The Hat Trick El Capitan senior Phillip Cook (17) hauls in three touchdown passes (all shown above) from Vaqueros quarterback Tanner Rust during Friday's Div. III quarterfinals. Cook caught 9 passes for 204 yards, with his scores covering 26, 25 and 57 yards – each with a different St. Augustine defender attempting to cover him. Rust threw for 348. (Photos by Tori Mills)

Cougars, via upset or not, advance to D-3 Final Four © East County Sports.com RAMONA (11-29-08) — Steele Canyon finally woke up Ramona’s Bulldogs from dreamland during Friday’s (Nov. 28) San Diego CIF Division III quarterfinals before a ruckus up the Highway 67 corridor. Some pundits labeled the visiting Cougars’ 24-23 victory over the host Bulldogs as the upset of the season. Maybe. Yet none of that malarkey bothers coach RON BOEHMKE’s Steele Canyon crew, which is advancing to the semifinals for the second time in three seasons. Ironically, the Cougars final step before a possible berth in the Division III championship means they must defeat their primary rival, Valhalla, in Friday’s (Dec. 5) semifinals. Meanwhile, the Dawgs fell at home to a Grossmont South League program for the second straight season. Mount Miguel scored at the gun to shock Ramona, 29-27, in 2007. Upstart Steele Canyon opened up a 20-14 lead early in the fourth quarter. A 35-yard field goal by MATTHEW BRUDER and a 78-yard touchdown pass from BRAD BOEHMKE to JAKE WRAGG on the second play of the fourth quarter gave the Cougars a 24-14 lead. Credit Wragg for an over-the-shoulder catch, and then breaking a tackle near midfield en route to the endzone. “Even when we had the lead like that I didn’t feel very comfortable,” said coach Boehmke. For good reason. Perhaps the most pivotal point of the game came when Ramona (8-2-1), trailing 24-21 opted against a field goal attempt that could have forced the game into overtime with 3:55 remaining. The Bulldogs gave the ball to durable running back Joey Dambrose, who was stacked up at the line of scrimmage by JOSIAH SMITH, JOE MORGAN, JORDAN BUTLER and LEVI RANGEL, among others. “That’s the kind of defense we’ve had all year,” a pleased coach Boehmke said. Nevertheless, Steele Canyon (7-5) was still not out of the woods. After the Bulldogs failed to convert a short first down play, Steele Canyon attempted to wedge its way out of the shadows of its own goalpost, to no avail. Thus the pressure fell on Cougars senior punter MIKE DIAZ. “I figure I would have had to punt out of the middle of the endzone,” said Diaz, who has a 42-yard punting average. Coach Boehmke, however, ordered Diaz to run out of the back of the endzone for a safety, leaving the Cougars with a one-point lead with 1:18 left to play. Diaz capitalized on the free kick with a booming drive that Ramona caught and made a strong return. The Bulldog return specialist was close to putting the ball into field goal range when he was hit and fumbled, and the Cougars’ COLIN MARTIN made the recovery. From the there the Cougars ran out the clock. “Lady Luck was definitely on our shoulder,” said coach Boehmke. “This was probably the loudest crowd we’ve ever played in front of, and they weren’t cheering for us.” The fact is, though, quarterback Boehmke completed 8 of 13 passes, including first half scoring strikes of 6 yards to CAMERON MOSS and 28 yards to JEBARI ROBINSON as the first period ended in a 14-14 deadlock. “I’m comfortable now with being the quarterback, I hope,” Brad Boehmke said. “Just getting to know my receivers’ speed has allowed me to be a lot more cool.” ALEX PERLIN paced the Cougars running game with 109 yards on 26 carries, while KYLE RICHARDS added 68 yards on 9 carries. Perhaps the most steady weapons in the Cougars arsenal have been the kicking of Diaz and ANTHONY BRUDER. “It was a little weird, giving them the safety like I did,” said Diaz. “But I understood the logic.” Diaz averaged 38.5 on 6 punts. “The idea of kicking out of our endzone was more exhilarating than getting nervous,” Diaz added. “Actually, I was really glad that I got a free kick.” Diaz reported the mayhem on the Steele Canyon bus returning from Ramona. “I’ve never seen our team pumped up like this,” he said. “Everybody was screaming and yelling all the way home. Really, it’s a dream to get another shot at a rival and a chance to go to the “Q” – how good can it get?”

