam Hoekstra broke up a bomb by the punter on Helix' own gadget play, running back Keaton Marks pulled up on an end run to the right, tossing a 32-yard TD pass to a wide open Danny Breihan with 44.4 seconds left in the second quarter.

Gist followed with two of his longest runs of the night. After the kickoff, the senior raced up the middle for seven yards, then scampered 51 yards -- half of his game-high 102 rushing yards -- around the left side to quickly tie the ballgame with 2.5 seconds remaining before the intermission.

"Not taking anything away from Santa Fe, they played a great game, but we're sputtering and need to make some changes," added Van Hook.

Both teams had chances to pull out a victory in the final minutes.

With 3:15 to play, the sack shared by Mauga and Osolmalo forced the Eagles back to their own 7-yard line. Diaz then hit Marks in the backfield for a 5-yard loss, followed by a sharp hit for a loss by VINCE CRISE to pin SFC to the 1 -- Helix coaches unsuccessfully argued the play should've been ruled a go-ahead safety.

On 4th down, Helix went for the blocked punt, but roughed the kicker with 1:06 left. The Eagles took advantage of the automatic first down to advance the ball 52 yards to the Helix-32, but missed their second field goal of the game as time expired.

For Santa Fe Christian (1-1-1), Zack Krammes registered a fumble recovery -- caused on a Brice Heers hit -- and an interception, as four Helix passers combined to complete just 7-of-18 attempts for 75 yards.

WEST HILLS 29, MOUNT MIGUEL 26 – In perhaps the first early upset of significance in East County , the Wolf Pack knocked off undefeated Mount Miguel Friday (Sept. 21) night in Santee .

Two-way standout RUDY ORTEGA scored on a 20-yard fumble return and a 12-yard run as well as a 2-point conversion to stake the Wolf Pack to a 14-0 first quarter lead.

Although the Matadors rallied in the middle quarters, scoring bursts of 30 yards and 1 yard by CHRISTIAN FONSECA allowed the Wolf Pack (2-2) to pull off the upset.

“This was just what our team needed,” said Pack first-year coach CASEY ASH.

“We took their best shots and responded well. We showed a lot of courage coming back like we did in the fourth quarter. This was our first win on the “mainland” after we opened with a win in Hawaii .”

Ash rotated ERIC FIEGE into several positions and the versatile senior adapted without a hitch.

“Fiege took us on his back,” Ash said. “We asked him to play tailback, which is not his regular position, and he came through even though he was cramping up most of the second half.”

Fiege finished with 106 yards on 17 rushes and caught 2 passes for 26 yards. He also tacked on 77 yards in returns. Fonseca finished with 83 yards on 14 carries. Ortega racked up 53 yards on just four rushes.

“It’s games like this that shows you who your leaders are,” Ash noted.

Mount Miguel starting quarterback AARON BRYANT completed 5 of 14 passes for 65 yards, including a 14-yard touchdown strike to AHMAD NUNLEY before leaving the game with an injury just before halftime.

Reserve quarterback JOE GAXIOLA hit 4 of 10 passes for 66 yards, including a 2-yard TD toss to Nunley.

Perhaps the most outstanding warrior for Mount Miguel was senior ARTHUR HOBBS, who found two ways to score. With the Matadors on the brink of disaster, Hobbs ignited a 20-point second quarter for Mount Miguel with a 44-yard return for a touchdown. It was Hobbs ’ third interception of the season.

Hobbs, a defensive specialist for the Matadors’ basketball team, picked up a blocked punt created by ERNEST JOHNSON and returned it 13 yards for his second touchdown.

For Mount Miguel this game was all about defense, as the Matadors offense – suffering from the loss of ELLIOTT TAYLOR (sprained knee) and Bryant, who broke an index finger on his throwing hand late in the first half – had to rely on its tackling ability.

“We had so many chances to win that game,” said Mount Miguel coach TOM KARLO. “We don’t know whether we’ll have Taylor or Bryant for the Bonita Vista game (Sept. 28).”

