Helix senior Darius Douglas runs around
end Saturday night at Qualcomm Stadium
Photo sandiegosportstown.com
ECS.com staff report
SANTEE - No team in East County football history has ever won
13 games in a
season - until this year.
Enter Gordon Wood and his 2000 Helix Highlanders. While Wood
- a former
assistant coach at Castle Park - inherited a talented cast of
returning lettermen and some vital transfers, there's no arguing
with the results.
Wood's crew rolled a perfecto - 13 starts, 13 wins. Period. That's
right - 13-0.
Two other teams - not surprisingly of the Helix ilk - won 12
games. Under
legendary Jim Arnaiz, the 1980 Highlanders finished 12-0, while
the 1982 Scotties concluded the campaign at 12-1. Both of those
teams, as did Wood's
2000 Highlanders, claimed San Diego CIF championships.
One of the cornerstones of Helix's greatest season was senior
linebacker John
Castillo. The three-year starter was chosen by the eastcountysports.com
staff as the 2000 All-East County Defensive Player of the Year,
in addition to being selected the ESPN San Diego Player of the
Year.
Although Castillo is a mouthpiece-rattling tackler, he is smooth as glass in front of a microphone.
"Our defense stepped it up all year," Castillo said.
"There is no greater
satisfaction than coming in here in my last year and beating a
North County team to win the championship."
Castillo was referring to Helix's 24-14 victory over San Pasqual in the SD-CIF Division II title game at Qualcomm Stadium on Dec. 9.
Most deservingly, Wood was named All-East County Coach of the
Year by the
eastcountysports.com staff. No other football coach has been so
honored in East County history.
The ECS.com 2000 All-East County first team defense selections
included four
of Castillo's teammates: linemen Maurice Jones (6-4, 280), linebackers
Dallas Mauga and Scott Smiley, as well as safety Damaja Jones.
On the offensive side, Helix was represented on the ECS.com
All-East County
first team by linemen Zach Williams and Rory Canfield, quarterback
Alex Smith, running back Darius Douglas, and kicker/receiver Todd
Watkins.
It was not a clean sweep for Helix, however, as Granite Hills
running back
Richie Smith was voted All-East County Offensive Player of the
Year by the
ECS.com staff. The 5-foot-10, 215 pound senior broke the
Granite Hills career
rushing record with 3,398 yards and 37 touchdowns on 591 carries.
His totals
included an East County-leading 1,704 yards and 136 points as
a senior.
Other All-East County players making first team for the second
consecutive
season are Monte Vista defensive ends Darryl McFarlin and Derek
Marso.
Granite Hills' Smith is the only repeat first-team pick on offense.
Helix's Williams moved up from second to first team this year,
as did Mount
Miguel running back Kashun McClay.
(12-26-00)
2000 ALL-EAST COUNTY FOOTBALL TEAM
(As selected by the EastCountySports.com staff)
FIRST TEAM - OFFENSE
POSITION NAME SCHOOL HT. WT. YEAR
Receiver Jason Factuar West Hills 5-7 146 Jr.
Receiver Michael Bass Santana 6-2 195 Sr.
Receiver Galen O'Neal Granite Hills 6-1 169 Sr.
O-Line Zach Williams Helix 6-1 270 Sr.
O-Line Rory Canfield Helix 6-3 265 Sr.
O-Line Zach Gorham El Capitan 6-5 295 Sr.
O-Line Jacob Bingham Granite Hills 6-4 310 Jr.
O-Line Victor Lauifi Mt. Miguel 6-3 330 Jr.
Quarterback Alex Smith Helix 6-3 180 Jr.
Running Back Richie Smith Granite Hills 5-10 215 Sr.
Running Back Kashun McClay Mt. Miguel 5-8 185 Sr.
Running Back Darius Douglas Helix 5-9 190 Sr.
Utility Matt Westrick El Capitan 6-1 195 Sr.
Kicker Todd Watkins Helix 6-3 175 Sr.
EAST COUNTY OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR - RICHIE SMITH
SECOND TEAM - OFFENSE
POSITION NAME SCHOOL HT. WT. YEAR
Receiver Todd Watkins Helix 6-3 175 Sr.
Receiver Josh Paddock Christian 6-2 180 Jr.
Receiver Jonathan Thomas El Cajon Valley 6-0 160 Sr.
Tight End Clint Gerlek Christian 6-5 205 Jr.
O-Line Ryan Mello Santana 6-2 225 Sr.
O-Line Vince Lauifi Mt. Miguel 6-4 330 Jr.
O-Line Kenny Homan El Capitan 5-10 230 Sr.
O-Line Matt Canterbury Helix 6-0 240 Sr.
O-Line Vince Clarke Granite Hills 6-5 275 Sr.
Quarterback Joel Allen Christian 6-2 165 So.
Running Back Reggie Bush Helix 5-11 175 So.
Running Back Keith Robinson Mt. Miguel 5-8 160 Sr.
Running Back Joey Williams Grossmont 5-10 185 Sr.
Kicker Matt Westrick El Capitan 6-1 195 Sr.
EAST COUNTY COACH OF THE YEAR - GORDON WOOD (Helix)
FIRST TEAM - DEFENSE
POSITION NAME SCHOOL HT. WT. YEAR
D-Line Darryl McFarlin Monte Vista 6-0 248 Sr.
D-Line Maurice Jones Helix 6-4 280 Sr.
D-Line Ryan Caulfield El Capitan 6-3 225 Sr.
D-Line Derek Marso Monte Vista 6-3 275 Sr.
Linebacker John Castillo Helix 6-0 220 Sr.
Linebacker Dallas Mauga Helix 6-2 240 Sr.
Linebacker Joey Metropoulos Monte Vista 6-2 220 Sr.
Linebacker Scott Smiley Helix 6-0 180 Sr.
Def. Back Damaja Jones Helix 6-3 190 Sr.
Def. Back Josh Cooper West Hills 5-10 150 Sr.
Def. Back Josh Sierra Grossmont 5-9 170 Sr.
Def. Back Michael Singleton Christian 6-0 175 So.
Def. Back D.J. Magers El Capitan 6-1 190 Sr.
Punter David Riley Christian 5-9 150 Jr.
EAST COUNTY DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR - JOHN CASTILLO
SECOND TEAM - DEFENSE
POSITION NAME SCHOOL HT. WT. YEAR
D-Line J.D. Rustich Grossmont 6-2 245 Sr.
D-Line Ramon Rivas Helix 5-9 180 Sr.
D-Line Zach Abel-Rahman Valhalla 6-4 225 Sr.
D-Line Nathan Tenney Granite Hills 6-2 215 Jr.
Linebacker Kenny Jones El Capitan 6-0 185 Sr.
Linebacker Josh Rogers Mt. Miguel 5-10 175 Sr.
Linebacker Joe Kennedy El Capitan 6-0 190 Sr.
Linebacker Sean Morris Santana 5-10 180 Sr.
Linebacker Bryan Smith Valhalla 6-4 210 Jr.
Linebacker Blake Lubic Monte Vista 5-10 180 Jr.
Def. Back Terrance Jarvis Helix 5-11 160 So.
Def. Back Richard DelRincon Monte Vista 5-10 175 Sr.
Def. Back Ryan Shelton Valhalla 6-1 185 Sr.
Punter Josh Factuar West Hills 5-6 165 Sr.
SD-CIF DIVISION IV FOOTBALL 2000
ECS.com staff report
SANTEE - For Christian High tight end Clint Gerlek and Patriots linebacker J.T. Thompson, the San Diego CIF Division IV football selections were right on target.
Gerlek, a 6-foot-4 junior, earned a second
team offensive berth in balloting by a select panel of coaches.
He caught 29 passes for 413 yards and 4
touchdowns for the Patriots this season.
Thompson, a two-way player who rushed for 383 yards and 5 TDs on 60 carries, was named to the second team defense.
