EAST COUNTY FEARLESS FORECASTER – Week Six

2026 EAST COUNTY PREP FOOTBALL

EAST COUNTY FEARLESS FORECASTER

Eagles headline a week with plenty of promise for local clubs

By Ramon Scott
EastCountySports.com

Cathedral Catholic at Granite Hills commands the county’s attention Friday night. Across East County, however, the final weekend of September offers more than just the main event.

There are unbeaten starts to protect, neighborhood matchups to settle and winning streaks gathering momentum. With Grossmont Conference league play beginning next week, several teams have an opportunity to arrive with both confidence and a clearer sense of what they can do.

The biggest measuring stick awaits Granite Hills. The Eagles’ 35-7 victory over Los Alamitos restored some authority to their season, and now they host Cathedral in a meeting of the top two teams behind Carlsbad in the ECS poll. Helix showed last week how closely an East County team can push the Dons. Granite Hills gets its opportunity to finish the job.

Grossmont at West Hills deserves a substantial share of the spotlight, too.

The Foothillers bring a 4-1 record and an offense coming off a 54-point night; the unbeaten Wolf Pack bring home-field advantage and an extra week to prepare.

Christian’s visit to Monte Vista supplies another all-East County matchup, with the Patriots seeking to extend their own perfect start against a rested Monarchs team.

Santana also returns from a bye, looking to remain unbeaten and reverse last season’s frustrating loss to Fallbrook.

At Helix, the assignment is to turn an encouraging performance against Cathedral into a victory over Mater Dei Catholic.

Beyond those games a pair of east teams head out of section, as Steele Canyon heads to Dorsey following its most productive passing performance of the season, while Valhalla takes an explosive offense to Downey to face St. Pius X–St. Matthias.

Mountain Empire visits Victory Christian Academy with Elisha Robinson on a remarkable rushing run.

Foothills Christian returns for homecoming against Nevada’s Lake Mead Christian Academy, seeking a fourth consecutive victory.

Their seems to be plenty of opportunities for East County wins, although a few may require holding our breath through the final possession.

We’ll start with the county’s feature attraction, then work through a schedule with compelling stories well beyond Granite Hills.

No. 2 CATHEDRAL CATHOLIC (2-2) at No. 3 GRANITE HILLS (3-1)

Friday, Sept. 25, 7 p.m. — Granite Hills Stadium

Cathedral Catholic has the schedule, the personnel and the standing to make picking against the Dons uncomfortable.

Granite Hills has done enough over the past two weeks to make picking the Eagles reasonable.

The opening loss at Oceanside still belongs on their résumé. So does the response: three consecutive victories, including the dramatic 28-27 finish against Mission Hills and last Friday’s 35-7 handling of Los Alamitos. The Eagles are beginning to look more like the team expected to contend near the top of the county.

Cathedral’s difficult out-of-section assignments deserve consideration when evaluating its 2-2 record. Still, last week’s 24-19 victory at Helix showed that a good East County team can make the Dons work through the final minute. Helix threw three touchdown passes, twice pulled within five in the fourth quarter and needed an onside recovery for one more opportunity.

That should interest Zac Benitez and a Granite Hills receiving group with several ways to challenge a defense.

Benitez threw three touchdown passes against Los Alamitos, finding Manny Walker, Jesse Wilhite and Courtney “Nino” Miller-Thompson.

Miller-Thompson’s 74-yard score supplied the biggest passing play, while Gage Spalding rushed for 105 yards and two touchdowns on just nine carries. With Jonah Hamilton also involved, Cathedral cannot devote all its attention to one receiver.

The Eagles will need that balance. Cathedral demonstrated at Helix that it can sustain possessions and answer when an opponent threatens.

Honor Fa’alave-Johnson rushed for 79 yards and two touchdowns, and quarterback Koa Smith-Mayall’s 22-yard scoring keeper provided the decisive fourth-quarter response. Granite Hills must account for both without giving the Dons easy opportunities downfield.