EL CAPITAN 57, UNIVERSITY CITY 20 – El Capitan coach RON BURNER gave running back BEN WILKINS a chance to turn up the heat in Friday’s (Sept. 21) non-league game against University City, and the 6-foot, 215-pound senior didn’t disappoint.

Wilkins rushed for a career high 225 yards and 3 touchdowns on 17 carries as the Vaqueros scored a season high at the expense of the visiting Centurions (2-2).

“Ben didn’t even play three quarters, but he wanted to stay in there,” Burner said. “He was getting pretty banged up but like I told him, there was no sense in leaving him in a game that was already decided.”

El Capitan led 22-0 after one quarter and 36-6 by halftime.

Wilkins scored on runs of 30, 2 and 35 yards – the latter two TDs coming in the 3rd quarter.

“Ben kept telling me how good he felt and how he had the rhythm going,” Burner said. “But enough is enough.”

When Wilkins left the game El Cap led 50-6.

The Vaqueros rolled up 556 yards (301 rushing, 255 passing), which is the fifth highest in El Capitan history. The Vaqueros’ scoring output ranks fourth all-time in Lakeside, and marks the third time in four starts that El Capitan (3-1) had broken the 50-point barrier this season. The Vaqueros have a total of 185 points so far.

Quarterback TANNER RUST turned in another sterling performance for El Capitan, passing for 255 yards including scoring connections of 3 and 5 yards to TILA CASE and a 3-yarder to ADAM DENICK. Later in the game Denick returned an attempted onside kick 45 yards for El Cap’s final TD of the night.

Much like Wilkins, Rust wanted to extend his play but Burner showed him the bench early in the second half.

The 5-9, 175-pound Case caught 7 passes for 129 yards, rushed for 36 yards and a TD on only two carries, returned 4 punts for 58 yards, returned a kickoff 18 yards and intercepted a pass. That computes to 256 all-purpose yards.

“No matter where we play Tila, he always comes through,” Burner noted. “He’s the best return guy I’ve seen at this level. Whether he’s returning a kick or a punt, he does a great job of setting up his blocks.”

Case is the East County all-purpose leader with 1,141 yards.

Other El Capitan standouts against University City included PHILLIP COOK, who caught 3 passes for 81 yards, DARIUS HAWKINS, who intercepted 2 passes, and ALEX ROSTAMIJAM, who was 7 for 8 on PATs. Rostamijam has missed only 1 of 13 attempts over the last two games.

VALHALLA 33, SULTANA (Hesperia) 3 – Valhalla didn't start its first home game of the season until nearly 8 p.m. Friday (Sept. 21) evening when it hosted Sultana (Hesperia, near Victorville). The inauguration ceremonies for the new artificial turf field included the coin toss by Valhalla alumni GREG LOUGANIS of Olympic diving fame and BRAD DALUISO, the former NFL kicker. It also included some fireworks -- so did the ballgame.

The Norsemen produced their own pyrotechnics, both on offense and on defense and they presented STEVE SUTTON with his first victory in three starts as Valhalla’s new head coach.

Sophomore quarterback PETE THOMAS was 16-for-22 for 268 yards and 2 touchdowns. Counting reserve help Valhalla passed for 276 yards – the highest aerial count since 1997 when AARON SANDERS threw for 343 yards against Helix – a mark that remains a Valhalla passing record today.

“Thomas did a nice job throwing the ball and our receivers made some nice catches,” Sutton said. “But we could have and should have had more.”

Several penalties nullified more than 100 passing yards. With Sutton installing a new spread offense this year, it was expected that Valhalla would have a one-sided, pass-happy attack, with no running game.

That wasn’t the case against Sultana. The Norsemen produced a balanced attack against the visitors, however, with 26 running plays and 23 passing plays. The total yardage count was 396.

“I think our kids are starting to see how our offense works,” Sutton said.

Trailing 3-0, Valhalla got fire. After RUFFY BACONG ran for a 6-yard gain, Thomas threw a bomb to BRANDON GIANDONI for a 70-yard touchdown. After Thomas added the PAT, the Norsemen led 7-3, with 4:23 to play in the first quarter.

