Olympians overwhelm Huskies in opener

By Ramon Scott
Updated: August 27, 2026

2026 COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOOTBALL

SAN DIEGO MESA 44, EAST LOS ANGELES 6

Taylor throws three first-half touchdowns as Mesa dominates East Los Angeles

By Ramon Scott

EastCountySports.com

MONTEREY PARK — San Diego Mesa College unveiled an explosive passing attack, received touchdowns from four different players and controlled East Los Angeles College from start to finish in a 44-6 victory Thursday night.

Freshman quarterback Diesel Taylor threw three touchdown passes as the Olympians built a 21-0 halftime lead. Jayden Chanel caught two touchdowns—one from Taylor and another from former Helix star Ryland Jessee—while former Monte Vista record-setting running back Alex Villanueva and Isaiah Jackson, another former East County standout, added fourth-quarter scoring runs.

Mesa’s receivers repeatedly won their individual matchups against East L.A.’s defensive backs. The Olympians created separation at the release, got behind the coverage and gave their quarterbacks favorable targets throughout the night.

Taylor, a freshman from Del Norte High in Gilbert, Arizona, received the start ahead of Jessee and Tyson Line. Villanueva started in the backfield and carried the ball on Mesa’s first offensive play for a 6-yard gain.

Taylor opened the scoring with a 21-yard touchdown pass to McCann down the left side. After Mesa blocked a 42-yard field-goal attempt, Taylor capitalized by finding Watkins for a 35-yard touchdown on the ensuing possession.

Watkins cleanly beat the one-on-one coverage, and Taylor dropped the ball into his hands for a 14-0 advantage.

Taylor later delivered a well-placed 20-yard touchdown pass to Chanel along the left side of the end zone. Chanel separated from his defender and made an excellent catch to send the Olympians into halftime leading 21-0.

East L.A. produced its best defensive play of the opening half when sophomore defensive back Demari Washington intercepted an underthrown Jessee pass in double coverage during the final minute. The late turnover did not lead to any points.

Mesa’s special teams also contributed to the commanding performance. In addition to the blocked field goal, Jackson fielded a kick at the 8-yard line and raced down the right sideline deep into East L.A. territory.

Jessee returned at quarterback during the second half and connected with Chanel for a 6-yard touchdown. Jessee rolled toward the right numbers, reset and found Chanel crossing through the end zone.

Chanel’s route included an unlikely recovery. He was knocked to the turf, somersaulted, regained his feet and continued across the field before breaking open for his second touchdown.

The Mesa defense protected the shutout into the fourth quarter. Viliamu Trollinger, a 215-pound freshman from Montgomery High, supplied one of its biggest plays. Trollinger read an East L.A. pass perfectly, dropped underneath the route and positioned himself in front of the receiver for an interception.

Villanueva eventually extended the lead with a 24-yard touchdown run. The former San Diego Section standout started up the middle, cut toward the right side and juked his way past several defenders—and an official—on his path to the end zone.

It was a vintage Villanueva run, combining his vision, lateral quickness and open-field elusiveness.

East L.A. used three quarterbacks during the game. Anthony Hernandez started, Jake Garcia took over during the third quarter and Tegan Melendez directed the Huskies’ only scoring possession.

Melendez found Giovanni Crabtree uncovered for a 16-yard catch-and-run touchdown in the fourth quarter. The Olympians failed to account for Crabtree out of the backfield, allowing the 205-pound freshman to collect the pass and breeze into the end zone.

Mesa answered with a 28-yard touchdown run by Jackson around the right side. Jackson maintained his balance while tightroping the sideline and continued into the end zone against a tiring East L.A. defense.

Robert Petrich, the former Granite Hills High standout, handled the extra-point duties for the Olympians.

East L.A. threatened again by advancing to the Mesa 5-yard line on its final possession, but the Huskies could not significantly dent an otherwise dominant performance by the Olympians.

The game was played on East Los Angeles College’s new artificial turf. A brief rain shower passed through the area several hours before kickoff but did not affect the playing conditions.