The Eagles’ defense brings some reason for confidence. Cayden Phillips and Eurijah Schutza each had 10 tackles and a sack last week as Granite Hills collected four sacks, eight tackles for loss and three takeaways. Creating even a few of those disruptive plays Friday could keep Cathedral from controlling long stretches of the game.

The concern is whether Granite Hills can avoid helping the Dons. A bad snap, holding penalties and a blocked punt interrupted the Eagles against Los Alamitos.

Senior offensive lineman Seth Haisch also left that game, making his availability a question entering this matchup. Protection and clean execution matter considerably more against Cathedral.

There is a convincing case for the visitors. But Granite Hills has an experienced quarterback, enough scoring options and a defense coming off its best result of the season. At home, with another close finish looking likely, the Eagles get the narrow nod and an inside track into the Open Division playoffs.

FEARLESS FORECAST: GRANITE HILLS 28, CATHEDRAL CATHOLIC 27

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No. 18 GROSSMONT (4-1) at No. 26 WEST HILLS (4-0)

Friday, Sept. 25, 7 p.m. — West Hills High

Thirty-two meetings have left Grossmont and West Hills right where they started: even.

Sixteen victories apiece. Now the Foothillers bring one of the conference’s most dangerous offenses to Santee, where an unbeaten Wolf Pack team has spent an extra week preparing to keep it off the field.

Cathedral Catholic at Granite Hills commands the county spotlight, but this is the week’s most compelling matchup between two Grossmont Conference teams. Their combined 8-1 record gives the latest meeting plenty of significance, even with Grossmont in the Hills League and West Hills in the Valley making this a nonleague game.

Anthony Lawrence knows what a productive Grossmont offense can accomplish on this field. In 2013, he threw five touchdown passes in a 48-6 victory at West Hills, breaking the section’s career passing-yardage record. He returned as the Foothillers’ head coach for last season’s 48-27 victory here.

This visit brings a different challenge. Casey Ash’s Wolf Pack have allowed only 52 points in four games and have yet to surrender more than 20 in any one of them.

Grossmont scored 54 last week alone.

The Foothillers needed much of that production to outlast Otay Ranch, 54-45, with Tyler Holmes throwing for 176 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for 172 yards and three more scores.

Corbin Dow added 162 rushing yards and a touchdown. Their combined 334 yards on the ground underline how difficult it is to defend Grossmont simply by preparing for its passing game.

Holmes can punish a defense for following Dow, and committing extra defenders to either runner creates opportunities for Max Bewley, Jamar McClendon and Jackson Baird, all of whom caught touchdown passes last week.

West Hills has the personnel to make those yards harder to collect. Scott Miller recorded 10 tackles and two sacks in the 27-20 overtime victory at Hilltop before the bye.

Zach Waters added three tackles for loss and a sack, helping the Wolf Pack finish with four sacks and seven stops behind the line.

Against Holmes, however, pressure must come with discipline. Getting into the backfield accomplishes little if the quarterback escapes into the space a defender just vacated.

The Wolf Pack’s best defensive help could come from their own offense.

West Hills rushed for 276 yards at Hilltop, with Marcus Leath gaining 136 on only seven carries and quarterback Evin Dill adding 88.

Evan Dorris supplied the winning touchdown in overtime. That group gives West Hills a way to move the chains, shorten the game and make every Grossmont possession more valuable.

It also gives the Foothillers something to fix. They surrendered plenty of offense against Otay Ranch, and a late interception returned for a touchdown helped turn a 21-point fourth-quarter lead into another uncomfortable finish. West Hills has already demonstrated that it can stay composed when a game remains unsettled.

The common opponent offers another reason to expect resistance: Grossmont beat Bonita Vista 28-14, while West Hills won 20-10. There is an edge for the Foothillers, but little in those results to suggest the Wolf Pack should be overwhelmed.