Starting at their 24-yard line following the kickoff, the Sultans drove into Valhalla territory, but had to punt when TANNER HITT and SHANE PENNIX combined to stuff the third down run. JOOLER FARAJ blocked the punt, giving the Norsemen (1-2) superb field position at the Sultans 32-yard line.

As the second quarter opened, Valhalla had a critical 3rd and 11 from the Sultana 29. Thomas was hit as he released his pass; wide receiver DEREK WHITE made a heads-up play by coming back for the deflected ball, picking up 17 yards and a first down with the catch to the Sultans' 12-yard line. On the next play, Thomas hooked up with MATT SWANGER for a 7-yard reception to the 5-yard line. Then, Thomas found Giandoni open in the endzone for their second pass-catch TD of the game. Thomas' kick was good and the Norsemen led 14-3, with 10:43 to go before intermission.

Sultana threatened to narrow the gap two series later when it marched down the field to the Valhalla 22-yard line. The Norsemen defense stiffened, however, knocking the ball loose from the runner and recovering the fumble at their 20-yard line. Thomas and his receivers made it look easy. First, he hit Giandoni for 19 yards to the Valhalla 40. Thomas then threw to NINO MALLORY for a 28-yard gain. A few plays later, ANTHONY JOPLIN made a seal block to spring CHRIS BROWN loose down the right side line for a 29-yard touchdown run to make it 21-3.

In the second half, Valhalla's defense limited Sultana (1-2) to 72 yards.

Meanwhile, Valhalla ’s offensive machine continued to grind. Thomas was near-perfect as he found Giandoni open for a 29-yard gain, and then hooked up with Brown for 51 yards to the Sultana 2-yard line. Thomas ran it into the endzone on the next play making it 27-3.

Sultana attempted to rally in the 4th quarter, but some sure tackling by defensive lineman ADRIAN ISAACS and defensive back MARCO SAKO, and a quarterback sack by WES PARKER snuffed out any hopes the visitors ascertained. Following that stop, the Norsemen came right back and added an insurance touchdown when TRAIVONNE BROWN scampered 37 yards, increasing the lead to 33-3.

Valhalla’s offensive line, led by senior blue chip tackle JOSE CORTEZ and guards NATE BROWN and TAYLOR PHIPPS, gave Thomas excellent pass protection. Giandoni led all receivers with 6 catches for 137 yards and 2 touchdowns.

CHRISTIAN 28, HAMILTON (Anza) 7 – Christian High unleashed a powerful running game Friday (Sept. 21) night in the desert to knock off the host Bobcats of Hamilton (3-1).

LAWRENCE WALKER rushed for 157 yards and 2 touchdowns on 17 carries, while CHARLES “Sweet Pea” THOMPSON powered for 112 yards and a pair of scores on a dozen carries for the Patriots (3-1).

“We really didn’t play that well,” Christian coach MATT OLIVER said. He had reason to say that, considering Christian had two touchdowns nullified by penalties and missed an additional two scoring chances by losing a pair of fumbles inside the Hamilton 20-yard line.

“I know it sounds strange for me to complain about a game that we won by 21 points,” Oliver said. “But we have a really good team here and I expect us to play well every week.”

It was not that the Patriots were falling all over themselves. They did create balance, scoring 7 points in all four quarters.

“We would have shut them out except they got a late pick in the second half and took it to the house,” Oliver added. “No questions, we dominated the game. Maybe it’s just that I’m spoiled and that I always want closer to perfection.”

Linebacker PATRICK KELLY was the main cog of another stout Christian defensive effort, recording a dozen tackles – 3 of them for losses.

Junior DE/DL MATT FIELDS was also a force on defense, notching 10 tackles for the Patriots.

“When we run the 4-6 Bear defense I think we’re pretty good,” Oliver said. “Kelly is unblockable. And Fields is right there, too.”