The Patriots might have secured additional honors had head coach Scott Oliver and defensive coordinator Mike Mitchell been informed of the selection meeting.
"We never received any kind of word
that they were having a meeting to pick a Division IV football
team," Christian athletic director Curtis Hofmeister said.
"We are pleased that Gerlek and Thompson were picked. But
it's a shame the way it was handled, because you'd like to think
we had other players deserving of recognition."
(01-24-01)
ALL-HARBOR LEAGUE FOOTBALL TEAM
ECS.com staff report
EL CAJON - Nine Christian High athletes have been selected
to the All-Harbor
League football team.
Versatile wide receiver Josh Paddock and tight end Clint Gerlek
received
first-team honors on offense, while lineman Edwin Ryu and linebacker
Michael
Singleton garnered first-team berths on defense.
The measure of how deep the talent pool runs at quarterback
in the Harbor
League is obvious by Joel Allen's placement on the second-team.
Allen passed
for 1,950 yards and 24 touchdowns in his sophomore seasons, but
was regarded
the third-best quarterback by the league's coaches. Coronado's
Jeff Taufaasau
and San Diego sophomore Marcus Hollingsworth were rated ahead
of Allen.
Christian's second-team picks included senior running back
Kevin Wright,
offensive lineman David Carrillo, and linebackers J.T. Thompson
and Adam
Oliver.
(12-16-00)
2000 ALL- HARBOR LEAGUE FOOTBALL SELECTIONS
(CHRISTIAN HIGH only)
FIRST TEAM - OFFENSE
POSITION NAME YR.
WR Josh Paddock Jr.
TE Clint Gerlek Jr.
SECOND TEAM - OFFENSE
QB Joel Allen So.
RB Kevin Wright Sr.
OL David Carrillo Jr.
FIRST TEAM - DEFENSE
DB Michael Singleton So.
DE Edwin Ryu Sr.
SECOND TEAM - DEFENSE
LB Adam Oliver Jr.
LB J.T. Thompson Sr.
HONORABLE MENTION
Linebackers: Brett Long, Gabe Hernandez; Safety: Shane Beyer; and Offensive
Lineman: Jess Kelly.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR - MARVIN DINGLE (CORONADO)
DEFENSIVE PLAYERS OF THE YEAR - JON HESTER (CORONADO) and
RODERKUS WRIGHT (SAN DIEGO)
ALL-GROSSMONT NORTH LEAGUE FOOTBALL
TEAM
Westrick, Caufield
spurred Vaqueros' resurgence
Waastad honored as league's
top mentor in final season as coach
ECS.com staff report
SANTEE - El Capitan's Matt Westrick was, without a doubt, the
most versatile
player in the Grossmont North League this season.
The 6-foot-1, 195-pound senior quarterback ranked second in
total offense
(1,167 yards, 12 TDs), first in place kicking (51 points, including
an East
County high seven field goals), and a solid performer at free
safety with
three interceptions.
Small wonder that Westrick was the Grossmont North League Player of the Year.
It was a clean sweep for the Grossmont North League co-champion
Vaqueros.
Senior tackle Ryan Caulfield was tabbed the Defensive Player of
the Year, and
El Capitan's Dave Waastad was selected Coach of the Year.
Waastad, who has been part of the El Capitan football program
for 25 seasons
- the last 11 as head coach - guided the Vaqueros to a 7-4-1 finish
in his
final season. The 2000 season co-championship was Waastad's fourth
league
title. His teams compiled an overall record of 64-58-2.
El Capitan garnered five first-team berths on offense, and
three on the
first-team defense. Joining Westrick on the offensive side were
running back
Nick Romero, tackle Zach Gorham, and guard Kenny Homan. Westrick
was awarded
two first-team spots: kicker and quarterback.
On the defensive side, El Capitan was represented on the first
team by safety
D.J. Magers, linebacker Kenny Jones, and Caulfield. Jones and
Caulfield were
second-team picks a year ago as juniors.
Other notables named to the first-team offense were Santana
receiver Michael
Bass, Santana lineman Ryan Mello, and West Hills receiver Josh
Factuar. Bass
made the first team for the second consecutive season, while Factuar
and
Mello moved up after earning second-team berths as juniors.
Rounding out the first-team offense were Santana slotback Chris
Mazzi,
running back Joey Williams and receiver Marcus Johnson of Grossmont,
lineman
Aaron Moxie and receiver Jason Factuar of West Hills.
On the defensive side, Grossmont safety Josh Sierra and lineman
J.D. Rustich,
West Hills safety Josh Cooper, corner James Gentile, linebacker
Mike Brooder,
lineman Anson Ekert, and punter Josh Factuar earned first-team
berths.
Rounding out the coveted squad were Santana linebacker Sean
Morris and El
Cajon Valley defensive back Jonathon Thomas.
(12-16-00)
2000 ALL-GROSSMONT NORTH LEAGUE FOOTBALL TEAM
FIRST TEAM - OFFENSE
POSITION NAME SCHOOL HT. WT. YEAR
QB Matt Westrick El Capitan 6-1 195 Sr.
RBs Joey Williams Grossmont 5-10 185 Sr.
Nick Romero El Capitan 6-2 205 Jr.
Chris Mazzi Santana 5-9 135 Sr.
WR Josh Factuar West Hills 5-6 165 Sr.
Michael Bass Santana 6-2 195 Sr.
Jason Factuar West Hills 5-7 146 Jr.
Marcus Johnson Grossmont 5-9 170 Jr.
OL Zach Gorham El Capitan 6-5 295 Sr.
Ryan Mello Santana 6-2 225 Sr.
Kenny Homan El Capitan 5-10 230 Sr.
Aaron Moxie West Hills 5-10 185 Jr.
Kicker Matt Westrick El Capitan 6-1 195 Sr.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR - MATT WESTRICK
COACH OF THE YEAR - DAVE WAASTAD
SECOND TEAM - OFFENSE
POSITION NAME SCHOOL HT. WT. YEAR
QB Josh Paine Grossmont 6-2 180 Jr.
RB Travis Trudo West Hills 6-0 190 Sr.
WR Tim Davies West Hills 6-0 168 Sr.
Tom Sutton El Capitan 6-3 200 Jr.
OL Weston Hyde El Capitan 6-0 200 Jr.
Dennis Molina El Capitan 5-11 230 Sr.
Joe Hendrick Grossmont 6-0 270 Sr.
Kevin Wilson Santana 6-3 250 Sr.
John Shano West Hills 5-10 200 Jr.
Travis Wynns West Hills 6-4 205 Jr.
Ryan Soto West Hills 6-4 205 Jr.
Kicker Afton Kitt Grossmont 5-7 145 Sr.
FIRST TEAM - DEFENSE
POSITION NAME SCHOOL HT. WT. YEAR
DBs D.J. Magers El Capitan 6-1 190 Sr.
Josh Sierra Grossmont 5-9 170 Sr.
Josh Cooper West Hills 5-10 150 Sr.
James Gentile West Hills 5-9 155 Jr.
Jonathon Thomas El Cajon 6-0 155 Sr.
LBs Kenny Jones El Capitan 6-0 185 Sr.
Sean Morris Santana 5-10 180 Sr.
Mike Brooder West Hills 6-0 180 So.
DL Ryan Caulfield El Capitan 6-3 225 Sr.
J.D. Rustich Grossmont 6-2 245 Sr.
Anson Ekert West Hills 5-8 210 Sr.
Punter Josh Factuar West Hills 5-6 165 Sr.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR - RYAN CAULFIELD
SECOND TEAM - DEFENSE
POSITION NAME SCHOOL HT. WT. YEAR
DBs Chris Sanderson Santana 5-10 164 Sr.
LBs Joe Kennedy El Capitan 6-0 190 Sr.
Clayton Hesketh El Capitan 6-0 205 Sr.
Matt Barbour Grossmont 6-0 180 So.
Sebastian Silva Grossmont 5-10 175 Jr.
