Cougars dominate in Homecoming victory

By Ramon Scott
Updated: September 20, 2026

2026 EAST COUNTY PREP FOOTBALL

No. 21 Steele Canyon 35, El Capitan 0

By Ramon Scott

EastCountySports.com

SPRING VALLEY — Gavin Caha spread the touchdowns around. Steele Canyon’s defense made sure El Capitan had none to answer with.

Caha threw five touchdown passes to four receivers Friday night as the Cougars celebrated Homecoming with a 35-0 victory over the injury-depleted Vaqueros in a nonleague matchup between Grossmont Conference teams.

The senior completed 14 of 20 passes for 200 yards, finding Trevor Zenno twice and Josiah Stocker, Cameron Trujillo and Dylan Granados once apiece. Malcholm Ballard led the receiving corps with six catches for 95 yards.

Steele Canyon (2-2) snapped a two-game losing streak following an unexpected open date created by the cancellation of its game against Rancho Christian. The Cougars led 7-0 after one quarter, then scored three touchdowns in a span of 3:52 during the second to take control.

El Capitan (1-4), already without its first two quarterbacks because of injuries, started Kyle Carnes. The Vaqueros had stayed within one possession in each of their previous three losses. Against an experienced quarterback distributing the ball to several capable targets, they were facing a difficult assignment before the opening kickoff.

Caha’s first touchdown illustrated why.

Pressured out of the pocket, he moved to his right and bought time behind a helpful block from his running back. He then threw to Zenno near the 3-yard line, and the senior receiver carried the ball into the end zone to complete a 21-yard scoring play with 5:05 left in the first quarter.

The Cougars expanded the lead early in the second when Caha found Stocker for a 3-yard touchdown with 11:10 remaining in the half.

A completion of approximately 25 yards to Ballard helped position Steele Canyon for its next score. Caha delivered an 11-yard touchdown pass to Trujillo, who tapped both feet down in the back of the end zone for a 21-0 advantage with 8:38 remaining.

The defense promptly supplied another opportunity.

Jamieson Sablan recovered an El Capitan fumble at the Vaqueros’ 39, and Caha connected with Zenno for a 39-yard touchdown. With 7:18 still left before halftime, Steele Canyon led 28-0.

Zenno finished with three receptions for 66 yards and the two touchdowns.

El Capitan produced a second-quarter highlight when sophomore Shayne Whitmore caught a pass covering 45 yards, but the Vaqueros could not convert that gain into points.

They kept Steele Canyon off the scoreboard during the third quarter before Caha delivered his fifth touchdown pass with 7:55 left in the fourth. His 11-yard throw down the middle found Granados for the final score.

Jordan Harvey converted all five extra points.

Steele Canyon finished with 280 yards of offense, including 80 rushing. Marcus Hunt gained 40 yards on seven carries and added two receptions for 14 yards. Michael Ortiguero Jr. rushed six times for 37 yards.

Luke Rode and Maui Farrera each recorded six tackles for the Cougars. Gunner Minich and Hawkins Ayede supplied a sack apiece.

El Capitan turned to Zane Burke at quarterback for its final two series. Burke, listed as a slotback and wide receiver, generated several productive gains on keepers, but Steele Canyon preserved the shutout.

For the Vaqueros, the upcoming bye offers a chance to address the injuries and offensive disruption before the Grossmont Valley League schedule begins.

“Yeah it’s been tough but the bye come at a good time. We are still a pretty good football team just had some real tough luck so far,” El Capitan defensive coordinator Sean McDade said.

Friday’s result left little doubt about which team was better equipped for this particular matchup. It did not settle what El Capitan can become if its quarterback health situation improves before league play.

Ballard moves chains, Caha shares the scores

Malcholm Ballard did not need a touchdown to make a substantial contribution to Steele Canyon’s homecoming victory.

The senior caught six of Gavin Caha’s 14 completions and accounted for 95 of the Cougars’ 200 passing yards. His roughly 25-yard reception helped set up Cameron Trujillo’s second-quarter touchdown as Steele Canyon pulled away.

While Ballard supplied nearly half the receiving yardage, Caha distributed his five scoring passes among four teammates.

Trevor Zenno caught three passes for 66 yards and two touchdowns. Josiah Stocker, Trujillo and Dylan Granados each scored on his only reception.

The performance gave the Cougars something useful to carry forward: several receivers who had contributed directly to the scoring, plus a leading target who kept possessions moving without reaching the end zone.