SANTANA 45, SWEETWATER 14 – Perhaps forgotten in the Grossmont North League race are these Sultans of Santana.

Outcries that Santana can’t run the ball, can’t play defense and have a passing game that some believe is a Wal-Mart version of El Capitan ’s Nordstrom attack allow the Sultans to be dismissed as serious contenders in the Grossmont North.

The first half of the first quarter of Friday’s (Sept. 21) non-league encounter against Sweetwater might lend credence to the critics’ claim.

Three turnovers and an errant punt snap allowed Sweetwater to take an early 14-0 lead. Instead of folding up shop, the Sultans (2-2) came to life and scored 45 unanswered points.

KYLE ROMERO collected two of JAMES NEEDY’s four touchdown passes to turn the game into a rout. The second of Romero’s scores came on a one-handed catch in traffic that led to a 24-yard touchdown and a 31-14 Santana lead.

“I was just running out the seam and I kinda got clipped but (Needy) threw it far enough away from the defender so I could just put one hand out and got a little tip on it and grabbed it,” said Romero of his circus catch.

Asked if he’d practiced that play, Romero laughed and said “No way!”

Romero finished with 5 catches for 52 yards and the two scores.

“After we got those early turnovers out of the way I thought Needy was throwing the ball pretty well, hitting his spots every series,” said Romero.

Although the Sultans had the game in hand and Needy did not play in the final quarter, the junior QB finished with 19 completions on 25 attempts for 227 yards and 4 touchdowns.

Backup quarterback BRIAN BURGIO threw for 56 yards in relief.

All purpose TYLER AUBREY collected 5 passes for 131 yards, intercepted a pass that set-up a touchdown, recovered a fumble that set-up a touchdown and returned 2 kickoffs for 61 yards.

Junior RYAN STUTZ caught 5 passes for 72 yards, including a 19-yard score.

ANTHONY MORENO reeled in 6 passes for 109 yards and one TD. Moreno also was perfect on 6 PAT kicks and added a 22-yard field goal to close the first half.

JAMES ANAGNOSASTOPOLOS paced Santana’s oft-anemic running games with 56 yards and one touchdown on 11 carries. Burgio added 33 yards rushing on 3 carries, and Needy rushed for 26 yards and a TD on 10 carries.

GROSSMONT 28, MONTE VISTA 7 – Senior JOSH SIMMS made his debut as Grossmont’s starting quarterback and made head coach JUDD HULBERT look like a genius for creating the switch Friday (Sept. 21) night’s non-league game against Monte Vista. Simms, a top-notch receiver and blue chip baseball player, proved that he can take a team by the reins and lead it to victory.

Simms completed 20 of 26 passes for a career-high 266 yards, including a 7-yard scoring strike to former incumbent quarterback CHARLIE PIRO in the fourth quarter.

“Josh had a great game at quarterback,” said Hulbert. “He ran the offense well and showed a lot of poise. It was a nice transition game for him.”

Simms also rushed for 44 yards and one touchdown on 7 carries, giving him 310 yards total offense for the night.

Grossmont (3-1) took a 14-0 lead on 1-yard scoring runs by KHALID WATERS and Simms in the first half.

Monte Vista refused to roll over as JERAD SCOTT cut the lead in half on a 1-yard dive, followed by BRANDON EGBERT’s PAT kick.

The Foothillers, who tied Monte Vista a year ago, put the game away with a pair of touchdowns in the final period. Waters (29 carries, 69 yards) scored on a 1-yard dive to make it 20-7. Simms passed to NICK FLOYD for the 2-point conversion.

Floyd led the Foothillers with 6 receptions for 118 yards. BRYAN HAAR reeled in 5 receptions for 87 yards.

“This was a good comeback win for us after the way we played last week,” said Hulbert. “We had a good game plan designed by our coaches on both sides of the ball. The players reacted to the game plan well.”

DOMONIQUE BRADLEY had 10 tackles, MICHAEL BARLETT made 9 tackles and a fumble recovery, while CONOR MEREDITH had 8 tackles and a fumble recovery as well.