The computers favor Grossmont, and Holmes’ ability to create touchdowns in several ways makes that the sensible choice. Home field, fresh legs and a productive running game should keep West Hills involved well into the second half. Eventually, the Foothillers’ greater scoring range gives them enough separation to claim the series lead.

FEARLESS FORECAST: GROSSMONT 35, WEST HILLS 24

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No. 16 CHRISTIAN (4-0) at MONTE VISTA (2-2)

Friday, Sept. 25, 7 p.m. — Monte Vista High

Christian has spent September finding answers. Monte Vista has spent the past two weeks looking for a way to change the questions.

The Patriots arrive in Spring Valley unbeaten, with an offense growing more comfortable around Kai Rosier and a defense that has allowed just nine points over its last three games. The Monarchs return from a bye needing to recover the offensive footing that helped them win their first two.

That makes Christian the clear favorite in this East County matchup. It also makes the game a useful measure of what Monte Vista accomplished during its week away.

The Patriots’ response to Kaleb Runkle’s absence from a lower-leg injury has been impressive. Rosier initially gave coach Patrick Bugg a mobile playmaker to direct the offense. Last Friday’s 44-0 victory over Calexico showed how dangerous that arrangement can become through the air.

Rosier completed seven of nine passes for 235 yards and three touchdowns, adding a rushing score.

Connor Nguyen caught three passes for 105 yards, including a 63-yard touchdown, while Soren Lucey turned his two receptions into 75 yards and two scores.

Those are difficult numbers for a defense already required to account for Julian Morones.

The sophomore rushed for 119 yards and three touchdowns on eight carries against Calexico. His 55-yard score included at least five broken tackles, a particularly relevant warning for a Monte Vista defense that cannot afford to turn short gains into long touchdowns.

The Monarchs have surrendered 81 points in consecutive losses to Morse and Rancho Buena Vista after beating Crawford and Montgomery. Their offense has struggled just as much, producing only eight points across those two defeats.

There were signs of life in the 34-8 loss to Rancho Buena Vista.

Daesean Jenkins broke a 61-yard run, the defense made two fourth-down stops, and Branden Silie scored late. Monte Vista needs those isolated successes to become something it can sustain from possession to possession.

The bye offers a reasonable basis for expecting improvement. At home, the Monarchs have an opportunity to establish their running game, protect the football and keep Rosier’s offense waiting on the sideline. That would also give Monte Vista something encouraging to carry into its Grossmont Valley League opener at Valhalla.

Christian’s defense makes that plan difficult. The Patriots held Calexico to 89 total yards, with Xander Molina and Gavin Runkle leading the tackle list. Their ability to win early downs has allowed the offense to develop without the pressure of constantly answering an opponent’s scores.

The computers see a wide separation. We expect a more competitive effort from a rested Monte Vista team, but the Patriots have too many ways to create offense and too much defensive consistency to look past here. The Monarchs improve on their last two outings; Christian takes an unbeaten record into October.

FEARLESS FORECAST: CHRISTIAN 34, MONTE VISTA 14

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No. 35 MATER DEI CATHOLIC (0-5) at No. 12 HELIX (3-2)

Friday, Sept. 25, 7 p.m. — Hart Stadium

Helix spent last Friday showing how close it could come against one of the county’s best teams. This Friday, the Highlanders need to show how well they handle being the favorite.

Mater Dei Catholic brings a winless record to La Mesa, an unfamiliar position for a program whose name still commands attention. The Crusaders have struggled badly enough to make Helix the clear choice here, but their 38-31 loss to Granite Hills remains a reason to take them seriously.

There is also some history behind the caution. Mater Dei started 0-5 in 1991, then known as Marian Catholic.

They also went 0-4 in 2022, before recovering to win a state division championship, posting six consecutive shutouts along the way. That team demonstrated how dramatically a season can change. This one still has to establish that it can make a similar turn.