Matt Mandell Santana 5-11 165 Jr.
Ryan Williams West Hills 6-3 200 Sr.
Tim Lewis West Hills 6-0 185 Sr.
DL Ryan Haynes El Capitan 5-11 230 Sr.
Scott Boller El Capitan 6-0 190 So.
Mick Downey Santana 5-11 180 S0.
Anthony Yrene El Cajon 5-9 245 Sr.
Punter Matt Westrick El Capitan 6-1 195 Sr.
HONORABLE MENTION
SANTANA: Brian Smith, Sr.; Eric Worsham, Sr.; Alex Nguyen, Sr.
GROSSMONT: Noah Stevens, Sr.; Avante Agurs, Jr.; Jordan Oakley, Jr.
EL CAJON VALLEY: Matt Woen, Sr.; Jonathan Gibbons, Sr.; Justin Onori, Jr.
EL CAPITAN: Nate Curo, Sr.; Justin Gruber, Sr.
WEST HILLS: Alf Tierney, Sr.; Steve Diaz, Sr.; Andrew Springer, Jr.
ALL-GROSSMONT SOUTH LEAGUE FOOTBALL
TEAM
Champion Helix
headlines All-Grossmont South team
Highlanders' Castillo,
Smith, Eagles' Smith, Matadors' McClay honored
ECS.com staff report
SANTEE - Much like they did during the season, the Helix Highlanders dominated the post-season awards. The undefeated San Diego-CIF Division II champions claimed 16 of a possible 48 All-Grossmont South League berths.
Helix linebacker John Castillo was named the Grossmont South League Defensive Player of the Year. It was the second year in a row that the 6-foot, 220-pound senior earned first team honors.
Junior quarterback Alex Smith of Helix shared the Grossmont South Offensive Player of the Year award with running backs Richie Smith of Granite Hills and Kashun McClay of Mount Miguel.
Helix's Gordon Wood was the unanimous pick for Grossmont South League Coach of the Year. It's hard to argue with the kind of success Wood enjoyed in his first season at the Highlanders' helm. After serving the previous two seasons as the offensive coordinator at Castle Park, Wood led the Highlanders to a 13-0 finish (best in school history), while capturing the Grossmont South League title.
Castillo, who averaged 14 tackles per game, was one of seven Highlanders selected to the South's first team defense. He is joined on that unit by linebackers Dallas Mauga and Scott Smiley, linemen Maurice Jones and Ramon Rivas, as well as safety Damaja Jones and corner Terrance Jarvis. All are seniors except Jarvis, who is a sophomore.
Alex Smith passed for 1,592 yards and 11 touchdowns, while suffering only four interceptions in 158 passing attempts. Four of Smith's Helix teammates also earned first team offense, including receiver/kicker Todd Watkins and center Zach Williams, both of whom made the coveted squad for the second year in a row. Tackle Rory Canfield and running back Darius Douglas also earned first team berths.
Only three teams were represented on the South's first team defense. Monte Vista placed ends Darryl McFarlin, Derek Marso, linebacker Joey Metropoulos, and safety Richard DelRincon in the top unit. Valhalla punter Tyler Gaus rounds out the top 12 defenders.
Others named to the first team offense were wide receiver Galen O'Neal and lineman Jacob Bingham of Granite Hills, and Mount Miguel linemen, the Lauifi twins, Vince and Victor.
Running back Keith Robinson and linebacker Josh Rogers of Mount Miguel were named to the second team for the second year in a row. Helix's Douglas was tabbed as the second team punter for the second consecutive season.
2000 ALL-GROSSMONT SOUTH LEAGUE FOOTBALL TEAM
FIRST TEAM - OFFENSE
POSITION NAME SCHOOL HT. WT. YEAR
QB Alex Smith Helix 6-3 180 Jr.
RBs Richie Smith Granite Hills 5-10 215 Sr.
Kashun McClay Mt. Miguel 5-8 185 Sr.
Darius Douglas Helix 5-9 190 Sr.
WR Todd Watkins Helix 6-3 175 Sr.
Galen O'Neal Granite Hills 6-1 169 Sr.
OL Jacob Bingham Granite Hills 6-4 310 Jr.
Zach Williams Helix 6-1 270 Sr.
Vince Lauifi Mt. Miguel 6-4 330 Jr.
Victor Lauifi Mt. Miguel 6-3 330 Jr.
Rory Canfield Helix 6-3 265 Sr.
Punt/Kick Todd Watkins Helix 6-3 175 Sr.
TRI-PLAYERS OF THE YEAR - ALEX SMITH
RICHIE SMITH
KASHUN McCLAY
SECOND TEAM - OFFENSE
POSITION NAME SCHOOL HT. WT. YEAR
QB Lepe Te'i Mt. Miguel 5-11 180 So.
RB Reggie Bush Helix 5-11 175 So.
Keith Robinson Mt. Miguel 5-8 160 Sr.
Richard DelRincon Monte Vista 5-10 180 Sr.
WR Dwayne Griffin Mt. Miguel 5-10 170 Sr.
Kevin Kennedy Mt. Miguel 6-2 190 Sr.
OL Vince Clarke Granite Hills 6-5 275 Sr.
Mario Peralta Monte Vista 5-10 215 Jr.
Roger Gillette Granite Hills 5-10 240 Sr.
Matt Canterbury Helix 6-0 240 Sr.
Manu Tavai Mt. Miguel 5-11 290 Jr.
Kicker Aaron Brown Granite Hills 5-10 185 Sr.
FIRST TEAM - DEFENSE
POSITION NAME SCHOOL HT. WT. YEAR
DBs Richard Delrincon Monte Vista 5-10 175 Sr.
Damaja Jones Helix 6-3 190 Sr.
Terrance Jarvis Helix 5-11 160 So.
LBs Joey Metropoulos Monte Vista 6-2 220 Sr.
John Castillo Helix 6-0 220 Sr.
Dallas Mauga Helix 6-2 240 Sr.
Scott Smiley Helix 6-0 180 Sr.
DL Darryl McFarlin Monte Vista 6-0 248 Sr.
Derek Marso Monte Vista 6-3 275 Sr.
Maurice Jones Helix 6-4 280 Sr.
Ramon Rivas Helix 5-9 180 Sr.
Punter Tyler Gaus Valhalla 6-3 205 Jr.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR - JOHN CASTILLO
COACH OF THE YEAR - GORDON WOOD (Helix)
SECOND TEAM - DEFENSE
POSITION NAME SCHOOL HT. WT. YEAR
DBs Landen Roundy Granite Hills 5-9 163 Sr.
Leo Barshall Mt. Miguel 5-9 175 Sr.
Demetrius Leviett Monte Vista 5-8 160 Jr.
LBs Brian Smith Valhalla 6-4 210 Jr.
Blake Lubic Monte Vista 5-10 180 Jr.
Josh Rogers Mt. Miguel 5-10 175 Sr.
Mike Cervantes Mt. Miguel 5-11 170 Sr.
DL Zach Abdel-Rahman Valhalla 6-4 225 Sr.
Nathan Tenney Granite Hills 6-2 215 Jr.
Casey Saldivar Mt. Miguel 5-10 180 Sr.
Chris Collins Valhalla 6-3 190 Sr.
Punter Darius Douglas Helix 5-9 190 Sr.
HONORABLE MENTION
GRANITE HILLS: Danny Proa, Sr., Jared Birrenkott, Sr., Mike Hartley, Sr.
HELIX: Chanti Bloomer, Jr., John Rettig, Sr., Cesar Tellez, Sr.
MONTE VISTA: Eric McCoole, Jr., Devon Abbate, Sr., Gino Puerile, Jr.
MOUNT MIGUEL: Derrick Jibben, Jr., Joey Principato, Sr., Eric Orahood, Sr.
VALHALLA: Ryan Shelton, Sr., Claye Cantwell, Jr., Eric Rapolla, Sr.