“Our defense was very impressive,” Hulbert added. “They flew to the ball all night. We were ready for everything they threw at us tonight. We had no surprises. It was nice to get a win at home. It was important for us to come out and show everyone what Grossmont football is all about.”

NICK WILLIAMS paced Monte Vista (1-2) with 118 yards on 16 rushes. Only two Monarchs broke the 100-yard barrier last season. JOSH GOSSMEYER caught two MAURICE PAYNE passes for 65 yards.

“We shot ourselves in the foot on special teams all night,” said Monte Vista coach PAGE CULVER. “We had two bad snaps on punts that led to the first two Grossmont scores. We took a big step forward last week against El Camino. This week we took no steps at all.

“JOSH GOSSMEYER played another great game for us,” added Culver. “He’s been playing well all season.”

“We’ve given up 42 (of 49 points) on either kickoff returns, interception returns or bad punt snaps.”

EASTLAKE 35, STEELE CANYON 14 – It was supposed to be a banner night Friday (Sept. 21) when host Steele Canyon held dedication ceremonies for its new synthetic playing field.

Apparently, visiting and No. 6-ranked Eastlake (3-1) wasn’t interested in all the pre-game hoopla. The Titans spoiled the festivities in Rancho San Diego, storming to a 28-0 lead and never looking back.

It was a long, memorable night for the Cougars, one, it turns out, they’d like to forget.

Senior JAMIE DALE, the Cougars’ rushing kingpin, was limited to 70 yards — less than half his season average of 144.0 – by the aggressive Titans. Dale did account for Steele Canyon ’s final touchdown on a 10-yard pass from NICK STATHAS in the 4th period. Dale also averaged 31.3 yards on 3 kickoff returns.

But not even Dale could rescue the Cougars on this night. Steele Canyon ’s defense delivered the Cougars’ first touchdown.

Junior linebacker JOE MORGAN foiled an Eastlake shovel pass when he created a fumble in the second quarter, picked up the loose ball and raced 75 yards downfield only to lose possession after being tackled at the 7-yard line. The ball careened into the endzone where JEBARI ROBINSON recovered it for the touchdown.

It was a rough night for Stathas, who completed 6 of 17 passes for 79 yards despite being under heavy pressure.

PATRICK HENRY 28, EL CAJON VALLEY 7 – It is no secret where El Cajon Valley turns its attention to when in search of a scoring boost. Senior KEVIN KELLY, who is drawing more and more defensive attention, continues to find the endzone.

The 5-foot-11, 167-pound Kelly, who has scored 38 points for the Braves, caught a 48-yard TD from quarterback ISAAC SOLIZ in the 4th quarter to help El Cajon Valley avoid the shutout.

There was a scramble at the goal line and some thought that Kelly might have fumbled the ball into the endzone where a teammate recovered. But the El Cajon Valley coaches didn’t see it that way. Either way, the Braves had a touchdown as FRANK VAZQUEZ came up with the loose ball.

Soliz passed for a career high 188 yards, hitting on 11 of 26 attempts.

PETER ALKASS had 3 receptions for 33 yard, ROBERT WHITE had 2 catches for 53 yards, while DARIUS STAFFORD had 2 catches for 43.

Where the Braves struggled was on running the ball.

“We were not able to run the ball whatsoever,” said El Cajon Valley coach DANNY GOODRICH. “They were more physical than us. We thought we were going to be able to run the ball, but we weren’t able to.”

“On the opening kickoff they returned it to our 17-yard line and went on to score from there. On our second possession we had a bad snap over our punter’s head. Patrick Henry recovered the ball for a touchdown. We couldn’t stop their run all night, and we couldn’t run.”

© East County Sports.com
CARMEL VALLEY (9-21-07) -- The standard for a top running back is to rush for more than 100 yards and register multiple touchdowns. But when a pair of teammates reach this accomplishment, the game usually turns into a rout.