El Capitan falls 4 inches short
in near-miracle rally vs. Saints

© East County Sports.com
CHULA VISTA (11-29-08) — In position to avenge one of the biggest heartbreaks in program history, all El Capitan could muster was another heartache.

Rallying from deficits of 21-7 and 33-14, the Vaqueros had two shots to score the go-ahead touchdown from the 1-yard line in the final minute of play. Both times, they were denied by the defensive line of St. Augustine, which claimed a narrow 33-28 decision in Friday's (Nov. 28) SDCIF Division III quarterfinals at Southwestern College’s Devore Stadium.

"It was great defense to hold them at the end – a great stop," said Saints quarterback Evan Crower. "That's what they did last game against Patrick Henry, and they did it again."

Vaqueros quarterback TANNER RUST threw for 348 yards, including three touchdown passes to PHILLIP COOK. Rust also rushed for an additional 116 yards (including a 48-yard TD in the third period), but when it came to gaining the single, most important yard of the season, the Saints' line gained enough penetration to prevent it both times.

"We expected the sneak – it's one of their best plays," said Saints coach Jerry Ralph. "It's all I could say to them, 'Just stop them.'"

Some El Capitan observers believed Rust may have made it on his initial lunge on fourth down, but was ruled short by about four inches.

"It looked like Tanner got over the goalline, but they didn't call it," noted Cook. "It's hard to come down the way it did towards the end. We tried our hardest, but just came up short."

Rust agreed.

"I think I crossed before I got pushed back," noted the senior. "We were all bunched in there and I saw myself in."

Crower also tossed three TD passes, including a pair to Matt Asaro, with the latter giving the Saints a seemingly insurmountable 33-14 lead with 4:41 remaining.

However, Rust ignited the Vaqueros offense with a pair of quick scoring strikes.

FIrst, he connected with JON MOLZEN (7 receptions, 118 yards) for 55 yards, then went deep over-the-top for 25 yards to Cook to make it 33-21 with 4:12 left.

El Capitan (8-4) failed on an onsides kickoff, but the defense forced the Saints out on three downs, with ANTHONY LIMA registering a 31-yard punt runback to near midfield.

Three plays later, Rust again found Cook behind the secondary on a 57-yard pass to trim the deficit to five points with 2:33 to go.

"After the third game of the season, we learned not to quit," added Rust. "We could've folded early, but this team wanted it."

With just one timeout remaining, El Capitan was forced to attempt an onsides kick. Rust's kick gained the perfect bounce over the first row of St. Augustine defenders, with sophomore DANIEL WADE breaking through the line untouched to cover the ball with – shockingly – no one within 10 feet of him.

"It was like slow motion – but I knew no one else was going to get that ball," Wade noted. "We played our hearts out on defense."

Again starting from near midfield, the Vaqueros gained nine yards on three downs. However, Rust converted on fourth down with a 35-yard scramble, then survived a delay of almost a minute while the referees discussed a penalty.

Because Rust waited so long before throwing the ball, the side judge on the Saints side tossed a flag for an ineligible receiver downfield. But since Rust took off on the bootleg – the ball was never thrown – the lineman was legal and the flag was withdrawn.

Rust later got the call on a possible fumble following a 10-yard gain to the Saints-1, ruled that the ground caused the ball to bounce loose.

But when Rust needed just one more yard to post the improbable comeback, two tries up the middle were denied, the final assault ending with 10 seconds remaining.

Earlier in the quarter, El Capitan also had two chances to gain one yard for a first down from the Saints-38, but also failed on sneaks.

"We did call an outside play on the last down, but we didn't get it relayed in on time," admitted Burner. "Still, it was a great effort by all of our guys.

St. Augustine jumped to a quick 21-7 first-quarter lead.

Crower completed six of his first seven passes to open the ballgame, capping the drive with his first TD pass to Asaro.

El Capitan answered with gains of 17, 19 and 14 yards on its first three plays from scrimmage. But Rust was then sacked by Saints linebacker Tim Cookson, forcing a fumble which was gathered by Andrew Noonan for a 58-yard touchdown.