The Crusaders followed their 63-0 loss to Cathedral Catholic with a 41-21 defeat against St. Augustine last week. Helix, meanwhile, pushed Cathedral through the final minute of a 24-19 game, matching the Dons with three touchdowns and twice closing within five during the fourth quarter. And Helix handled Saints, 27-20, at Mesa College in Week 3.

Common opponents do not provide a ready-made final score. They do reinforce the sense that these teams arrive at Hart Stadium in different places.

Caden Thompson gives Helix an increasingly convincing passing game. He completed 12 of 18 throws for 224 yards and three touchdowns against Cathedral, with Jeremy Robinson, Jeremy Stevens and Dario Bartoletti each providing a scoring catch.

Robinson’s 75-yard touchdown showed how quickly the Highlanders can change a game. Stevens supplied a 30-yard score and another substantial gain on the final touchdown drive. Bartoletti finished that possession with an 8-yard catch on fourth-and-goal.

With Stephon Fuentes adding 55 rushing yards on seven carries, Helix showed enough variety to keep a strong defense occupied. The next step is getting more out of those opportunities: the Highlanders came away empty from their opening trip near the goal line and left conversion points uncollected later.

Against Mater Dei, finishing those possessions could give Damaja Jones’ team control before the visitors gain confidence.

The Crusaders have defenders capable of disrupting that plan.

Marcus Cherry leads their tackle averages, while Warren Florence contributes on both sides of the ball. Xavier Vitela has two sacks, and Jordyn Fitzpatrick has contributed both a sack and an interception. Thompson will need to remain patient when the immediate big play is unavailable.

Helix’s defense brings its own dependable presence in Jeremy Davis, who had 11 tackles against Cathedral. Lamarquis Sutton added nine solo stops. Their work will be important against a Mater Dei team that has shown it can score against good opposition, even if it has not sustained that level consistently.

The computers favor a comfortable Helix victory. We give Mater Dei enough credit to expect some resistance, but the Highlanders’ recent passing production, defensive competitiveness and home field point in the same direction. Last week supplied encouragement. This week should supply the win.

FEARLESS FORECAST: HELIX 31, MATER DEI CATHOLIC 17

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No. 34 FALLBROOK (3-2) at No. 25 SANTANA (4-0)

Friday, Sept. 25, 7 p.m. — Santana High

Santana brings an unbeaten record, a week of rest and a familiar collection of offensive playmakers into Friday’s visit from Fallbrook.

Several of those Sultans also bring a clear memory of how this matchup got away last September.

Santana led 22-7 at halftime in Fallbrook before a blocked punt returned for a touchdown and a high snap recovered for another score helped turn a productive offensive night into a 34-28 loss. The Sultans outgained the Warriors by 141 yards and still made the long trip home with a defeat.

This time, Fallbrook makes the trip. Santana has a good opportunity to make the result different, too.

Ethan Miller threw for 220 yards and three touchdowns in last year’s meeting.

Kolten “Koko” Thornton caught nine passes for 91 yards and a score, Denton Goar added four receptions for 33 yards and a touchdown, and Julian Mayers rushed for 92 yards.

All four remain major parts of an offense averaging 39.5 points through Santana’s 4-0 start.

Their most recent performance showed why the Sultans have become difficult to contain. Miller passed for 357 yards and four touchdowns in the 37-35 victory at Chula Vista before the bye. Goar caught 10 passes for 105 yards and two scores; Thornton had 12 receptions for 99 yards and two touchdowns. Mayers added 130 rushing yards and a score.

With Ethan Smith contributing another 99 receiving yards, Santana can make an opponent defend considerably more than its first option.

The Chula Vista game also supplied a warning.

Santana needed Brenden Varner’s 23-yard field goal on the final play after surrendering 307 rushing yards and five touchdowns on the ground. The Sultans had allowed only 12 points across their first three games, but the Spartans found a problem that Fallbrook will have reason to test.