For Foothills Christian, such was the case after GARRET CAMPBELL and JOHN MAGANA both stormed past the century mark Thursday (Sept. 20), as the Knights coupled a quick safety with nine touchdowns, powering past San Diego Jewish Academy, 62-12, in the Lions' home opener.

The Knights' 62 points established a school record in 11-man competition, and equaled the school's all-time mark set in an 8-man contest against Agape Christian of Fontana in 2005.

"We definitely had the size (advantage) on them -- the first time we've really ever had size on anybody," said Campbell. "It was a just well-fought game."

Campbell, a junior quarterback, rushed for 153 yards and four scores, then added a 5th touchdown with a 90-yard kickoff return. Magana piled on 125 yards and three TDs.

"Right now, we're going in the right directions because of our line play," said Magana. "We scored those points because of them."

Despite the gaudy numbers, it was the defense of Foothills Christian (3-1) which dictated the rout. Following a safety – when a snap flew over the punter's head just 62 seconds into the contest – RYAN HUGHES continued the pressure with an early interception, then later recovered a fumble on a failed 2-point PAT attempt by SDJA (0-2).

"It's always an up-lifting experience when we get points, whether off a turnover on the first drive or a safety like that," Campbell added. "The line is working a lot harder, definitely stepping-up the last few weeks."

Magana and Campbell also registered interceptions, as Foothills limited SDJA to a mere 181 yards in total offense -- minus-27 rushing, including two for 20 yards in losses on sacks by ROBERT KAKOS.

"The defensive line and the outside linebackers are containing -- that's what allowed me to get in there and make tackles," noted Magana, who doubles as a defensive back. "They tried to run at us, but we filled the holes."

Campbell's scoring runs came on bursts of 20, 18, 71 and 21 runs. Magana reached the end zone on jaunts of 1, 50 and 5 yards. Meanwhile, MATTISON RUNDLETT took a Campbell pass along the left flat, then beat the cornerback down the sideline on a 66-yard TD. Rundlett finished with four receptions for 102 yards.

Trailing 29-0 at halftime, the Lions answered on a halfback option pass by Lev Mizan for a 63-yard score. But Campbell took the following kickoff coast-to-coast to trigger the blowout, as Foothills only needed to punt once all contest.

Vaqueros offense is better then ever

© East County Sports.com
LAKESIDE (9-20-07) -- Could El Capitan High field a better offense than a year ago?

It's a question opposing defenses have needed to ponder thanks to a fast start that leaves the Vaqueros on pace to better last season's Grossmont North League record performance.

However, a tweaking in the offense now shows the Vaqueros scoring at a healthy 42.7 clip -- only the 2001 Helix Highlanders (47.5) have done better in conference history.

"It's a little bit different offense than it was last year," said El Capitan coach RON BURNER. "The teams we've played so far have given us the opportunity to throw the ball to different areas."

"We have as good as a team as last year as far as some of the weapons," added Burner. "And Tanner has got a good streak going so far."

El Capitan will host University City in one of 11 games involving East County schools on Friday night (Sept. 21). The Centurions (2-1) have reversed their fortunes to the positive thanks to a clamp-down defensive unit.

"Their linebackers are really good, and they have a couple of good corners," the coach noted.

Both corners have speed, thus, are often left to cover one-on-one, leaving an extra defender in the box to stop the run. It's a high-risk, high-reward style which El Capitan might need to beat by going deep.

"What's amazing about our offense is our No. 1 returning slot -- ANTHONY LYBARGER -- has only played in two plays. He got hurt on the first play in Hawai'i, then got hurt in warm-ups last week," Burner said.

Lybarger's return, plus the return to full health by several other players, including receiver PHILLIP COOK and running back BRANDON SANCHEZ, may make the offense even more potent Burner said. Cook made an impact in last week’s 56-36 romp over Coronado, catching five passes for 124 yards and a TD. Cook also nailed an interception that led to an El Cap TD.

"Even Tanner got hurt the first time he kicked the ball last week," Burner noted. "So it’s amazing that Tanner still threw 6 TD passes – even when our offense has been limited."