Rust answered with his first TD pass to Cook, covering 26 yards. Crower (24-40, 262 yards) answered with a 9-yard scoring pass to Dana Barbaro.

Hit me with your best shot

El Capitan safety Joe Sabol (left) delivers the blow which forced a key fumble during Friday's CIF Div. III quarterfinals. St. Augustine survived, 33-28. (Photo by Tori Mills)

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"What can I say? We knew it could be our last game of the season, so we wanted to come out hard. This team showed heart," noted Thomas, a linebacker who moved to defensive end three weeks ago. "We've been making big plays all season, but it's sad that it ended this way."

Later, a big hit by safety JOE SABOL (SEE PHOTO, right) forced a fumble which was recovered by ANTHONY SOLIS in the first minute of the fourth quarter.

"JAMES GALLIVAN made a great play and I just happened to be there with the hit – it was total teamwork," said Sabol. "We were all fired up – there's no better feeling than a turnover."

The Saints defeated El Capitan in postseason action for the second time in three seasons, advancing to the semifinals against Cathedral Catholic. In 2006, the Vaqueros' perfect season ended in a 51-43 setback in Lakeside.

HELIX 54, GROSSMONT 10 – Sometimes it’s difficult to figure out just how good these Helix Highlanders are. Oh sure, they’re ranked 3rd in most polls and seeded No. 3 in the San Diego CIF Division II playoffs.

The flash-and-dash Highlanders destroyed longtime rival Grossmont 54-10 with relative ease in Friday’s (Nov. 28) SDCIF quarterfinals at Jim Arnaiz Field.

Of course this onetime fabled rivalry for the coveted Musket Trophy has all but disappeared. For all intents and purposes it could be called the “Helix Musket Trophy,” considering the Highlanders are 23-1-2 in the last 30 years against the Foothillers. (Four years they didn’t play, for those who are counting.)

So lopsided has the series become that the Helix players don’t look at Grossmont as anything special.

“For the most part we don’t actually focus on who we’re playing,” said Helix running back TRAVON VAN, who rushed for 233 yards and 2 touchdowns in the Highlanders’ latest blowout. And Van could have had plenty more except he played only briefly in the second half.

Helix’ often overlooked defense made life miserable for the Foothillers. Except for a late, 54-yard run by DOMINIQUE CHILDRESS, Grossmont (5-7) was limited to only 41 yards on 28 rushes.

“Yeah it’s a rivalry and that adds a little more fire,” said Helix’ Oregon-bound defensive end ANTHONY ANDERSON, who led the team with 6 tackles, two sacks and a fumble recovery. “We just get after them like we do against every team we face.”

Helix left Grossmont face down in this one. Even the most optimistic viewer could tell that the Foothillers were completely overmatched.

“This game meant more to us because we have farther to go than they do,” observed Anderson . “We are in the same position we were last year, and we’ve got to capitalize.”

No question Helix (9-1-1) will play its toughest two games of the year in the next two weeks, beginning with next Friday’s (Dec. 5) visit to No. 2 seed Eastlake in the South Bay for the SDCIF semifinals.

The Highlanders’ goal, of course, is to face off against four-time SDCIF Division II champion Oceanside at Qualcomm Stadium on Friday (Dec. 12).

“That’s the goal,” declared Anderson.

Helix scored in every quarter in its blowout victory over Grossmont as it equaled its season scoring high set against Granite Hills on Oct. 31. TRELAN TAYLOR returned a punt 50 yards without being touched to skate the Scotties into a 7-0 lead against Grossmont.

Van picked up the pace from there, rolling up 38 yards on a pair of rushes to set up the first of two JO-JO PHILLIPS touchdown runs – the first coming from 8 yards out to make it 14-0.

After Grossmont countered with a 15-yard scoring pass from TYLER MUTTER to FELIPE VALDEZ, Van bolted 41 yards for the first of his two touchdowns to make it 21-7 with 10:28 left in the second quarter.

A 58-yard kickoff return by Valdez set-up a 40-yard field goal by CHANCE HOUSE to make it 21-10.

After that, Grossmont’s offense stalled.