Josue Hernandez Dilan leads the Warriors’ running game, averaging 92.5 rushing yards. Fallbrook averages 173.4 yards on the ground as a team, making Santana’s tackling and ability to control the line central to avoiding another uncomfortable evening.

Tatum Morehouse, who recorded 15 tackles against Chula Vista, and Brayton Knight, who added 10, will be important to that response. The bye gave coach Tim Estes and his staff extra time to address the breakdowns before another opponent tries to sustain drives on the ground.

Fallbrook arrives after a 17-10 overtime loss to Mt. Carmel.

Quarterback Easton Lucy threw for 127 yards and rushed for 25 in that game, while Kendahl Collings recorded 11 tackles.

There is another familiar name Santana should remember: Mason Mendoza. He blocked the punt that helped change last year’s meeting and remains a defensive threat for the Warriors. Protecting the kicking game and avoiding donated possessions will matter as much as the Sultans’ offensive advantages.

The computers favor Santana, and the returning production supports that judgment. Miller has several dependable targets, Mayers supplies balance, and home field and the bye strengthen the case.

Fallbrook’s running game should create some resistance, but a cleaner Santana performance ought to produce a considerably more comfortable finish than either last year’s meeting or the Sultans’ last outing.

FEARLESS FORECAST: SANTANA 35, FALLBROOK 17

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No. 21 STEELE CANYON (2-2) at DORSEY (3-2)

Friday, Sept. 25, 7 p.m. — Dorsey High, Los Angeles

Steele Canyon found its passing game, its defensive footing and the win column last week. Now the Cougars need to take that performance on the road.

After a 35-0 Homecoming victory over El Capitan snapped a two-game losing streak, Steele Canyon heads to Los Angeles looking for its first road win and a chance to climb above .500. The computers expect the Cougars to do it comfortably. The Forecaster likes Steele Canyon, too, although this trip figures to require more work than those projections suggest.

Senior quarterback Gavin Caha gave the Cougars plenty to build on last week, completing 14-of-20 passes for 200 yards and five touchdowns to four different receivers. Three scoring strikes in a span of 3:52 during the second quarter helped turn the game into a 28-0 halftime advantage.

Trevor Zenno caught touchdown passes of 21 and 39 yards, finishing with three receptions for 66 yards. Josiah Stocker, Cameron Trujillo and Dylan Granados also reached the end zone, while Malcholm Ballard led the receiving corps with six catches for 95 yards.

That distribution is the encouraging part. Steele Canyon gave Caha several places to go with the ball, and Dorsey will have to defend more than one favorite target.

The Dons arrive with some confidence of their own after a 33-6 victory at Rialto. Dorsey has allowed just 12 points combined in its three wins, although losses to Carson, 31-8, and Harvard-Westlake, 24-12, show that opponents have been able to find room against this defense.

Linebacker Levi Loop, averaging 9.6 tackles per game, and defensive lineman Mehki Gibson give the Cougars players to account for up front. Steele Canyon would help itself by getting useful early-down yardage from Marcus Hunt and Michael Ortiguero Jr., who combined for 77 rushing yards against El Capitan, and keeping Caha out of obvious passing situations.

The Cougars’ defense also comes off an encouraging night. Luke Rode and Maui Farrera had six tackles apiece, while Gunner Minich and Hawkins Ayede recorded sacks. That shutout came against an El Capitan offense dealing with injuries at quarterback, however, and another road assignment will provide a different test.

Steele Canyon is 2-0 at home and 0-2 away. Changing the second half of that equation is the next step.

Expect Dorsey to keep this competitive longer than the computers anticipate, but Caha’s options in the passing game should give the Cougars enough answers. A productive second half gets Steele Canyon back above .500.

