Highlanders beat heat, Tigers in desert

By Ramon Scott
Updated: August 30, 2026

Helix's Nayshaun Hosley defends an Imperial player on Friday.

2026 EAST COUNTY PREP FOOTBALL

Highlanders respond with convincing desert victory over Imperial

NO. 17 HELIX 28, NO. 32 IMPERIAL 7

EastCountySports.com staff report

IMPERIAL — One difficult night did not define Helix. A demanding week of practice, a long drive into the desert and a convincing response said considerably more about the Highlanders.

Senior quarterback Caden Thompson completed 12 of 13 passes for 201 yards and two touchdowns, Helix controlled possession from the opening kickoff and the Highlanders rebounded from their season-opening defeat with a 28-7 victory over Imperial on Friday night.

Helix (1-1) led 14-0 at halftime, stretched the margin to 28 points and stopped the Tigers at the 1-yard line on the game’s final play.

“The mindset—I mean, we had to turn it around,” Thompson said. “We had to play Helix football, and we had to show the county what we’re capable of.”

The victory supplied a much-needed answer after the Highlanders’ 38-6 loss at Santa Fe Christian. Helix did not score until late in that opener and struggled to sustain possessions against the defending Division II champions.

At Imperial, the Highlanders held the football for the entire first quarter.

Helix received the opening kickoff and methodically moved down the field on a possession that eventually extended to 20 offensive plays. The Highlanders reached first-and-goal and carried the drive into the second quarter, but Imperial produced a goal-line stand before Helix missed a field-goal attempt.

The drive produced no points, but it established how the game would be played. Helix controlled the line of scrimmage, kept Imperial’s offense on the sideline and prevented the Tigers from developing any early momentum.

“I think coming in, we just had to get this dub for the team,” senior lineman Sean Fanua said. “Last week didn’t go great for us, but we had a great week of practice. We just had to turn it around and get the dub.”

The Highlanders’ next scoring opportunity required only two plays.

Thompson connected with Kinston James along the sideline, and James made a defender miss before reaching the Imperial 17. Thompson followed by firing a line-drive pass over the middle to Jacob “J.J.” Andrew-Johnson, who secured the ball on a skinny post for the game’s first touchdown.

Jacob Martin-Del Campo converted the extra point for a 7-0 lead.

Helix quickly doubled the margin behind Stephon Fuentes, who broke consecutive runs of 26 and 11 yards. Fuentes scored on the second carry, and another Del Campo conversion sent the Highlanders into halftime leading 14-0.

The first half moved rapidly because of Helix’s extended possessions and effective running game. The Highlanders did not capitalize on every opportunity, but they dictated the tempo and kept Imperial from seriously threatening.

The Tigers played without junior running back Deren Hueso, who injured his hamstring during pregame warmups. Imperial coach David Shaw held out Hueso after he had produced more than 200 yards from scrimmage in the Tigers’ season-opening victory over Mission Bay.

His absence removed Imperial’s most productive offensive weapon, but the Helix defense still had to control quarterback Santonio Urena and an offense that entered the night with confidence.

The Highlanders did exactly that.

Helix broke the game open with 7:50 remaining in the third quarter when Thompson found Jeremy Stevens across the middle. Stevens split the defense and turned the short reception into a 63-yard touchdown, giving Thompson his second scoring pass and extending the lead to 21-0.

Donte Wright added a 5-yard touchdown run during the fourth quarter to make it 28-0.

Imperial continued competing and avoided the shutout when Urena connected with junior Anthony Hellum Jr. on a 21-yard touchdown pass. Urena placed the ball into the corner of the end zone, and Hellum made an excellent hands catch despite tight coverage.

The Tigers drove again during the closing moments, reaching the Helix 1 before the Highlanders stopped them as time expired.

Imperial lineman Santiago Tapia also recorded the first reception of his high school career after catching a pass that had been tipped at the line of scrimmage.

The late possession did not alter an otherwise commanding defensive performance by Helix.

Senior linebacker Jeremy Davis said the Highlanders traveled to Imperial believing they needed to reestablish their identity following the opening loss.

“I feel like we came out here with something to prove,” Davis said. “Over the summer, we heard a few names getting called out. They wanted to call us out, and we came out here with that mentality—with something to prove.