Helix quarterback TY CULVER was on the mark with 10 of his 13 passes for 144 yards, including a pair of scoring strikes to LEVINE TOILOLO of 25 and 6 to make it 40-10 in the third quarter.

DANIEL VEAL came off the Helix bench and made a major impact, rushing for 137 yards and one touchdown on only 6 carries.

For Grossmont, Mutter completed 14 of 28 passes for 130 yards and one score. BRETT ETHERTON (64 yards), Valdez (31 yards), DESEAN WATERS (28 yards) each caught 4 passes for the Foothillers. Valdez also returned 5 kickoffs for 171 yards.

Valhalla High's Steve Sutton (right) is recognized as the San Diego Chargers' Coach of the Week, which includes a contribution of $1,500 to the Norsemen football program. Presenting the check is Chargers wide receiver Legedu Naanee. (Photo by Mark Gonzales)

VALHALLA 35, SERRA 7 – The Norsemen established one milestone and positioned themselves for more to come Friday (Nov. 28) as they smacked visiting Serra in a San Diego CIF Division III quarterfinal contest in Rancho San Diego.

The clubbing of the Conquistadors (8-4) resulted in a Valhalla season record 10th victory for the once-beaten Norsemen. Furthermore, when the Norsemen entertain Grossmont South League archrival Steele Canyon next week it will mark Valhalla’s first semifinal appearance and the second time the Cougars have clawed this high.

CIF Division III Quarterfinals: Serra Conquistadors at Valhalla Norsemen (Slideshow by Mark Gonzales)

Known for its passing prowess, Valhalla showed Serra it has a running game when it pounded out 287 yards on the ground. Junior tailback TRAIVONNE BROWN accumulated 170 yards and one touchdown on only 8 carries for the Norsemen, before leaving the game early in the 4th quarter. Brown finished with 226 all-purpose yards.

Steady PETE THOMAS didn’t take the night off, but at least he could count on another phase of the Valhalla offense to carry the load. Not that Thomas played poorly, as he did click on 13 of 24 passes for 165 yards, including a 16-yard scoring strike to JAMES LEIGHTON that staked Valhalla to a 14-0 halftime lead.

Leighton finished with 4 catches for 74 yards and 96 all-purpose running yards which began with a 13-yard scoring junket in the first quarter.

“Our kids played hard, had good offensive balance and our defense was solid as usual,” Valhalla coach STEVE SUTTON said. “Our guys are excited to have this next game at home.”

The Western League-champion Conquistadors were looking for an upset, when they put together a 10-play drive on their first possession, driving into Valhalla territory before Valhalla linebacker TANNER HITT (16 tackles) stuffed the ball carrier for a loss, forcing the visitors to punt – a concept Serra became accustomed to in the first half. The Q’s punted the ball every time in each of their first 5 possessions.

Valhalla didn't waste any time getting its offense in gear. Starting at the Norsemen 27-yard line, slotback MANUEL PARAMO picked up 13 yards with a quick burst up the middle, followed by a 14-yard scamper by Brown to the Serra 46-yard line. Then junior quarterback PETE THOMAS threw a dart to senior wide receiver DEREK WHITE for a 33-yard gain to the Conquistadors’ 13-yard line. On the next play, junior slotback Leighton popped through the line for a 13-yard TD run; Thomas' first of 5 PAT kicks made it 7-0, with 5:34 remaining in the first quarter.

Serra started out the second period with great field position at the Valhalla-36, after quarterback Arthur Stewart connected with wide receiver Andrew Nycum for a 36-yard gain as the first quarter ended.

Valhalla's defense rose to the occasion, however, after defensive tackle RICARDO RODRIGUEZ stopped the ball carrier for a loss, forcing yet another punt. Starting at their 11-yard line, the Norsemen offensive line got down to business. ELIOTT LONG, JAMIE DeCAROLIS, TAYLOR PHIPPS, SPENCER COUGHENOUR, and KEVAN McDOUGAL opened big holes and provided several downfield continuation blocks, allowing the Valhalla running backs to rip off big chunks of turf.

Brown opened up the drive with a 19-yard run to the Serra 30-yard line. Thomas then hooked up with Leighton for a 29-yard pass play to the Serra 40, followed up by a 16-yard pass to Brown to the Q's 24-yard line. Four plays later, Leighton got open in the end zone and hauled in a 16-yard pass from Thomas, extending the home team's lead to 14-0, with 8:00 minutes left until intermission.