FEARLESS FORECAST: STEELE CANYON 28, DORSEY 17

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No. 22 VALHALLA (2-2) at ST. PIUS X–ST. MATTHIAS ACADEMY (0-4)

Friday, Sept. 25, 7 p.m. — St. Pius X–St. Matthias Academy, Downey

The Norsemen head to Downey for their final nonleague assignment having outscored four opponents 246-6 on the field. Two forfeits leave their official record at 2-2, but the talent in coach Jason Carter’s lineup continues to suggest a team capable of considerably more than that record might imply.

St. Pius X–St. Matthias has faced a more demanding opening schedule, losing to St. Bonaventure, Muir, San Juan Hills and Chino Hills. That context matters when assessing an 0-4 team. So does the Warriors’ recent form: they have been shut out in consecutive games, 67-0 by San Juan Hills and 37-0 by Chino Hills, and have allowed at least 34 points in every outing.

Valhalla has enough ways to attack that defense to make another comfortable victory a reasonable expectation.

Sophomore Camryn Conley supplied the latest example in last week’s 49-0 win at Kearny, catching five passes for 92 yards and two touchdowns while adding 34 rushing yards and another score.

Junior quarterback Adrian Wilson threw for 130 yards and two touchdowns and ran for a third.

Senior Jayden Hunter, who scored five rushing touchdowns against Mar Vista the previous week, has 366 rushing yards and is averaging 8.1 yards per carry.

Freshman A.J. Wright has turned 11 receptions into 301 yards and four touchdowns. Conley’s ability to contribute both as a runner and receiver gives the Norsemen another way to exploit a favorable matchup.

Mount Miguel transfer T’Marrion Williams will become eligible following his sit-out period. His anticipated availability would add to a roster that has already shown plenty of offensive options.

The Norsemen’s defense deserves its share of the attention, too. Sophomore Gideon Hypes made 14 tackles at Kearny, and junior Amare Young returned a fumble five yards for a touchdown. Valhalla has recorded three shutouts in four games played, with Mar Vista producing the only opposing touchdown.

The level of competition leaves room for questions about Valhalla’s ceiling. It does not erase how thoroughly the Norsemen have handled the teams in front of them.

The Warriors should offer more resistance than Valhalla has encountered recently, particularly at home. Still, Hunter’s running and the big-play possibilities with Conley and Wright give the Norsemen the tools to establish control before their Grossmont Valley League opener against Monte Vista next week.

The Forecaster expects another convincing Valhalla win, even if this one requires the offense to keep working longer.

FEARLESS FORECAST: VALHALLA 42, ST. PIUS X–ST. MATTHIAS 22

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MOUNTAIN EMPIRE (3-2) at VICTORY CHRISTIAN ACADEMY (0-4)

Friday, Sept. 25, 4 p.m. — Chula Vista

Mountain Empire heads back on the road with an offense that has gathered considerable momentum since its 41-26 loss at Linfield Christian in Temecula. Victory Christian Academy now faces the difficult task of slowing a running back who has spent three weeks finding the end zone.

Junior Elisha Robinson has rushed for 780 yards and 12 touchdowns over that stretch. His latest contribution — 186 yards and three scores on 22 carries — helped the RedHawks turn their Homecoming game against San Ysidro into a 50-6 victory.

Now coach Cameron Keller’s team has an opportunity to build a winning streak and move to 4-2 against a Knights team that has struggled on both sides of the ball.

Victory Christian has been outscored 179-8 through four games and is coming off a 63-0 loss to Clairemont. The Knights have been shut out three times and have allowed at least 32 points in every game. Mountain Empire, meanwhile, has scored 197 points over its last four outings, reaching 50 three times.

The matchup strongly favors the RedHawks, and Robinson is only the beginning of the challenge.

Senior quarterback Chance Ross rushed for 60 yards and a touchdown against San Ysidro, ran for two two-point conversions and threw an eight-yard touchdown pass to Nic Santos.