***********
NOTE: Coming soon All-Grossmont North, All-Harbor League,
and All-East County football teams.
(12-13-00)
Helix senior Darius Douglas runs around
end Saturday night at Qualcomm Stadium
Photo sandiegosportstown.com
EastCountySports.com staff report
SAN DIEGO - Helix sophomore Reggie Bush, looking to make something
happen in a dull defensive battle in Saturday night's San Diego
CIF Division II championship game against San Pasqual, almost
made a common Qualcomm Stadium mistake.
By taking his eyes off the ball for a split-second on the opening
kickoff of the second half, Bush almost put the Highlanders' 7-0
lead in jeopardy when he bobbled the ball with a parade of Golden
Eagles converging.
But Bush picked up the ball in time, slid past the first wave
of tacklers, bounced off a San Pasqual defender near midfield,
then outraced the opposition for a momentum-boosting 92-yard kickoff
return, giving the top-ranked Scotties a two touchdown lead on
their way to a 24-14 victory, claiming the school's fifth section
title and clinching an East County-record 13-0 campaign.
"I took my eye off the ball briefly to see where the San
Pasqual guys were coming down during the kick and when I looked
back I lost (the ball) in the lights," Bush said. "It
bounced right back up to me and when I regained possession, I
was able to cause the first two guys to miss me. I knew then I
had a chance at a pretty good return. When I got out past the
40 and there was no one there to contest me, I knew I had a chance
for a pretty big run and I took it to the house.
"When I dropped it, it surprised them. It threw them off
big time. Then I was able to get it back and get passed the initial
rush. After that, I just picked my way upfield. They were probably
thinking about coming out in the second half with a new game plan,
but I guess they forgot about our special teams.
"It hurt them a lot because it opened the second half. You
could see it really stunned them.''
The victory gave Helix its third unbeaten season in the school's
49-year history, while San Pasqual finished 9-4.
There wasn't much offense, as Helix was outgained by San Pasqual,
245-160, and ran just 39 plays to the Eagles' 61. However, both
teams averaged four yards per play. San Pasqual out first-downed
Helix, 15-10, and more than doubled the Highlanders in time of
possession
Helix junior quarterback Alex Smith passed five times, completing
three for 36 yards, as the two SP quarter backs combined for a
9-for-15 performance for 62 yards.
"All the emotion we put in this year has paid off,"
Smith said. "This was our dream and through hard work perseverance
it came true. We beat three powerhouses from the North County,
so, hopefully we will get the respect we deserve."
Helix had only 121 yards rushing, to the Golden Eagles' 183. Chris
Mates had 78 yards to lead all ball carriers, while Rainbow Mauga
led Helix with 59 on the ground. Senior Darius Douglas had 44
yards with two touchdowns, while Bush carried for 35 yards.
"I think we earned respect tonight. I think, finally, we're
the number one team in San Diego," Bush said.
The Eagles fumbled a punt that led to a fourth-quarter Helix field
goal, then fielded the ensuing kickoff at the 5-yard line as the
ball was going out of bounds.
"In my mind, we gave them all 24 points (on special teams),''
San Pasqual head coach Mike Dolan said, "and you can't give
away points against a team that good. "
When these teams met in the final in '78 - a 17-10 Helix victory
- The Scots' Casey Tiamalu had two fake punt runs, to help make
the difference. This time around, it was the Eagles' special teams
miscues and Helix's kick return team, that allowed the Highlanders
to win in its seventh championship appearance in 23 years. Helix
also won championships in 1978, 80, 82, and 98.
"(The kick return for touchdown) helped us get our offense
back,'' Helix first-year coach Gordon Wood said. "I think
we out-coached ourselves early and made some bad adjustments in
the first half.''
Helix drove 58 yards on nine plays late in the second quarter
to take a 7-0 halftime lead, as Douglas had a three-yard scamper
with 2:05 left in the second quarter.
After Bush's kickoff return, an interception by Jon Powell and
38-yard return set up a drive of 24 yards in six plays with Chris
Mates scoring on a 1-yard run on fourth-and-1 cutting the lead
in half with 3:21 remaining in the third. A 14-yard run by Mike
Siebenthal had put the ball at the eight for a first-and-goal.
"It was my fault," said Smith of the interception. "I
was thinking too much, I guess. It was a bad read, a bad throw,
and I got hit when I released it. After they scored I was on the
sidelines thinking, 'Oh no. This could be bad.'"
The Eagles then forced a Helix punt, but a fumble gave the Highlanders
life at the San Pasqual 27, as Charles Smith flopped on the ball
immediately. Todd Watkins kicked a 38-yard field on the first
play of the fourth quarter to increase the lead to ten.
"I was getting down their on coverage and just happened to
be in the right place at the right time," Charles Smith said.
"East County's not a joke anymore. We showed we can hang
with anybody, and plays like that just showed how strong we were."
The Eagles fielded the ensuing kickoff as was about to roll out
of bounds at the 5.
San Pasqual controlled the ball for 13 plays and nearly six minutes,
but lost a fumble at the Helix 46.
San Pasqual put together one final drive, going 56 yards on seven
plays to score on a 3-yard pass from Ryan Fuselier to his brother,
Chris.
San Pasqual linebacker Matt Chastain led the team with eight tackles,
including a quarterback sack.
In the first quarter, Eagles quarterback Erick Luebke kept the
ball on an option and went 47 yards before fumbling. However,
the ball was recovered by Eagles wide receiver Tim Moss. San Pasqual
ended up missing a long field goal attempt.
Helix then drove into San Pasqual territory thanks to a run Bush
and pass from Smith to wide receiver Todd Watkins, but the Scotties
failed to score.
In the fourth quarter, Helix recovered a tipped screen pass and
Douglas scored again several plays later.
Highlanders senior linebacker John Castillo led the Helix defense
with 12 tackles, as San Pasqual turned the ball over twice and
gave up the ball on downs three times.
"The defense really stepped it up, just like they've done
all year," Castillo said. "We just came out here and
we knew they would be a hard-nosed football team. We watched plenty
of film and knew that they were just going to run right at us.
There's no greater satisfaction than coming in here, in my last
year, and beating a North County team. I'm just glad we had a
chance to prove ourselves."
Mates led the Eagles with 78 yards on 19 carries.
Luebke had 40 yards on 12 carries as he directed the triple option,
while Siebenthal (seven carries, 39 yards) and Lloyd Snapp (7-35)
were the pitch men.
Ryan Fuselier completed six of seven passes for 35 yards.
"I think the only message this sends is that we are going
to be the best that we can be every year, and if we can beat you
we can beat you, and if we can't, we can't," Wood said. "I've
always thought that this team was a team of destiny. Whe've worked
hard from day one to achieve our goals. Tonight, we achieved them."
In the fourth quarter, Luebke was hit and fumbled on the Helix
38 after leading a10-play, 40-yard drive. The ball was recovered
by senior linebacker John Castillo.
Another long Eagle march midway through the final quarter went
for naught, and with big runs by Mauga and Douglas, the latter
finally going in for his second TD from three yards out with 3:47
left in the contest.
San Pasqual's final scoring drive was aided by a long kick-off
return and a roughing the passer penalty. However, senior Scott
Smiley recovered an onside kick.
"We just wanted to step it up and show everybody that the
best football teams aren't just in the North County, that East
County can play football, too," said senior defensive lineman
Maurice Jones. "We just wanted to go out there and show everybody.
Everybody doubted us all season, saying we were overrated, said
we didn't deserve to be here because we were from the East County.
But were are the Beasts from the East, and we're unbeatable."
Helix's total of 24 was the most scored against San Pasqual this
season. The Eagles, who came into the game yielding an average
of 10.4 points, had allowed just two offensive touchdowns in the
postseason.
But the Highlanders' defense, which got hard-hitting, bone-jarring
tackles from linebacker Dallas Mauga and cornerback Chanti Bloomer,
limited San Pasqual to its third-lowest point total of the season
and ended the Eagles' eight-game win streak.