Late in the second stanza, Serra got a chance to get back in the game when linebacker Aaron Barcenas sacked Thomas on 4th down, giving the Q's good field position on their 47-yard line with 1:14 left in the first half. Their hopes were dashed on the first play when IVAN MAY picked off his first of two interceptions, preserving Valhalla 's 14-point lead at the break. May has a team-leading 6 thefts to date.

The Conquistadors tried to make it a game in the third quarter. After holding the Norsemen to an unsuccessful 44-yard field goal attempt, Serra's offense appeared inspired as it moved the ball consistently down the field to the Valhalla 24-yard line. Then Valhalla defensive end SHANE PENNIX put on the heat, twice flushing the Q's quarterback into making hurried throws, resulting in another Valhalla interception, this time by defensive back HANSELL WILSON in the endzone for a touchback. On the ensuing first down at the Norsemen-20, Brown kicked in the afterburners, taking a pitch from Thomas and jetting 80 yards to pay dirt, increasing Valhalla 's lead to 21-0 with 3:02 left in the third quarter.

Valhalla put the game out of reach in the 4th quarter, scoring two TDs after May and linebacker ALEJANDRO SAVIN each picked off errant throws, giving the Norsemen 4 interceptions for the game.

Serra avoided a shutout with a 20-yard pass play from Stewart to Andrew Nycum late in the game.

Valhalla utilized nine different ball carriers, and showed a flash of the future when freshman JEVON HASTEN, newly added to the varsity, scampered for 15 yards.

CHRISTIAN 77, FOOTHILLS CHRISTIAN 24 – No surprise here. Well, maybe there were a few early ones.

Outmanned Foothills Christian began Friday’s (Nov. 28) SDCIF Division V quarterfinal playoff game against Christian at Granite Hills with an onside kick. It backfired. The Patriots made the recovery and scored in a matter of minutes when CHARLES THOMPSON bolted for the first of his five touchdowns.

Christian (10-1) executed back-to-back onside kicks on its first two kickoffs, made the recovery both times and punched the ball in for 14 points and a 21-0 lead.

By halftime, Christian led 56-12 en route to what would be its highest scoring output in school history. The Patriots set the old mark of 69 against Holtville in a 2001 SDCIF playoff game.

Not that the Patriots were shooting for a scoring gusher at the hands of Foothills Christian (10-2), a third-year, 11-man varsity.

“Our agenda going into this game was to get ourselves back on track after playing two lousy games against Bishop’s (a 27-20 win) and Parker (45-21 loss),” Christian coach MATT OLIVER said. “Our focus was more on us than on Foothills.”

The Patriots piled up 477 yards and could easily have had more. Thompson finished with 171 yards and four touchdowns rushing on nine carries, including a 95-yard kickoff return for a score to pave the way.

“You know I hate coaching in these kinds of games,” Oliver said. “You’re a bad guy no matter what you do. Remember, we didn’t schedule these guys. They wanted to be in the playoffs and drew us. When you are the superior team, you can’t ask your kids to just fall down.”

Ten Christian ballcarriers contributed to the Patriots’ 394 yards rush. Quarterbacks ERICK ALLEN and BROCK BRESHEARS combined to complete seven of nine passes for 83 yards. CALEB FARREL caught two passes for 25 yards and one score and also rang up 6 points on a 37-yard run.

Oliver said he flooded the field with members of his 8-2 junior varsity team for the second half. MALCOLM MURPHY scored on a 14-yard run in one of his three varsity rushes. Punter JOEL ALESI collected his first varsity touchdown by (ironically) returning a blocked punt.

“We played hard for about eight minutes and had the majority of our starters out by halftime,” said Oliver, whose Patriots will host Bishop’s at Granite Hills in next week’s semifinals. A win there will send Christian to the SDCIF Division V finals for the fourth consecutive year.

Foothills Christian’s GARRET CAMPBELL returned two kickoffs for touchdowns, ­ both of them for long distance covering 97 and 93 yards in the second half. Earlier in the game, Campbell scored on an 8-yard run.