Amar Mahasin caught three passes for 67 yards and added a rushing touchdown, while Angel Avila also scored on the ground.

That gives Mountain Empire options when a defense commits extra attention to Robinson. Ross can keep the ball, and Mahasin provides a receiving threat capable of turning a limited number of opportunities into substantial gains.

The defensive follow-through matters, too. After surrendering a late lead in a 42-41 loss to Crawford, the RedHawks held San Ysidro scoreless throughout the second half. Carrying that concentration into Friday’s road assignment would make an already difficult matchup even tougher for Victory Christian.

Knights quarterback JD Lair and rushing threat Kyle Capili will need sustained possessions to keep Mountain Empire’s offense off the field. An early RedHawks lead would put considerable pressure on an offense that has managed just eight points this season.

The computers expect a wide margin. Robinson and the running game should establish control, with enough help around them to send Mountain Empire home with another decisive victory.

FEARLESS FORECAST: MOUNTAIN EMPIRE 42, VICTORY CHRISTIAN ACADEMY 7

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LAKE MEAD CHRISTIAN ACADEMY (1-2) at FOOTHILLS CHRISTIAN (3-2)

Friday, Sept. 25, 7 p.m. — El Cajon Valley High — Homecoming

Foothills Christian has found more than one way to run its way into the win column. Keeping that streak alive against a visitor from Henderson, Nevada, could require every one of them.

The Knights return for homecoming with three consecutive victories and consecutive 200-yard rushing performances from different backs. They also bring the confidence of having turned a scoreless first half into a 33-13 win at Tri-City Christian last week.

Lake Mead Christian Academy presents another test, and the computers are divided over which team will handle it better. The Forecaster gives Foothills a slight edge in a game that could come down to a conversion or one final defensive stop.

Junior Drew Mikulsky changed the complexion of the Knights’ offense last week, rushing for 238 yards and four touchdowns on 25 carries while also leading the defense with eight tackles. Foothills trailed 7-0 at halftime before scoring 26 points in the third quarter and finishing with 367 rushing yards.

That performance followed David Stewart’s 228-yard, two-touchdown effort at Hamilton. Stewart remained productive against Tri-City with 45 yards on just four carries, while Cahlil Martinez added 49 yards on eight attempts.

The Knights can share the work without asking one runner to carry every possession, an advantage that could matter in a close fourth quarter.

Quarterback Hayden Oleson supplied the necessary passing complement at Tri-City, completing 9 of 13 throws for 101 yards and a touchdown to Liam Dailey. Isaac Maisonet caught six passes for 51 yards. Foothills will need that efficiency if Lake Mead crowds the line to challenge the running game.

The Eagles have their own ground threat in Trystan Rudd, who averages 92.3 rushing yards per game. Quarterback Colten Downing and receiving target Adrian Cortez give the Knights additional assignments, but containing Rudd is the logical starting point.

Lake Mead last played Sept. 4, defeating Pinecrest Academy Cadence 23-0 after opening with losses to Viewpoint, 48-7, and Providence Hall, 20-18. The Eagles arrive after two idle Fridays, while Foothills has been building momentum through its winning streak.

The Knights’ defense helped make that possible last week with nine tackles for loss, three sacks and interceptions by Maisonet and Trevor Embleton.

Jake Mangini accounted for three of those tackles for loss, including a sack.

Foothills would prefer to avoid another scoreless first half. Establishing its running game early would help the Knights control possession and keep Rudd on the sideline.

Expect a tight finish, with the Mikulsky-Stewart combination giving Foothills enough sustained offense to keep its winning streak going. In a matchup this close, an extra point or a two-point try could supply the final difference.