"Our defense was outstanding," Wood said. "(Defensive
coordinator) Rick Ash and our special teams coordinator, Eddie
Brown, did an outstanding job preparing for this game. I felt
that we won the discipline, physical and mental parts of this
game hands down. This team has been annointed as a team of destiny.
They were meant to be here from the day we met. (San Pasqual)
was looking for an edge, and they didn't find it.
"I think San Pasqual has a great football team. Coach (Mike)
Dolan has a great program, and after the game I went and talked
to some of their players, and they have a lot of class. I was
very impressed with their class.
FEARSOME FORECASTER
Helix
senior linebacker John Castillo
ECS.com staff report
SANTEE - The legions who have doubted that the Helix Highlanders are worthy of a No. 1 county ranking are diminishing. Even some of the North County teams have become believers.
Sure, this is Gordon Wood's first year at the Helix helm, but the Highlanders, winning tradition is showing no sign of waning. Fact is, Helix has a perfect dozen this season 12 starts, 12 wins.
While all of that is worth celebrating, you'll have to excuse Wood & Company for keeping a cork in the party plans for at least one more week.
The focus at hand is Saturday's (Dec. 9) San Diego CIF Division II championship game against North County powerhouse San Pasqual (9-3) at Qualcomm Stadium. This is the middle game of a triple-header, and is scheduled for a 4 p.m. kickoff.
In other championship games at Qualcomm, Lincoln (11-1) tackles Mission Bay (12-0) in the Division III final at 1 p.m., and Fallbrook (10-2) faces Carlsbad (8-2-1) in the Division I finale at 7 p.m.
San Pasqual could easily be undefeated at this point. The Golden Eagles, who operate a full-house option, no-nonsense running game, suffered three losses by a total of only 10 points during the first four weeks of the season. They've cranked out eight consecutive victories since.
The Golden Eagles are averaging 260 yards rushing and 72 yards passing per game. In spite of being almost one-dimensional, they,ve averaged 31.4 points per outing.
In other words, they project an attitude of "We're going to run and you try and stop us."
They're almost smug about it. And rightfully so. Many have tried to short-circuit San Pasqual's simple, yet effective game plan, but few have succeeded.
The hub of the Golden Eagles, attack is junior fullback Chris Mates. Not coincidentally, the 6-foot-1, 190-pound Mates was hobbled by injury in the three games San Pasqual lost. But he's operating at full strength these days, and shows 1,222 yards and 15 touchdowns on 221 carries for his efforts.
Mates is no one-man show, however. Sidekick Mike Siebenthal has rushed for 588 yards and five TDs on 87 carries. Quarterback Eric Luebke has contributed 564 yards and seven TDs on 116 carries, while the fourth member of the backfield quartet, Lloyd Snapp, has generated 427 yards and five TDs on 80 carries.
When San Pasqual feels like living up to its nickname, Ryan Fuselier usually gets the call at quarterback. He's completed 41-of-73 passes for 635 yards and four TDs. Luebke isn't quite the same caliber, as he's completed only 33 percent of 63 tosses for 255 yards and three TDs.
Not surprisingly, San Pasqual does not have a bevy of receivers ranked among the North County leaders. Chris Fuselier, is the Eagles, receiving leader with 20 catches for 239 yards and two TDs.
The ironic part about it is that offense is of secondary importance at San Pasqual. Defense is where the Golden Eagles really sink in their talons. They are North County's No. 1 defensive unit, permitting just 92.7 yards rushing and 86 yards passing per game.
For those who dare to pass, take note. San Pasqual has recorded 63 quarterback sacks in 12 games that computes to more than five per game.
Senior defensive end Andy Stowers, a 6-6, 240-pounder, owns a county-leading 13 sacks. Inside linebacker Matt Chastain is the leading tackler with 108 stops, including nine sacks. The Down brothers end Pat and linebacker Will have 10 sacks apiece. Strong safety Matt Andre has half of San Pasqual's 16 interceptions.
Not to be discounted is the fact that San Pasqual's defense and special teams have scored nine touchdowns.
No doubt, Wood and his assistant coaches have been impressed by the Golden Eagles, flight this season. But that won't make Helix's plight any easier.
Helix has an arsenal of weapons of its own. Unlike San Pasqual, however, the Highlanders have more balance.
Junior quarterback Alex Smith (69-152, 1,558 yards, 11 TDs) might lead the county in passing at another school, but has shared the limelight with running backs Darius Douglas (177 carries, 1,305 yards, 17 TDs), Reggie Bush (109-999, 11 TDs), and Rainbow Mauga (87-527, 8 TDs).
Todd Watkins gives Helix a deep passing threat. The talented 6-foot-3, 195-pound senior has averaged more than 28 yards on 29 receptions, seven of which have resulted in touchdowns. Watkins is East County's No. 1 kicker with 52 points, including five field goals. He's also averaged 35.7 yards on 18 punts.
On the defensive side, Helix has held its own. The Highlanders, in fact, are allowing only 10.1 points per game, which is second only to Mission Bay's 9.3.
Long-time assistant coach Rick Ash is the mastermind of the Helix defense. Three-year starter John Castillo has been a force at inside linebacker, along with Dallas Mauga. Free safety Damaja Jones has punished opposing receivers, and has shown the ability to help shut down the run.
These teams have met three times in the past, with the Highlanders winning twice. The first meeting was the most significant, as Helix slipped past San Pasqual 17-10 in the 1978 CIF championship game. The pick here is... Helix 17-14.
NOTE: The faint-hearted Fearsome Forecaster failed to
follow his East County loyalties, and predicted the Highlanders
to lose to Oceanside by 4 points in the semifinals. Shame, shame.
He was 1-1 in last week's picks, leaving him with a 64-14-2 overall
record.
(12-06-00)
CIF FOOTBALL SEMIFINALS
Helix's Scott Smiley teams up to sack Oceanside quarterback
John Mende Friday night.
EastCountySports.com staff report
SAN DIEGO - This version of the Helix Highlanders has no lack
of imagination. And that goes for both side of the football.
Helix rolled to its 12th win of the season, striking for two touchdowns
in the first quarter, in a 28-10 San Diego Section CIF Division
II semifinal victory over the Oceanside Pirates at Mesa College
Friday night.
And the Highlanders' defense put on a show of their own, shutting
down wide receiver William Buchanan, and for the most part, quarterback
John Mende, as the Scots' John Castillo, Dallas Mauga and Damaja
Jones helped keep the Pirates off the scoreboard in the second
half.
Helix scored on its third play of the game, as quarterback Alex
Smith hit running back Darius Douglas circling left out of the
backfield for a 36-yard touchdown pass. The Highlanders scored
their second touchdown on a slotback option, with Smith wide open
to catch a 22-yard touchdown from sophomore Charles Smith with
17 seconds left in the first quarter.
In the second half, the defenses dominated until Helix took the
ball midway through the fourth quarter and started a drive down
the field which included another key pass from Smith to Douglas.
A third-down keeper by Smith picked up a first down at the Oceanside
5. Helix had to overcome an illegal procedure call before Douglas
ran around the right side for the score which put Helix up 21-10.
At this point, Oceanside made to critical mistakes. Josh Perez
made a big return of the kickoff, only to see it called back for
clipping. Later, Mende was then sacked on the first play from
scrimmage. He did manage a first down completion, but a fourth-down
pass was batted down at the line of scrimmage.
Helix clinched it when Rainbow Mauga rumbled 23 yards to the one.
Smith's keeper produced the final score with 56 seconds left.
"I couldn't sleep last night, our whole entire team couldn't,"
Alex Smith said. "Even though we were (11-0), we came in
as underdogs. We proved to everybody the North County isn't a
powerhouse anymore. It's who has the best team."
Oceanside lost one fumble.