“That kid is a good one,” Oliver said.

Foothills Christian coach STEVE PERDUE said he has “lots of good ones.”

“I am proud of our kids,” he said. “We have to travel 15 miles to practice every day. We put up temporary lights with generators the last two weeks just to get used to playing at night. We have no weight room yet we never complained and just played with tremendous heart all year long.”

Perdue wasn’t putting the knock on Christian.

“They were bigger, faster, stronger than us and why shouldn’t they be? They are a well established program. We are a very young program that has come a long way in a short time. Christian had to take their lumps when they first started too, as do most small, private schools.

“I congratulate Christian. They are a very good football team. But winners are not measured by the scoreboard alone. I had 23 players and a coaching staff with a tremendous amount of heart, courage and integrity.”

For Grossmont, when facing Helix,
the sky seems to keep falling

© East County Sports.com
LA MESA – The year was 1979.

It was the Soviet Union – not the United States – which invaded Afghanista. The Three Mile Island nuclear power plant suffered a partial meltdown. America's first space station, Skylab, fell from orbit, its reentry covering portions of the Indian Ocean and Western Australia with space debris. And cable television welcomed the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, better known today as ESPN.

Since then, the Grossmont Foothillers have defeated rival Helix only once (28-14 in 1991), although there have been two ties (7-7 in 1986 and 21-21 in 1989). Helix has handled the Hillers 22 times during span. The teams have collided only twice in the last six years – Helix winning by a composite total of 10 points.

That has to add fire to upset-minded Grossmont (5-6) when it faces third-ranked Helix (8-1-1) in Friday's (Nov. 28) SDCIF Division II quarterfinals at Jim Arnaiz Field. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. MORE BELOW

The 11th-seeded Foothillers were the lowest seeded among the four visiting teams to secure upset victories among 16 first-round contests last week. The others were Point Loma (9th seed in Div. III), plus Steele Canyon (10th in Div. III) and Fallbrook (10th in Div. I).

The key to Grossmont's 23-21 triumph over Bonita Vista was turnovers, including an interception on the Barons' attempt to tie the game on a 2-point conversion attempt in the final minutes.

Four different Highlanders – BRANDON WATSON, PAUL BLAKENEY, TRELAN TAYLOR and JEREMY McMAHAN – have runback interceptions for touchdowns. Meanwhile, defensive end ANTHONY LARCEVAL registered seven sacks in Grossmont South League play to lead the defense to the GSL crown, plus recovered a pair of fumbles, one which the senior returned for a score.

For its efforts, Helix allows a mere 12.3 points per contest. Throw in a ball-control offense which can run the ball – a problem for Grossmont, which allowed a combined 74 points to ground-game attacks in Steele Canyon and West Hills – look for the streak to extend into another decade... Helix, 28-7.

DIVISION III
Serra (8-3) at Valhalla (9-1) — Never in the 30-plus-year history of Valhalla football have the Norsemen achieved 10 victories in a season.

Most recently, the school came close in 2005. Carrying a 9-0-2 record into the SDCIF quarterfinals, St. Augustine scored on the game's final play, then converted a 2-point conversion shocking the Norsemen, 49-48.

Valhalla's current senior class, then freshmen, should remember that heartbreak. They should also find this second opportunity to reach the coveted 10-victory plateau a little easier when they host Western League titlist Serra.

The Conquistadors played just enough defense to fend-off Monte Vista, 9-7, in last weekend's first round while third-seeded Valhalla enjoyed a bye into the round-of-8.

However, the Q-Dogs – the newest nickname incarnation for the Q's – will not be facing a one-dimensional offense like Monte Vista's, which still beat Serra on the quick slant all night long.

The Monarchs' coaches knew how to exploit the Conquistadors, but didn't field the personnel to defeat them. Not that the Valhalla passing game needs any assistance; they already downed Monte Vista, 31-7, so how much better could Serra be?... Valhalla, 35-7.

El Capitan (8-3) vs. St. Augustine (6-4) at Southwestern College — Discussions by the SDCIF Seeding Committee must have been interesting when attempting to determine seeds 4 and 5 for the Division III bracket, a meeting which elected to give the Saints a first-round bye at No. 4, while the Vaqueros were placed fifth and needed to play a first-round contest.

