Griffin fires six touchdowns for Morse

By Ramon Scott
Updated: September 4, 2026

2026 EAST COUNTY PREP FOOTBALL

MORSE 47, MONTE VISTA 0

Griffin, Eleby lead Morse rout of Monte Vista

ECS staff report

SAN DIEGO — Ten months after Morse ended Monte Vista’s Division V championship defense, the Tigers delivered an even more decisive result in Friday night’s rematch.

Sophomore quarterback Hunter Griffin completed 20 of 28 passes for 391 yards and six touchdowns, while junior receiver Deandre Eleby caught seven passes for 235 yards and five scores, powering Morse to a 47-0 nonleague victory over the previously unbeaten Monarchs.

Morse (1-2) led 14-0 after the opening quarter and erupted for 26 more points during the second, carrying a 40-0 advantage into halftime.

Griffin and Eleby immediately demonstrated the big-play potential they began developing one week earlier against Eastlake. A quick throw into the flat became a 71-yard touchdown, and Griffin later added a 32-yard scoring pass as the Tigers seized control.

The onslaught continued with touchdown passes covering 13 and 5 yards. On the shorter score, Griffin worked from the right side and found Eleby cutting near the left portion of the end zone.

Eleby ultimately accounted for five of Morse’s six offensive touchdowns. Rayvon Steward caught four passes for 49 yards and the other TD, giving Griffin one of the most prolific passing performances in the San Diego Section during Week 3.

The numbers reflected just how completely Morse abandoned any need for offensive balance. The Tigers rushed for only 13 yards on 10 attempts, yet still finished with 404 yards of offense because Griffin averaged nearly 20 yards per completion.

Sophomore Trayshawn McNair added five receptions for 44 yards, while Patrick Franklin IV caught a 27-yard pass.

Franklin also provided Morse’s second-half touchdown by returning an interception 64 yards, completing the 47-point margin. The Tigers’ defense registered five pass breakups and held Monte Vista scoreless.

Gael Diaz led Morse with eight tackles, while Ivan Scarville recorded six. Dane-Tre Adams contributed a tackle for loss.

Monte Vista (2-1) continued competing during the second half despite the deficit. Edwin Smith caught a 21-yard pass from Alek Carrera during the fourth quarter to produce one of the Monarchs’ few offensive gains.

Defensively, Dion Hunter forced a fourth-quarter fumble, although Morse recovered it, and Daesean Jenkins recorded a tackle for loss on the play. Juan Duran and Naithen Smith combined for another fourth-down stop later in the period.

The result represented an abrupt reversal for a Monte Vista team that opened with victories over Crawford and Montgomery. The Monarchs entered hoping to avenge last season’s 50-12 semifinal defeat, but Griffin and Eleby supplied Morse with the kind of overwhelming individual advantage once provided by graduated star Superior Garror.

For Morse, the performance also suggested its 0-2 start reflected a rebuilding team finding its new identity rather than a defending champion headed for a prolonged decline. Griffin has given coach Tracy McNair a potentially explosive passing game, and Eleby has emerged as its centerpiece.

LOOK AHEAD

Monte Vista returns home Friday to face Rancho Buena Vista (1-2) at 7 p.m.

The Longhorns are coming off a 31-21 loss to San Pasqual, whose defense recorded 16 tackles for loss and seven sacks. RBV enters averaging 178 rushing yards and 317 total yards per game, led by running back Ian Perfect, who averages 91.7 yards on the ground.

The matchup gives Monte Vista an immediate opportunity to restore its option offense, reestablish its physical identity and demonstrate that the Morse result was one disastrous night rather than a reversal of the progress made during its 2-0 start.

Morse will visit Southwest-San Diego (1-2), which earned its first victory by defeating Clairemont 33-19. Isaac Munoz scored three touchdowns, Samuel Gonzales rushed for 116 yards and forced a fumble, and Yves Tido made 17 tackles for the Raiders.