Caha completed 70 percent of his passes, and five of his 14 completions produced touchdowns.

A battered quarterback room, an unfinished season

El Capitan’s record tells part of the story. Its quarterback situation explains why the Vaqueros badly need the coming week off.

Kyle Carnes became the third quarterback to start for El Capitan this season, with the first two currently sidelined by injuries. Sophomore Daniel Montijo had shown promise earlier in the month, completing 10 of 14 passes for 172 yards and two touchdowns against Ramona before going down during the following game at Bonita Vista.

Carnes entered that game in relief and drew Friday’s starting assignment at Steele Canyon. By the final two series against the Cougars, slotback and receiver Zane Burke was taking snaps and finding some room on keepers.

That succession makes offensive continuity difficult. It also places more pressure on a defense that had helped keep El Capitan competitive through three earlier losses decided by one possession.

The Vaqueros have scored seven points over their last two games. Getting healthier at quarterback would give them a better chance to sustain drives, finish possessions and provide their defense some relief.

There is no confirmed return timetable for the injured quarterbacks. Still, a 1-4 nonleague record does not eliminate El Capitan from the Grossmont Valley League race.

With improved health and more stability behind center, the Vaqueros remain a team capable of contending. The immediate task is to make the bye productive enough to give themselves that opportunity.

STEELE CANYON LOOKAHEAD: Take passing game to L.A.

Steele Canyon (2-2) at Dorsey (3-2)
Friday, Sept. 25, 7 p.m., at Dorsey High, Los Angeles

Steele Canyon’s next challenge is to carry its homecoming performance into an out-of-section road game against Dorsey of the Los Angeles City Section.

The Dons are coming off a 33-6 victory at Rialto. Their other wins came against Dymally, 72-0, and Castlemont, 18-6. They lost to Carson, 31-8, and Harvard-Westlake, 24-12.

Those results suggest a defense that has handled its winning assignments decisively: Dorsey allowed only six points in each of its past two victories. Steele Canyon should expect to earn its scoring opportunities rather than assume Friday’s passing success will transfer automatically.

Ballard gives Caha a productive receiving target, while Zenno and the three other touchdown receivers demonstrated the value of spreading the ball around. Sustaining that distribution, protecting Caha and getting complementary yardage from Hunt and Ortiguero will be important away from home.

Dorsey’s leaders include linebacker Levi Loop, at 10.5 tackles per game, and defensive lineman Draysean Mixson.

The Cougars are 2-0 at home and 0-2 on the road. A victory in Los Angeles would give them both their first road win and their first winning record since the opening portion of the season.

EL CAPITAN LOOKAHEAD: Bye gives time before Santana opener

Next game: El Capitan at Santana
Friday, Oct. 2, 7 p.m., at Santana High

El Capitan gets a much-needed bye before opening Grossmont Valley League play at Santana.

The time off matters most at quarterback. The Vaqueros need a clearer picture of who will be available and an offensive plan that fits the personnel they can put on the field.

McDade’s assessment that El Capitan remains a good football team has support in its earlier competitive results. But the Vaqueros must turn that competitiveness into sustained offense, particularly against a Santana team that has opened 4-0.

Through those four games, the Sultans averaged 39.5 points and approximately 402 yards of offense. Quarterback Ethan Miller averaged 310 passing yards, with Kolten Thornton averaging 101.8 receiving yards. Julian Mayers supplied 63.8 rushing yards per game.

Those figures make the challenge clear: El Capitan cannot count on winning a game played almost entirely on its defense’s terms. The Vaqueros will need possessions that consume time and produce points.

A healthier quarterback room would improve that outlook, but the bye also offers time to sharpen protection, ball security and the execution around whoever starts.

The nonleague start has been rough. The league record is still 0-0, and a stronger, healthier El Capitan could still have a meaningful say in the Valley race.

SCORING SUMMARY

Team	1	2	3	4	Final
El Capitan	0	0	0	0	0
Steele Canyon	7	21	0	7	35

First quarter
SC — Trevor Zenno 21 pass from Gavin Caha (Jordan Harvey kick), 5:05.

Second quarter
SC — Josiah Stocker 3 pass from Caha (Harvey kick), 11:10.
SC — Cameron Trujillo 11 pass from Caha (Harvey kick), 8:38.
SC — Zenno 39 pass from Caha (Harvey kick), 7:18.

Fourth quarter
SC — Dylan Granados 11 pass from Caha (Harvey kick), 7:55.