The arguments are equally compelling.

El Capitan owns a better record and was a league champion, while St. Augustine finished next-to-last in the Eastern League, which folks in that circuit insist as a superior league.

The schools have one common opponent – University City. Both sides won easily, the Vaqueros registering a season-high scoring count in a 49-0 knockout, and the Saints stomping the Centurions 50-21.

Since there isn't much separating these ballclubs, there's no reason the Vaqueros can't go down to Devore Stadium and gain a shootout victory over St. Augustine, turning the tables on a Saints program which did the same thing two years ago in Lakeside, 51-43, to end the season for the previously undefeated Vaqueros in RYAN LINDLEY's final prep start.

Both teams live by the pass – El Capitan’s TANNER RUST has thrown for 2,201 yards and 24 touchdowns and Saints sophomore Evan Crower owns 2,483 yards and 28 TDs through the air.

Both sides have had lapses on defense.

St. Augustine lost 3-of-5 entering the postseason, allowing more than 35 points per contest. El Capitan allowed 35 points just once all season (Ramona in Week 2), so the defensive edge may belong to the Vaqueros.

So if the offenses are nearly equal, the defensive edge is with El Capitan , and the motivation factor (disrespect from the SDCIF, plus the playoff upset from two seasons ago) is enough, here is our East County Sports' Upset Special... El Capitan, 38-35.

Steele Canyon (6-5) at Ramona (8-1-1) — When the Ramona Bulldogs were 7-0, group-speak among members of the media were the upcoming demise of the Dawgs with Valley Center and top-ranked and defending state champion Oceanside remaining on the schedule.

Sure enough, Valley Center won at Ramona, 16-13, leaving the media feeling smug. However, the Bulldogs shocked the so-called experts by getting off the mat to first bounce Westview, 40-30, then forging a dramatic 33-33 draw with Oceanside.

The tie was impressive, thus Ramona remained ranked in both San Diego County Top Ten polls, gaining the second seed over Valhalla in the Division III postseason brackets.

For the Bulldogs to take advantage of a home game in the semifinals against the Norsemen, they first need to defeat Steele Canyon in the schools' first-ever postseason meeting.

By comparison, Ramona captured the Wildcat Canyon Trophy by waltzing past El Capitan, 35-7, while the Cougars fell to the Vaqueros, 16-7, this season. And now, Steele Canyon plays its fifth consecutive contest on the road in one of the county's most inhospitable locations – rowdy fans and temperatures approaching the high 30s are expected.

No one expects the Cougars to win. Still, you can rally your troops around the scheduling disadvantage. And with a solid ground game, you keep Ramona's offense off the field by slugging the Dawgs’ defense by rushing the ball straight at them. Since the Cougars have speed in track sprinter ALEX PERLIN in the backfield and average 300-pounds plus up front, this could happen.

Plus, the Cougars own an all-time postseason record of 5-5, which is as good as you'll find from a program without a championship game appearance. And if Ramona loses its emotional high after stunning Oceanside, followed by a bye, the formula exists for... another East County Sports' Upset Special.. Steele Canyon, 21-20.

DIVISION V
Foothills Christian. (10-1) vs. Christian (9-1), at Granite Hills — Perhaps the SDCIF office should considering splitting the Division V tournament into two separate postseason brackets.

The section's small-school leagues are already divided among "regular" small schools (Christian, for example) and "micro" small schools (as in Foothills Christian). Why? Because no members of the Southern League, including the Knights and Calvin Christian, have a shot against any of the top Coastal League programs.

Don't worry, Foothills Christian will come out pumped up and ready to tangle with its crosstown rivals for the first time ever. And the crowd will be large with members from the Foothills Christian Fellowship congregation cheering against those from Shadow Mountain Community Church.

And give the Knights credit for a first-ever league title, and a first-ever 10-victory season in just their third year of 11-man football.

Christian, meanwhile, is still burning from a Coastal League-ending 45-21 pounding administered by Francis Parker. Don’t look for the Patriots to ride the brake pedal in this one – at least not in the first half.

Foothills lacks the depth, size and experience to compete with Christian. So look for the Patriots to waltz into the semifinals... Christian, 42-10.