Pats, Dawgs still hot; Liberty drops first

By Nick Pellegrino
Updated: October 2, 2026

2026 EAST COUNTY PREP FLAG FOOTBALL

EastCountySports.com

Here is the Week Eight roundup for non-Grossmont Conference flag football games played from Monday, Sept. 28, through Thursday, Oct. 1.

Ramona maintained a share of the Palomar League lead, while Liberty Charter suffered its first loss of the season. Mountain Empire fell by a single point in a game that went down to the wire.

Elsewhere, Christian continued to excel, but Patrick Henry remained on a slide.

Thurs., Oct. 1

Christian 40, La Jolla 6

GREENFIELD — The Christian Patriots bounced back from their first loss in program history to post a pair of victories, including Thursday’s (Oct. 1) 40-6 pasting of La Jolla in non-league action.

Earlier in the week, the Patriots won at West Hills, 13-6, to remain unbeaten on the road.

Christian (6-1) is slated to play again Thursday (Oct. 8). Projected temperatures reaching triple digits in the inland valleys could force some games to be postponed, but because the Patriots will be playing at Mission Bay in Pacific Beach, their contest is expected to proceed as scheduled.

For information concerning other Week Nine games, contact the respective schools.

Clairemont 12, Patrick Henry 8

CLAIREMONT — It was one thing when Patrick Henry dropped its Western League opener to Mira Mesa, perhaps the most improved flag football team in the CIF San Diego Section. But since the Patriots lost to preseason favorite Scripps Ranch, it has been all downhill.

On Thursday (Oct. 1), Patrick Henry (6-7 overall) failed to reach double figures for the ninth time in 10 games, falling to Clairemont, 12-8.

The former Chieftains improved to 4-10 overall and 2-8 in Western League play. Patrick Henry is tied with Mission Bay for fifth place, one game ahead of Clairemont, with a 3-6 league mark.

Earlier in the week, Mira Mesa shut out Patrick Henry for the second time this season, 21-0, on Tuesday.

The Patriots opened the season with a 3-1 record, but have since dropped six of nine games. The downturn comes after seven of last season’s underclassmen transferred to other schools.

Mabel O’Farrell Charter 62, Liberty Charter 7

ALPINE — Liberty Charter’s season-opening winning streak ended — and with an exclamation point.

Mabel O’Farrell Charter, which scored 77 points in a game the previous week, added 62 more in Thursday’s (Oct. 1) one-sided Southern Conference victory at Joan MacQueen Middle School.

The Falcons scored on their first four possessions and were never headed, improving to 9-3 overall.

Liberty Charter is scheduled to face O’Farrell again Monday (Oct. 5), but expected high temperatures could force a postponement or cancellation.

The Lions’ road game against Bayfront Charter on Tuesday (Sept. 29) was forfeited because Bayfront lacked enough available players.

Wed., Sept. 30

Non-League

Ramona 27, Santana 6

SANTEE — Since establishing a school record with five touchdown passes against Sage Creek, Ramona quarterback Elisa Gaines has continued her torrid scoring pace.

Gaines beat the Santana defense for a pair of touchdowns, giving the senior two or more TD passes for the 10th consecutive game, as the Bulldogs defeated the Sultans, 27-6, at Santee Community Stadium.

Gaines completed 20 of 29 passes for 332 yards, featuring scoring strikes to her usual suspects — Reese Blakey for 30 yards and Kynzie King for 17 yards.

King also rushed for a score, but the backbreaker came when Blakey added a defensive touchdown.

Santana (4-7) continued to struggle offensively, scoring six points or fewer for the fifth time in seven games. The Sultans’ lone touchdown was not reported.

Southern Conference

Health Sciences 7, Mountain Empire 6

Anita Villanueva

NORTH PARK — The improving Mountain Empire RedHawks produced three late opportunities to take the lead, but the host Health Sciences Serpents came through with a series of defensive stops to preserve a 7-6 victory in Wednesday’s (Sept. 30) Southern Conference contest at historic Wilson Middle School.

Health Sciences, formerly known as the Fighting Surgeons before changing its nickname last school year, carried a 7-0 lead into halftime. Quarterback Rylee Pooler connected with receiver Anita Villanueva for a touchdown midway through the second quarter.

Mountain Empire mounted several drives in response.

The RedHawks moved inside the Health Sciences 15-yard line late in the opening half, but without any timeouts remaining, the clock expired before they could score.

Mountain Empire again drove into scoring territory during the second half, but a fourth-down pass fell incomplete, resulting in a turnover on downs.

With 6:30 remaining, however, senior quarterback Elysa Cisneros faked a pass toward the left side, pulling the defense in that direction, before racing uncovered around the opposite corner for a 12-yard touchdown. The potential tying conversion failed when a pass toward the far corner of the end zone fell incomplete.

The RedHawks’ defense then forced a three-and-out, giving the offense another opportunity with four minutes remaining.

Mountain Empire advanced to the Health Sciences 17-yard line, where a fourth-down pass fell incomplete. A roughing-the-passer penalty, however, gave the RedHawks new life at the 10.

This time, the hosts held. Daphne Tejada Sotero recorded a third-down sack, then Camila “Cammi” Hidalgo intercepted a desperation fourth-and-goal pass with 40 seconds remaining to seal the victory.

Health Sciences improved to 5-5 overall, while Mountain Empire fell to 1-6 following its narrowest setback of the season.

image Mountain Empire quarterback Elysa Cisneros runs a naked bootleg to perfection for a touchdown without a defender in sight. / Photo by Nick Pellegrino

RedHawks senior quarterback runs a naked reverse, racing untouched into the end zone without a defender in sight / Photo by Nick Pellegrino

Mon., Sept. 28

Palomar League

Ramona 35, at San Dieguito 18

ENCINITAS — Following impressive shutouts of Poway and Westview, the Ramona Bulldogs survived a coastal shootout to defeat host San Dieguito in Monday’s (Sept. 28) Palomar League contest.

The Bulldogs (8-4 overall) remained tied with Del Norte for first place at 3-0 halfway through the league schedule.

Palomar League schools meet only once during the regular season, as in boys tackle football, while most other leagues compete in a home-and-road series.

Quarterback Elisa Gaines was again scorching hot, throwing for more than 200 yards for the seventh time in nine starts. Gaines completed 16 of 29 passes with two touchdowns, helping Ramona secure its sixth victory in eight games.

On defense, Reese Blakey registered eight flag pulls, the senior’s second-highest total of the season.

Meanwhile, fellow senior Kynzie King collected two interceptions. King increased her season total to nine, matching her career high, and now owns 22 career interceptions.

Non-League

El Centro-Southwest 55, Mountain Empire 0

EL CENTRO — Mountain Empire’s first-year program discovered the hard way that virtually every Imperial Valley school is strong in flag football.

The sport has been played at area middle schools for approximately a decade, while schools across the border in Mexicali have produced players for the junior national teams of both Mexico and the United States.

Thus, the RedHawks’ trip to “the Valley” became forgettable almost immediately.

The host Eagles registered five interceptions, including a pair by junior defensive back Chloe Cruz, while improving to 9-5 overall.

— Nick Pellegrino