Should the receiving corps remain healthy, improving University City may be in for a long night... El Capitan, 45-21.

Foothills Christian at SD Jewish Academy (Thursday, 3:30) -- The Knights saw their 3-game winning streak snapped last week, while the Lions didn't play, didn't practice, and didn't do much of anything while enjoying their New Year's (Rosh Hashanah) holiday.

The Lions (0-1) fell in their lone outing, 58-14, to Ramona's Sun Valley Charter, which may be the best team among the two leagues of ultra-small schools in the San Diego Section. So if Foothills aspires to beat Sun Valley to capture the inaugural Southern League title, this is a must-win to prove they can compete at the next level.

And with quarterback GARRET CAMPBELL ranking among the East County leaders in both passing and rushing, the choice here is simple, even though it's SDJA's home opener... Foothills Christian, 48-21.

Other games on Fri., Sept. 21
Monte Vista at Grossmont -- The Monarchs were in prime position to roll over and shut it down following a special teams failure in the first half against El Camino. That didn’t happen. Monte Vista did anything but wave the white flag, actually controlling the second half of the game against the North County team.

The Foothillers also displayed a never-say-die attitude against Steele Canyon last week, mounting a late charge to move into position to steal their home opener. Although the game's final play fell just short of accomplishing the "walk-off" touchdown, there are no signs of slowing down here either.

The difference may be the ability of Monte Vista's developing offense to take huge chunks of time off the clock by either running the ball or a short (extremely short) passing game.

Remember the struggling Monarchs of a year ago tied Grossmont 14-14 last season. It’ll be close again... Monte Vista 14-7.

Sweetwater at Santana -- Only twice did Sweetwater allow fewer than 40 points in a forgetful 0-10 campaign in 2006, giving the Red Devils a 2-year ledger of 1-18-1. Ouch.

But look at "Su-Hi," as they are known locally, now. The team sports a 2-1 record, including a shutout victory over Hilltop, reminding South Bay residents of Red Devils' CIF championship teams of the mid-1980s.

Although not as dramatic, it's been an opposite tale for the Sultans. Lately a fast-starter, Santana started 0-2, but commenced a rebound with a nice win over Imperial.

While the Red Devils offense has been hit-and-miss, you always get a strong effort from the Sultans' offense... Santana, 33-28.

Sultana (Hesperia) at Valhalla -- No, the Norsemen are not playing Santana, they are playing the Sultans of Sultana, which is located in Hesperia (near Victorville along I-15 on the way to Las Vegas ) in the High Desert.

Sultana is better known for its state-caliber cross-country program, but its football team has had its moments, too. Two seasons ago, the team won 10 consecutive ballgames before getting ousted in the Southern Section semifinals, but slipped to 5-6 last season, including a 21-0 victory over Granite Hills -- the one in Apple Valley, not the one in Porterville (or El Cajon for that matter).

Unlike the Sultans of Santee, this program runs the ball exclusively (except for one receiver -- Ron Mastandra -- who owns 8 of the team's 12 pass receptions this season). But the O-line is significantly smaller than past editions, which all plays into Valhalla's hands.

This is an opponent the Norsemen offense should get healthy against. And on the night of the official christening of the school's new artificial carpet, the pick is... Valhalla, 34-16.

Mount Miguel at West Hills -- Call it the changing times, yet every East County school playing at home this weekend will battle on an artificial surface -- except for the Wolf Pack. And with an approaching storm expected to hit shortly before game time, the local dry cleaners should turn profitable following the mud bowl.

The undefeated Matadors (3-0) top all county schools among the honorable mention in the county ratings, so call them the 11th-ranked team in the county, averaging 52 points an outing

Critics might grumble about a soft schedule all played at home, so how Mount Miguel reacts on the road for the first time could be an issue.

Meanwhile, the Wolf Pack defense has quietly gained strength, limiting a 5th-ranked Mission Hills ballclub, which is just one point short of being undefeated, to just two touchdowns and 273 yards in total offense. Sloppy conditions may cause the Matadors to skid, but not fall. In the first real test for the Matadors... Mount Miguel, 20-13.