FEARLESS FORECAST: FOOTHILLS CHRISTIAN 26, LAKE MEAD CHRISTIAN ACADEMY 25

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COUNTY PREDICTIONS

ECS TOP 40 GAMES
Friday, Sept. 25
No. 15 Lincoln (1-4) at No. 6 San Marcos (3-1) — San Marcos 31, Lincoln 28
No. 7 Santa Fe Christian (5-0) at Coastal Academy (1-2) — Santa Fe Christian 56, Coastal Academy 7
No. 11 Point Loma (4-1) at No. 23 Ramona (2-3) — Point Loma 35, Ramona 20
No. 17 Patrick Henry (4-0) at Mt. Carmel (1-4) — Patrick Henry 38, Mt. Carmel 21
No. 19 Madison (3-1) at No. 20 Eastlake (5-0) — Madison 24, Eastlake 23
No. 27 Holtville (3-2) at Escondido (1-3) — Holtville 49, Escondido 7
Sweetwater (1-4) at No. 28 University City (2-2) — University City 49, Sweetwater 7
No. 30 Central Union (4-1) vs. Rancho Christian (2-2) — Central Union 42, Rancho Christian 14
No. 40 La Jolla (1-3) at No. 29 St. Augustine (1-3) — St. Augustine 31, La Jolla 17
No. 31 San Diego (0-4) at Scripps Ranch (0-4) — San Diego 21, Scripps Ranch 20
No. 32 El Camino (0-4) at Vista Murrieta (1-3) — Vista Murrieta 34, El Camino 20
No. 33 San Pasqual (2-2) at Westview (3-2) — San Pasqual 34, Westview 31
No. 37 Valley Center (2-3) at Vista (0-5) — Valley Center 49, Vista 10
No. 38 Mission Bay (2-2) at Montgomery (2-3) — Mission Bay 42, Montgomery 7

COVERAGE AREA AND LEAGUE TEAMS
Thursday, Sept. 24
San Pasqual Academy (1-0) at Julian (2-1) — San Pasqual Academy 42, Julian 14
Escondido Charter (4-0) vs. San Ysidro (1-4) — Escondido Charter 42, San Ysidro 7; home team unconfirmed
Friday, Sept. 25
Rancho Buena Vista (2-3) at Canyon Hills (1-3) — Rancho Buena Vista 35, Canyon Hills 14
Chula Vista (1-4) at Crawford (2-2) — Chula Vista 35, Crawford 17
Coronado (1-3) at Mar Vista (3-2) — Coronado 31, Mar Vista 17
Olympian (1-4) at Hoover (3-2) — Hoover 34, Olympian 24
Southwest-San Diego (2-3) at Kearny (0-4) — Southwest-San Diego 28, Kearny 27
O’Farrell Charter (0-5) at Orange Glen (0-5) — O’Farrell Charter 38, Orange Glen 14
Warner at Lucerne Valley — Lucerne Valley 38, Warner 0; current records unconfirmed
San Jacinto Leadership Academy (1-1) at Borrego Springs (0-3) — San Jacinto Leadership Academy 34, Borrego Springs 14
Saturday, Sept. 26
Francis Parker (4-0) at Poly-Pasadena (4-0) — Francis Parker 22, Poly-Pasadena 20
COUNTY GAMES
Friday, Sept. 25
Bishop’s (2-2) at La Jolla Country Day (3-2) — Bishop’s 27, La Jolla Country Day 17
Bonita Vista (2-3) at Otay Ranch (2-3) — Otay Ranch 24, Bonita Vista 13
IMPERIAL / DESERT
Thursday, Sept. 24
San Pasqual Valley (2-2) at Mountainside, Ariz. (0-5) — Mountainside 42, San Pasqual Valley 14
Friday, Sept. 25
Brawley (1-4) at Calexico (2-3) — Brawley 38, Calexico 17
Vincent Memorial (4-1) at Southwest-El Centro (2-2) — Vincent Memorial 24, Southwest-El Centro 7
Clairemont (2-3) at Calipatria (3-1) — Clairemont 31, Calipatria 24
CONFIRMED AREA BYES
El Capitan, Mount Miguel, Morse

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