Runkle, Morones lead Pats in second half

By Ramon Scott
Updated: August 30, 2026

Julian Morones celebrates a touchdown run. / Bella Merritt

Kai Rosier breaks away from Valley Center on Friday. / Bella Merritt

2026 EAST COUNTY PREP FOOTBALL

Runkle brothers connect for long touchdown to seal Christian’s opening win

NO. 22 CHRISTIAN 41, NO. 30 VALLEY CENTER 20

By Ramon Scott
EastCountySports.com

VALLEY CENTER — Christian’s season began with consecutive sacks, an interception and nearly an entire half without a point.

It ended with the Patriots looking very much like the championship contender they believe they can be again.

Senior quarterback Kaleb Runkle completed 11 of 13 passes for 282 yards and two touchdowns, sophomore Julian Morones rushed 13 times for 112 yards and three scores, and No. 22 Christian pulled away from No. 30 Valley Center for a 41-20 victory Friday night.

The Patriots trailed twice and were tied 14-14 with 6:22 remaining in the third quarter before scoring 27 of the game’s final 33 points.

Christian produced all 41 of its points over the final three quarters, including 21 in the third and 13 in the fourth, after Valley Center controlled the opening period.

The victory represented a sharp in-game turnaround for an offense that initially struggled to protect Runkle. The senior quarterback was sacked on consecutive plays before throwing an interception, and Valley Center converted the Patriots’ early problems into momentum and a 7-0 lead.

Christian did not answer until the final minute of the first half.

Morones scored on a 9-yard touchdown run with 54 seconds remaining, allowing the Patriots to reach halftime tied at 7 despite being held scoreless for almost the entire opening half.

Valley Center regained the lead after intermission. Senior quarterback Jonathan Teeter found Gauge Wright on a short pass to the right side for a touchdown with 7:44 left in the third quarter, putting the Jaguars ahead 14-7.

The advantage lasted only 82 seconds.

Morones reached the end zone again with 6:22 remaining in the third, pulling Christian even at 14. His third touchdown contributed to a 21-point quarter that carried the Patriots into the lead for good.

While complete play-by-play details were unavailable, the quarter-by-quarter scoring showed Christian emerging from the third period with a 28-20 advantage.

Valley Center remained dangerous through the air. Teeter completed 8 of 13 passes for 145 yards and three touchdowns, with all three scores going to Wright or junior Joaquin Stehly.

Wright caught three passes for 43 yards and two touchdowns. Stehly’s only reception became an 80-yard touchdown, accounting for more than half of Valley Center’s passing yardage.

The Jaguars nevertheless were unable to score in the fourth quarter, and Christian’s most accomplished offensive players finished the game decisively.

Christian sophomore Gavin Runkle is lifted by senior Grant Yeahley following a fourth-quarter touchdown. / Bella Merritt

Runkle connected with senior Kai Rosier for a long catch-and-run touchdown with 4:50 remaining, extending the lead to 34-20. Rosier finished with five receptions for 148 yards and a touchdown, averaging nearly 30 yards per catch.

Runkle then found his younger brother, sophomore Gavin Runkle, for the final touchdown with 55 seconds left, completing Christian’s 41-point response after a difficult beginning.

The Patriots’ senior quarterback averaged 25.6 yards per completion and finished with only two incompletions. Morones averaged 8.6 yards per carry, while Rosier accounted for more than half of Christian’s passing yardage.

Valley Center senior Mitchell Stehly, who rushed for 147 yards and two touchdowns in the Jaguars’ opening victory over Bishop’s, was held to 73 yards on 16 carries. Valley Center finished with 107 rushing yards on 29 attempts, an average of 3.7 yards per carry.

That represented a considerable defensive improvement by Christian after Valley Center rushed for 235 yards and averaged 8.4 yards per attempt in its opener.

The Jaguars finished with 252 total yards. Teeter accounted for 161 through passing and rushing, but Christian limited the sustained ground game that had carried Valley Center past Bishop’s.

The Patriots were playing for the first time since their appearance in last season’s CIF State championship game. After beginning that season 3-7, Christian won six consecutive postseason games before falling to Bishop O’Dowd in the state final.

Runkle, Rosier and Morones were central figures in that run. Their first performance of 2026 offered evidence that Christian’s December success may have established a new standard rather than concluded a one-time surge.

Christian improved to 1-0. Valley Center fell to 1-1.

THREE-HEADED PRODUCTION

Christian received 542 yards of offense from its three established playmakers:

Kaleb Runkle: 11-of-13 passing, 282 yards, two touchdowns
Julian Morones: 13 carries, 112 yards, three touchdowns
Kai Rosier: five receptions, 148 yards, one touchdown

Runkle and Rosier were especially explosive, connecting for a long fourth-quarter catch-and-run that put the game beyond Valley Center’s reach.

Morones’ value came earlier. His first touchdown rescued Christian from a scoreless first half, and his second answered Valley Center only 82 seconds after the Jaguars had regained the lead.

DEFENSE CHANGES THE TERMS

Valley Center entered Friday after rushing for 235 yards at 8.4 yards per carry in its 34-17 victory over Bishop’s.

Christian reduced those figures to 107 yards and 3.7 per attempt.

Mitchell Stehly still led the Jaguars with 73 yards, but Christian kept Valley Center from controlling the game on the ground. The Jaguars’ three touchdowns instead came through the air, including Joaquin Stehly’s 80-yard reception.

Valley Center produced several explosive scoring plays but could not maintain drives or score in the fourth quarter.

THE TURNING POINT

Christian was in danger of losing control when Valley Center took a 14-7 lead with 7:44 remaining in the third quarter.

Morones’ tying touchdown at 6:22 changed the direction of the game.

The Patriots scored 21 points during the quarter, carried a 28-20 lead into the fourth and then shut out Valley Center over the final 12 minutes. Christian ultimately outscored the Jaguars 34-13 after halftime and 27-6 following the 14-14 tie.

LOOKAHEAD: BISHOP’S VISITS CHRISTIAN

Christian will play its home opener Friday at 7 p.m. against Bishop’s (1-1) in the fifth consecutive season the programs have met.

The recent series is even:

2022: Christian 27, Bishop’s 0
2023: Christian 20, Bishop’s 10
2024: Bishop’s 24, Christian 13
2025: Bishop’s 21, Christian 7

Bishop’s enters the matchup after defeating Coronado 45-7. Quarterback Jackson Binn passed for 215 yards and two touchdowns and added a 5-yard scoring run.

Nick Pfister caught six passes, including a 66-yard touchdown, while Amaree Maye added a touchdown reception and JoJo Bryant scored on the ground.

The Knights’ defense also produced two extraordinary returns. Bruce Esajian returned an interception 100 yards for a touchdown, and Dane Larson added a 70-yard interception return.

Both teams have now faced Valley Center. Bishop’s lost to the Jaguars 34-17 in its opener, while Christian defeated Valley Center 41-20 one week later.

That comparison favors the Patriots, but the recent series supplies a warning. Bishop’s has held Christian to seven and 13 points in winning the past two meetings.

Christian’s protection will need to improve after Runkle endured early sacks and an interception at Valley Center. Once protected, however, he completed 11 of 13 passes and repeatedly generated explosive plays.

The next meeting will test whether Christian’s second-half offense can carry its rhythm into the opening possession—and whether the Patriots can end Bishop’s two-game hold on the series.