Top-ranked and No. 1-seeded Helix advances to next Saturday's
CIF championship game in Qualcomm Stadium against San Pasqual,
40-19 winners over Mira Mesa on Saturday. Oceanside finishes its
season 7-4-1.
"We played our guts out against a very good team,'' said
Oceanside coach John Carroll. "But we helped them with mistakes.
Dropped interceptions, missed alignments on key plays did us in.
We played hard, we didn't always play well.''
The Pirates had plenty of chances in the game, including the opening
series when they drove to the Helix 48, but came up short on a
third-and-one.
Four plays later, Helix was in the end zone, as junior quarterback
Alex Smith hit Charles Smith for 42 yards on the Highlanders first
play from scrimmage, then connected with Douglas for the a touchdown.
"We made some big mistakes on that drive,'' Carroll said.
"The guy who had coverage on that side of the field didn't
get there.''
After an Oceanside punt, Helix took just four plays to go 46 yards
for a score with Charles Smith taking a handoff and throwing back
to a wide-open quarterback Alex Smith for a 21-yard TD.
The Pirates' Oliver Subido recovered a Douglas fumble, then the
Pirates drove to the Helix 2 before coming up short on third down,
settling for a 20-yard Cruz Caudillo field goal.
"We had a guy forget to pull on third down, and Helix blew
the play up,'' Carroll said.
The Pirates made it 14-10 with 39 seconds to play in the half
when Mende hit Ryan Knuth for a 30-yard touchdown off a screen
pass.
Mende, a senior, completed 23-of-37 passes for 286 yards. Knuth
caught eight balls for 142 yards.
Oceanside had chances after that, but let Helix wiggle out of
a hole on the 1-yard line, then didn't get a call on fourth down
when it appeared receiver William Buchanon was pulled down on
a pass.
Helix took advantage, driving 78 yards on 15-play, no-huddle drive,
eating 5:32 on the clock, scoring on Douglas' 2-yard run with
3:12 remaining.
The drive almost ended when Alex Smith floated a ball over the
middle that appeared to be a certain interception, but was dropped.
The drive came after Helix had taken over on downs when Mende
threw incomplete on fourth-and-4 at the Highlanders' 21.
"We went no-huddle because we wanted to pick up the tempo,''
said Helix coach Gordon Wood. "We saw they were changing
personnel, trying to match skill with skill. We had to change
things up.''
Four Oceanside players - Daniel Segi, Tyler Johnson, Stephen Keith
and Josh Smith - played despite not practicing during the week
because of injuries.
"We knew we were one of the few teams not from North County
to still be alive in the playoffs, so we came out and played North
County football," said Alex Smith, who completed 11-of-19
passes for a career-high 255 yards. "We played with a lot
of heart and a lot of emotion."
Helix nearly killed themselves with penalties in the second half.
"(Helix) buckled down when it had to," said Mende, who
finished the season with 3,221 yards passing. "When it came
Douglas, who was averaging nearly 117 yards per game, finished
with 25 yards on 12 carries. Sophomore standout Reggie Bush, who
had been averaging nearly 90, carried 11 times for 45 yards.
Smith completed 4-of-4 passes for 105 yards in the first half,
while the Pirates managed just 25 yards rushing in the first half.
Mende came into the game averaging 244.6 yards with 25 touchdowns.
"We showed what we were made of," Douglas said. "It's
too bad for the seniors, though. We'd like to come back here and
do it again."
Horizon 69, Christian 14: After one Christian possession,
Horizon had already jumped out to a 21-0 lead with 4:11 minutes
gone in the first quarter of their San Diego CIF Division IV semifinal
Friday night.
Miguel Gastellon scored on a 9-yard fumble return to give the
Panthers a 14-0 lead.
Christian battled back as Josh Moss returned the kickoff to the
18 and on the first play from scrimmage. J.T. Thompson ran it
in to make 21-7.
It became 28-7 just 15 seconds later as Nathan Hughes returned
that kick off 87 yards for a touchdown. Brandon Legow added a
two-yard run with seconds to go in the first
It was 49-7 at halftime, but the Patriots recovered an onisde
kick to start a short drive that resulted in a 35-yard touchdown
pass from Allen to Josh Paddock.
Horizon scored twice more in the third and once more in the fourth.
"We put ourseves in a big whole way to early and didn't have
enough big guns to come out of it," Christian coach Matt
Oliver said. "What goes around comes around."
CHS lost four fumbles, threw three interceptions, and also allowed
Horizon to recovered a kickoff when the Patriots failed to cover
a kick.
CHS had 109 yards - 57 rushing - to 464 for the Panthers. Allen
was 3-of-12 for 52 yards in the air.
Jamar Borja had three rushing touchdowns, of 2, 36 and 1 yards,
while Jermaine McNeil had two touchdown receptions of 6 and 2
yards.
Thompson carried 6 times for 35 yards for the Patriots. Paddock
had two catches.
Things got chippy in the second half under a running clock.
Horizon (11-1) will play for the Division IV title Friday night
at Mesa College.
Horizon scored at the 9:10 mark of the first quarter as Borja
ran for a 2-yard score. The Panthers then recovered an onside
kick and two plays later Borja scored on a 36-yard run.
56 seconds later Patriots quarterback Joel Allen was blindsided
by Lenard Butler. Allen fumbled and Gastelum scooped up the ball
and ran 9 yards for another touchdown.
"When you shoot yourself in the foot so early in the game,
it is really hard to come back," Oliver said. "They
have a lot of team speed, which gave us problems."
Horizon added a 2-yard scoring run by Borja at the end of the
first quarter and a 49-yard scoring pass from Cameron Poeschel
to tight end Jason Holmes for the halftime lead.
Borja finished with 192 yards on 17 carries and three scores.
Poeschel was 7-of-10 passing for 146 yards with two TDs and an
interception.
FEARSOME FORECASTER
ECS.com staff report
SAN DIEGO - Talk about a classic matchup Break out the calculator
for this
one, because it could be a high-scoring affair.
The No. 1-ranked Helix Highlanders (11-0) are churning out
37 points and
401.2 yards per game, while the Oceanside Pirates (8-3-1) are
cranking out
34.1 points and more than 403 yards per outing.
It should be fun for the spectators who attend the San Diego
CIF Division II
semifinal Friday (Dec. 1) at San Diego Mesa College. Kickoff is
7:30 p.m.
The Pirates, who defeated Monte Vista 20-0 in last year's Division
II title
game, and the Highlanders, who won the 1998 Division II crown,
had three
common opponents this season.
Both Helix and Oceanside blanked Monte Vista - the Pirates
24-0, the
Highlanders 22-0. They had similar scores against Patrick Henry
- the
Highlanders rolling 49-7, the Pirates winning 40-9.
The biggest difference was how each side fared against Rancho
Buena Vista.
The Pirates lost their season-opener to the Longhorns 35-22, while
the
Highlanders overcame a one-point halftime deficit to win 34-29.
Oceanside boasts the No. 1 quarterback in the county in senior
John Mende,
who has completed 173 of 263 passes - a 65.8 percentage - for
2,935 yards,
and 25 touchdowns. On top of that, Mende has suffered only six
interceptions.
Much of Mende's success must go to county-pass receiving leader
William
Buchanon, a 6-foot-4, 175-pound USC-bound senior who has 77 receptions
for
1,548 yards, and 15 TDs.
These Pirates, however, do not live by the pass alone. Versatile
running back
Tyler Johnson (6-1, 200) has rushed for 1,265 yards and 17 TDs
on 207
carries. He's also caught 34 passes for 338 yards and two scores.
Unlike some of the recent Helix teams, the 2000 Highlanders
are a
well-balanced lot indeed. They run best, but they can put the
ball in the air
with legitimate accuracy.
Junior quarterback Alex Smith is Helix's triggerman. The lanky
leader has
completed 59 of 135 passes for 1,323 yards and 11 touchdowns.