Eastlake at Steele Canyon -- Like Valhalla, the Cougars will debut a new artificial home field surface against a more puissant opponent in the 7th-ranked Titans.

Eastlake registered four interceptions -- two for touchdowns and a quick 14-0 lead -- in blanking Brawley, 47-0, but that isn't likely to repeat. Utilizing East County rushing leader JAMIE DALE, the Cougars love to run the football -- especially useful in rainy conditions. Inclement weather is predicted.

The visiting Titans have won seven of their last eight at home, but that won’t help them at Steele Canyon. The Titans (2-1) were crushed in their last two on the road, including a 45-7 playoff pasting by Oceanside last season.

Traditionally a slow starter, it’s about time for Steele Canyon to put the pedal to the metal... the call here is the East County Sports' Upset Special of the Week... Steele Canyon, 24-21.

Granite Hills at Orange Glen -- The Eagles fell to one of the better teams in Division I in Chula Vista last week. Now they go on the road against one of the poorest ballclubs in the division.

The seemingly always-rebuilding Patriots (0-3) are riding an 8-game losing streak, with their last triumph coming against San Marcos, which went 0-11 (including a playoff loss) last year. The current crop of OG seniors own a composite 9-25 ledger.

And look who Orange Glen plays in their Valley League opener next week: San Marcos. Talk about a look-ahead situation.

Among the PAtriots' losses in 2007 was a 23-21 clipping from Southwest, which lost to Mount Miguel by 45 points. If the Eagles don't win this one by a bunch, prospects for a first-division finish in the Grossmont South League could vanish. Fortunately, that won't happen... Granite Hills, 35-0.

Santa Fe Christian at Helix -- Give both coaches credit. Name any opponent of quality, and you'll find them on their respective teams' schedule.

For the Highlanders, featured opponents have included Oceanside and Carlsbad. Helix gained a split.

For former Grossmont High and Grossmont College standout BRIAN SIPE, now the Eagles’ head coach, this is a chance to spring a major upset. Few believe his Eagles will get off the ground against No. 3 Helix, but stranger things have happened.

This is not the same SFC side which navigated to the CIF Division IV championship in 2006.

The Eagles have been inconsistent, scoring late to nip La Jolla only to be flattened by Fallbrook, 38-10, two weeks ago to snap a 10-game winning streak. Thus, the Scotties should carry the physical advantage -- even with SFC coming off a bye, just like Carlsbad -- to an easy triumph... Helix 34-10.

Christian at Anza-Hamilton -- The Patriots defense shined in last week's 6-0 setback to Diamond Ranch of Pomona. Now it's back north on Interstate 15 to meet the high-flying offense of Hamilton High

Located between Temecula and Palm Desert at the northwest edge of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, transverse State Hwy. 371 may be as treacherous -- especially with a severe storm expected -- than playing the actual game.

The Bobcats are averaging more than 41 points per outing with a run-first attack, but their defense is making them a contender in the Southern Section, allowing less than a touchdown per game thanks to sack leader Marco Canales, a senior defensive end.

Despite the sparkling numbers, Hamilton's achievements were against small-school competition. Christian's schedule has been significantly tougher. And since the Patriots came out of the Diamond Ranch game without any major injuries, they should be ready to cage the ‘Cats... Christian, 24-21.

El Cajon Valley at Patrick Henry -- For the Braves to escape the Grossmont North League cellar, this contest at Giddings Stadium will be an excellent midterm exam against a Patriots program which nipped Santana -- an ECVHS league rival -- at the gun in the season opener.

The Braves showed they can compete after downing El Centro-Southwest by 22 points for their initial victory of the season. A nice effort, so if the Braves can stay close here, it will be a major emotional boost to gain ground in the GNL.

A key component for El Cajon Valley continues to be turnovers. When the Braves gain a plus-advantage, they usually win. However, this has been a point-of-emphasis by the improving Patriots of not dropping the ball. Thus, the selection is...Patrick Henry, 32-14.