“I feel like we imposed our will on them a little bit.”

Helix also maintained its perfect documented record against the listed Southern California desert programs. The Highlanders are now 6-0 overall and 4-0 on the road in those matchups, adding Imperial to previous road victories over Palo Verde Valley, Central Union and Brawley.

Both Helix and Imperial are 1-1.

For the Highlanders, the record may be even, but their direction looked considerably different after a complete response in the desert.

Thompson delivers an efficient performance

Helix did not require a high-volume passing attack because of its control on the ground, but Caden Thompson was nearly flawless when the Highlanders went to the air.

The senior completed 12 of 13 passes for 201 yards and two touchdowns, an average of more than 16 yards per completion.

Thompson’s first touchdown required timing and accuracy. He delivered the ball over the middle to Jacob “J.J.” Andrew-Johnson on a skinny post immediately after Kinston James’ catch-and-run placed Helix at the Imperial 17.

His third-quarter connection with Jeremy Stevens displayed the offense’s big-play potential. Thompson found Stevens across the middle, and the receiver split the defense for a 63-yard touchdown.

After Helix produced only six points in its opener, Thompson directed an offense that scored four touchdowns through four different players.

Davis helps set the defensive tone

Before the game, Helix coach Damaja Jones identified senior linebacker Jeremy Davis as one of the central figures in the Highlanders’ defense.

“He’s a three-year starter for us and committed to Fresno State,” Jones said before kickoff. “He’s a great player, a great kid. He’s one of the kids that we look for on defense to make plays for us.”

Davis and the Helix defense kept Imperial scoreless until the Highlanders had established a 28-0 advantage.

Even after Imperial scored, the defense continued competing. The Tigers reached the 1-yard line during the closing seconds, but Helix prevented a second touchdown on the final play.

The performance was especially significant after Santa Fe Christian scored 38 points against the Highlanders in Week 1.

Highlanders overcome desert obstacles

Jones emphasized before the game that Imperial presented more than a routine bounce-back opportunity.

Helix was making its first appearance at Imperial High and its first trip into the Imperial Valley since defeating Brawley in 2006. The Highlanders also encountered warmer conditions than anticipated.

“We know that we’re playing a good opponent, and obviously the travel plays a role,” Jones said before the game. “We know that we’re on the road, so there are some obstacles that we have to overcome.”

Helix overcame those obstacles by controlling possession and avoiding the type of early deficit that complicated its opener.

The opening drive ended without points, but possessing the ball for an entire quarter prevented Imperial from using its crowd or unusual surroundings to seize momentum.

Multiple playmakers emerge

Helix received touchdowns from four different players and created explosive gains through several others.

Jacob “J.J.” Andrew-Johnson and Jeremy Stevens caught touchdown passes from Thompson. Stephon Fuentes scored after consecutive runs of 26 and 11 yards, and Donte Wright finished the scoring with his 5-yard run.

Kinston James did not reach the end zone, but his catch-and-run to the Imperial 17 created the opening touchdown one play later.

The distribution supported Jones’ pregame objective of getting the ball to the Highlanders’ experienced skill players and allowing them to create opportunities in space.

Look ahead: Helix at St. Augustine

Helix returns to San Diego for another road game against St. Augustine (0-2) on Friday at 7 p.m.

The Saints are winless, but their record disguises the danger presented by Paisios “Pai” Polamalu, who delivered one of the county’s most productive individual performances in a 19-14 loss to Del Norte.

Polamalu returned a kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown, caught three passes for 104 yards and another score, and rushed 21 times for 77 yards. He accounted for 280 yards between offense and special teams.

Quarterback Julian Chanfreau completed 12 of 18 passes for 190 yards and a touchdown against Del Norte.

St. Augustine has lost its first two games by a combined nine points, including Friday’s five-point decision against a Del Norte team that improved to 2-0. That makes the Saints considerably more dangerous than a typical winless opponent.

Helix will enter the matchup with renewed confidence after Thompson’s efficient performance, a diversified group of scorers and a defense that controlled Imperial until the outcome had effectively been decided.

The Highlanders proved in the desert that their opener did not define them. Their next test will determine whether Friday’s response marked the beginning of sustained improvement.