He has a deep
threat in Todd Watkins, who is averaging an East County-leading
29.5 yards on
his 25 receptions - seven of which have resulted in touchdowns.
Lesean Johnson (14-294, one TD) and Reggie Bush (14-172) have
provided
excellent secondary choices.
But no matter how you look at it, tradition says running the
football is the
No. 1 priority at Helix. The Highlanders can do that - well.
Leading the ground forces is senior Darius Douglas, who is
producing 107
yards rushing per game. Bush is averaging an East County-best
9.7 yards per
carry, while 5-foot-7, 230-pound junior Rainbow Mauga has mashed
his way for
487 yards and eight TDs on 83 carries.
These Highlanders play pretty good defense too, which is no
surprise
considering veteran San Diego State alum Rick Ash is coordinating
the
formations. The cornerstones of this unit are linebackers John
Castillo and
Dallas Mauga.
Even though Oceanside opened its doors in 1929, and Helix began
operations in
1951, these teams have never met. Too bad, because these squads
are
traditionally two of the best that San Diego County has to offer.
That's why Friday's (Dec. 1) semifinal extravaganza could be
one of the most
memorable football games in San Diego County history... Oceanside
30-26.
Christian (7-4) vs. Horizon (10-1) at Chula Vista HS -
Horizon's Panthers are
known more for their basketball prowess, but now are on the prowl
for their
first SDCIF football championship.
The top-seeded Panthers plowed under Midway Baptist 55-14 in
the
quarterfinals, while the mistake-prone Patriots outmaneuvered
Mountain Empire
37-23 last week.
Horizon is San Diego County's top-scoring team, averaging 39.7
points per
game. These are in no way toothless Panthers, as they are escorted
by an
offensive line that averages 255 pounds per man.
Quarterback Cameron Poeschel is the director of the Panthers
offensive show.
He's completing better than 57 percent of his passes, has 21 TDs,
and is
averaging 173 yards per game through the air.
Poeschel has several quality receivers, but Robert Ortiz appears
to be the
best, with 46 receptions for 829 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Not to be overlooked is hard-nosed running back Jamar Borja,
who scored three
touchdowns against Midway Baptist and has 104 points for the season.
No question, Horizon could have piled up even more points in
its assault on
Midway, as the Panthers led 42-0 at halftime. The Christian coaches
are
convinced that Horizon is as good as its record.
Only Lincoln (10-1), seeded No. 2 in the Division III playoffs,
has beaten
Horizon. The Hornets gained a 28-26 nod in the second week of
the season.
Horizon isn't bad on defense either, allowing just 13.7 points
per game,
which is 10th best in the county.
Christian's offense, which is guided by sophomore quarterback
Joel Allen
(1,855 yards, 23 TDs), has been powered by committee. The Patriots
have
utilized 12 receivers and 10 running backs, and 16 players have
scored.
Running back Kevin Wright, who rushed for 202 yards against
Mountain Empire
last week, is Christian's No. 1 groundhog. JT Thompson has carried
52 times
and averaged close to 7 yards per rush, scoring four touchdowns.
Michael Singleton has done a little bit of everything for the
Patriots. He's
caught a dozen passes for 204 yards and four TDs, intercepted
six passes,
returning one for a touchdown, returned six punts for 74 yards,
and 14
kickoffs for 211 yards.
He's also returned two fumbles for scores.
The most glaring difference of the common opponents involves
San Diego High.
Horizon clobbered the Cavers 49-22, while the Patriots lost to
them 34-14.
The Panthers and the Patriots have met four times in the past,
each side
winning twice. Give the tiebreaker to.. Horizon 37-21.
NOTE: Both games are Friday (Dec. 1) at 7:30 p.m.
The Fearsome Forecaster was 3-0 last week, and now has an overall
record of
63-13-2.
(11-29-00)
CIF FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS
ECS.com staff report
SANTEE - Temperatures dipped into the low 30s in Pine Valley Saturday night (Nov. 25), where Christian High faced Mountain Empire in a San Diego CIF Division IV quarterfinal.
Cold hands were the order all around.
But the Patriots coaches weren't making excuses, even though two of their first three possessions resulted in fumbles. As a result, the game was a bit closer than expected. Christian, which clobbered Mountain Empire 35-0 during the regular season, had to scramble to win the playoff rematch 37-23.
"It was 8-8 at the end of the first quarter when it should have been 22-0," Christian defensive coordinator Mike Mitchell said.
After Joel Allen fired a 12-yard TD strike to Brian Schroeder on Christian's first possession, and Josh Mosso ran in the two-point conversion to make it 8-0, the Patriots got sloppy. Although they moved effortlessly down the field, they fumbled the ball into the end zone on their second series, and Mountain Empire recovered for a touchback.
The results were even worse on Christian's third series, as the Patriots again fumbled near the goal line. This time the Redhawks' Chad Markham scooped up the rolling pigskin and raced 99 yards for a Mountain Empire touchdown. Chris Chavez ran in the two-point conversion to tie it.
There were no signs of panic in Christian's huddle, however. Led by running back Kevin Wright, the Patriots regained their poise and methodically regained control.
Wright, who finished with a career-high 202 yards on 21 rushes, put Christian ahead to stay with a 5-yard run in the second quarter. Kicker Daniel Crescitelli, promoted from the JV, converted the first of his three PATs to make it 15-8.
"Mountain Empire played hard and was effective in stopping our passing game and capitalizing on our mistakes," Christian head coach Matt Oliver said. "But Kevin Wright really stepped up. Our offensive line controlled the line of scrimmage, and that helped Kevin have an outstanding game."
Wright, who was playing with a slight groin pull, did his best work in the final quarter with Christian clinging to a 29-23 lead. After Markham scored on a 1-yard run, and kicked the PAT to pull the Redhawks to within six points of the Patriots with nine minutes remaining, Christian embarked on one of its most impressive scoring drives of the season.
The Patriots hogged the ball for 12 plays while piling up 69 yards and running 7 minutes off the clock. Wright was the workhorse, but Allen scored the touchdown on a 1-yard plunge with 1:30 remaining. Allen also helped tack on the two-point conversion as he passed to Brent Dongell to give Christian a 14-point cushion.
It was not a typical passing night for Allen, who completed 6-of-14 for 55 yards. The sophomore threw two TD passes, including a 6-yarder to Dongell that gave the Patriots a 22-8 lead in the third quarter.
J.T. Thompson finished with 76 yards on nine carries for Christian. Dongell was the leading receiver with three catches for 26 yards.
Christian's defense did not have a banner day, but that unit did contribute a key touchdown when Michael Singleton picked up a Redhawk fumble and ran 5 yards in the third quarter for his seventh touchdown of the season.
Shane Beyer notched his fourth interception of the season for Christian, while Edwin Ryu picked off his first.
Christian (7-4) will face top-seeded Horizon (10-1) in the semifinals on Friday (Dec. 1) at a neutral site yet to be determined. Horizon advanced by belting Midway Baptist 55-14 in the quarterfinals (Nov. 24).
San Pasqual 69, El Capitan 6 - If the Vaqueros never face another North County team again, nobody in Lakeside will complain. San Pasqual, in particular, has bullied El Capitan something fierce in recent years.
Never has an El Capitan team been beaten so badly as it was in this SDCIF Division II quarterfinal game Saturday night (Nov. 25).
The Golden Eagles scored touchdowns the first three times they touched the ball. And that doesn't include the safety that the San Pasqual defense chipped in.
After one quarter it was San Pasqual 23-skidoo.
Problem was, the game continued, as did the Golden Eagles' onslaught. It was 40-0 at halftime. It was 55-0 after three quarters. It was 62-0 before El Cap quarterback Matt Westrick scored on a 9-yard run for the Vaqueros' only points of the evening.
As a parting shot, San Pasqual (8-3) returned the ensuing El Capitan squib kick 46 yards for a touchdown. Austin Lorber recovered, bounced out of the pack and returned it for the TD.
"Our kids came out and smacked 'em,'' Eagles' coach Mike Dolan said. "That was the loudest, most-physical game of the season. Hey, El Capitan fought back, but we were too much for them.''
The Eagles scored on all six possessions in the first half.
At the half, the Eagles had run 35 plays for 286 yards. The Vaqueros had 8 yards on 15 plays after 24 minutes.
San Pasqual opened the second half with a 16-play, 80-yard drive with fullback Chris Mates scoring from a yard out, his third TD of the game.
The Eagles scored on their next two possessions, one on an
11-yard run by Nick Popoff and another by quarterback Ryan Fuselier,
who also threw a 20-yard TD pass to his brother Chris in the first
half. The drive made it a clean sweep for the Eagles - nine possessions,
nine scores.
El Capitan finally scored with 1:24 to play with its first team
running against the San Pasqual JVs. That nine-play, 80-yard drive
was the first time the Vaqueros had been across midfield in the
game.
"We didn't give 'em a lot of opportunities,'' Dolan said. "After that kickoff return, I think I've seen everything. It was one of those nights.''
The San Pasqual defense, which allows an average of 194.6 yards a game - No. 1 in North County, allowed El Capitan just 83 yards on 37 plays. And 80 of those came in that fourth-quarter TD drive.
San Pasqual rolled up 433 yards - 345 rushing and 88 passing.
The Vaqueros, co-champions of the Grossmont North League, concluded
the season 7-4-1.
(11-25-00)
CIF FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS
EastCountySports.com staff report
LA MESA - If the Helix Highlanders were convinced that Scripps Ranch was as strong as it appeared to be in last week's 49-point, 450-yard rushing onslaught at Mount Miguel, they might have had cause for concern.
After all, the Highlanders defeated Mount Miguel by only three points. Scripps Ranch riddled the Matadors by 22
So much for comparisons.
Top-ranked Helix, recognized more for its offensive firepower, turned in another stifling defensive performance Friday night (Nov. 24) to silence Scripps Ranch 32-6 in the San Diego CIF Division II quarterfinals at Benton Hart Stadium.
Helix senior Darius Douglas rushed for 162 yards on 17 carries, including touchdown runs of 5 and 44 yards as the Highlanders (11-0) qualified for a semifinal berth on Friday (Dec. 1). Helix will play Oceanside - 35-10 winners over Eastlake on Friday - game at a neutral site yet to be determined.
"The feeling is just so great," Douglas said. "We
came out here and we executed. That's what we wanted to do."
The Scotties held on the opening drive and took over at the Falcons'
43, where they proceeded to paydirt for the first time, as junior
running back Rainbow Mauga ran through the perfect hole opened
by Matthew Canterbury, Rory Canfield and John Rettig to cap a
four-play drive with a 10-yard touchdown run, giving Helix a 6-0
lead just 2:55 into the game.
A sack by senior linebacker Dallas Mauga on the ensuing drive
forced another Scripps Ranch punt, and the Highlanders converted
with a drive capped by a 5-yard touchdown run by Douglas on the
final play of the first quarter, as the Helix offensive front
got a great surge and Douglas buried his head for the goal line,
but rammed over the defenders to barge into the end zone.
Scripps Ranch then went on a 76-yard drive to the Helix 2, taking
seven minutes off the clock, but Helix stopped the possession
with a deflected pass by senior Damaja Jones in the end zone,
as he outjumped the receiver while defending from the front.
With six seconds to go before halftime, Helix junior quarterback
Alex Smith lofted a pass from the Scripps 28 to the back right
corner of the end zone, where sophomore Charles Smith rotated
his body counter-clockwise and came down with the ball against
very tight coverage for a score, giving the Scots a 19-0 advantage.
Helix's Reggie Bush broke off a 48-yard run on the first series
of the third, but the Falcons forced and recovered a fumble at
their own 17. Scripps Ranch moved the ball to midfield, as tight
end Kellen Winslow rumbled with a 22-yard pass from Nate Coughlin,
but the Helix defense forced two incompletions, and the following
punt was shanked out of bounds at the Highlanders' 46.
The Scottie defense made another red zone stop late in the third
when sophomore Terrance Jarvis defended a pass in the back of
the end zone on third down, then Dallas Mauga, Cesar Tellez and
Maurice Jones led a huge rush to knock the pass attempt away from
Coughlin on fourth down.
The Scotties moved the ball into Falcon territory, then Douglas
followed Brandon Halama's block in order to bust loose for a 45-yard
score with 8:22 left in the third.
In the fourth, Dallas Mauga had a tackle for loss and a sack on
consecutive plays, then Damaja Jones had his second interception
of the game on a deep pass to stop another last-ditch drive.
With three minutes left in the game, Charles Smith scored on a
5-yard keeper, giving Helix a 32-0 lead.
After Coughlin threw a 26-yard touchdown pass, Helix senior defensive
back Chanti Bloomer ended the Falcons' last drive with an interception
with 54 seconds left.
"We had to start the season over," Helix senior linebacker
John Castillo said. "We had to forget about being undefeated
and forget about having the No. 1-seed. We had to come in and
play as if we were the underdogs.
"(Scripps Ranch) is a very physical and hard-nosed team.
We just had to come out and match them.
"As seniors, it was our last game on our home field and we
wanted to go out like champs. We owed something to ourselves,
our coaches, our parents, our fans and the school."
Helix, which has made the playoffs a section-best 22 of the last
23 years, had 389 total yards, while the defense allowed 85 total
yards in the first half.
Rainbow Mauga had nine carries for 47 yards, while Reggie Bush rushed six times for 48 yards, and Charles Smith logged 21 yards on just three carries. Alex Smith was 4-for-10 for 73 yards.
2000 PREP FOOTBALL VARSITY STANDINGS
FINAL - INCLUDES PLAYOFFS
Thru 12-09-00
Grossmont South League
League Overall
W L T W L T PF PA
Helix 4 0 0 13 0 0 459 135
Mount Miguel 2 2 0 7 4 0 283 232
Granite Hills 2 2 0 5 6 0 268 335
Monte Vista 1 2 1 5 4 2 220 189
Valhalla 0 3 1 2 6 2 173 246
Grossmont North League
League Overall
W L W L T PF PA
El Capitan 3 1 7 4 1 281 246
West Hills 3 1 4 6 1 229 258
Santana 2 2 4 7 0 204 264
Grossmont 2 2 3 8 0 221 322
El Cajon Valley 0 4 1 9 0 93 363
Harbor League
League Overall
W L T W L T PF PA
Coronado 5 0 0 11 1 0 401 169
San Diego 3 1 1 6 3 1 239 136
Christian 3 2 0 7 5 0 339 309
Madison 2 2 1 3 6 1 173 268
Crawford 1 4 0 1 8 1 92 389
Clairemont 0 5 0 3 7 0 140 271
VARSITY STANDINGS
FINAL REGULAR SEASON
Thru 11-10-00
Grossmont South League
League Overall
W L T W L T PF PA
Helix 4 0 0 10 0 0 375 105
Mount Miguel 2 2 0 7 3 0 256 183
Granite Hills 2 2 0 5 5 0 255 278
Monte Vista 1 2 1 5 3 2 213 164
Valhalla 0 3 1 2 6 2 173 246
Grossmont North League
League Overall
W L W L T PF PA
El Capitan 3 1 6 3 1 250 170
West Hills 3 1 4 5 1 207 226
Santana 2 2 4 6 0 183 229
Grossmont 2 2 3 7 0 221 266
El Cajon Valley 0 4 1 9 0 93 363
Harbor League
League Overall
W L T W L T PF PA
Coronado 5 0 0 10 0 0 370 128
San Diego 3 1 1 6 3 1 239 136
Christian 3 2 0 6 4 0 288 217
Madison 2 2 1 3 6 1 173 268
Crawford 1 4 0 1 8 1 92 389
Clairemont 0 5 0 3 7 0 140 271