Kearns III delivers victory for Griffins

By Ramon Scott
Updated: October 3, 2026

2026 GROSSMONT COLLEGE FOOTBALL

GROSSMONT 38, SANTA MONICA 26

Backup QB accounts for three TDs after planned package expands into second-half assignment; Grossmont takes control of American Pacific race

By RAMON SCOTT
EastCountySports.com

EL CAJON — The package began with two quarterback runs covering seven yards.

It ended with Michael Kearns III directing the biggest victory of Grossmont’s season.

Kearns rushed for 72 yards and two touchdowns, threw a 30-yard scoring pass and added a two-point conversion after taking over for starter Melvin Spicer IV, leading Grossmont past previously unbeaten Santa Monica, 38-26, Saturday at Mashin-Roth Memorial Field.

Grossmont initially introduced Kearns as part of a planned short-yardage package late in the first half. The Griffins stayed with him after halftime to protect Spicer, who had absorbed considerable punishment during the season.

“We stayed with Kearns to keep Spicer healthy,” Grossmont coach Mason Mitchell said. “He is a warrior when it comes to taking shots, but we need him for the duration of the season and not just today.

“We knew Kearns could come in and get the job done, allowing Spicer to rest up and get healthy.”

Kearns did considerably more than preserve the offense.

He changed it.

The sophomore from Las Vegas completed 6 of 10 passes for 88 yards, carried 13 times for 72 yards and accounted for 20 points. His 26-yard touchdown run and ensuing conversion extended Grossmont’s lead to 31-20 early in the fourth quarter.

The Griffins then delivered a 6-minute, 16-second touchdown drive to secure their fourth consecutive victory.

Grossmont improved to 5-2 overall and 3-0 in American Pacific League play, establishing itself as the conference’s early leader. Santa Monica fell to 6-1 and 2-1.

The Corsairs entered averaging nearly 39 points and had not lost this season. Grossmont accumulated 387 yards, rushed for 160, converted two fourth downs and outscored Santa Monica 22-6 after falling behind early in the third quarter.

The victory was not mistake-free. Grossmont committed 12 penalties for 117 yards and turned the ball over three times.

It was still the Griffins’ most significant and convincing result of the season.

They did not merely survive another close finish.

They made the decisive adjustment and pulled away.

SPICER BUILDS LEAD

Kearns finished the game, but Spicer established Grossmont’s early advantage.

The Griffins took the opening kickoff and moved 28 yards before freshman Philipa Trakas converted a 39-yard field goal for a 3-0 lead.

Santa Monica answered with Jack Malloy’s 37-yard field goal, but Grossmont regained control late in the opening quarter.

Beginning at its own 1 after the defense recovered a fumble near the goal line, Grossmont traveled 99 yards in six plays.

Spicer escaped the shadow of his own end zone with a 49-yard completion to Isaiah Grant. He later found Trenice Woods for 11 yards before connecting with Elijah Smith for a 29-yard touchdown with 32 seconds remaining in the quarter.

Trakas converted the extra point for a 10-3 lead.

Spicer completed 9 of 16 passes for 139 yards and one touchdown. He also rushed for 12 yards.

His final possession came midway through the second quarter.

Grossmont moved from its 20 to the Santa Monica 30 before Spicer’s pass was intercepted by Nikolas Morgan at the Corsairs’ 3 with 5:50 remaining.

Spicer did not return, but Mitchell said the Griffins had already prepared a role for Kearns.

“That was planned,” Mitchell said. “It’s a package that revolves around Kearns.”

PUNT RETURN OPENS PACKAGE

Santa Monica failed to capitalize on the interception.

The Corsairs gained only four yards before punting from their 7. Isaac Syph returned the kick 39 yards, giving Grossmont possession at the Santa Monica 7.

Kearns entered for his first snaps.

He carried four yards on first down, then scored from the 3 on the next play. The two-play possession consumed only 20 seconds and extended Grossmont’s lead to 16-3.

At that stage, the appearance could reasonably have been interpreted as a specialized goal-line assignment.

Kearns had entered the game with only eight rushing attempts for minus-10 yards this season. The two direct runs appeared designed to take advantage of his size and mobility in condensed space.

The package did exactly what Grossmont intended.

Then it became something more.

Santa Monica responded with a 14-yard touchdown pass from Pierce Clarkson to Lamont White, reducing Grossmont’s lead to 16-10.

The Griffins’ final possession before halftime featured two strong runs by Ka’tyleon “Ty” Phillips, but a fumble by Nassir Hicks returned the ball to Santa Monica.

Malloy made another 37-yard field goal on the final play of the half.

Grossmont’s 16-3 advantage had narrowed to 16-13.

CORSAIRS TAKE ONLY LEAD

Santa Monica opened the second half with its best offensive possession.

Clarkson completed a 13-yard pass to White before finding him again for a 34-yard touchdown with 12:06 remaining in the third quarter.

The score gave Santa Monica its first lead, 20-16.

Grossmont now had to decide whether Kearns’ role would remain limited to the short-yardage package or expand into the full offense.

Kearns took the field for the Griffins’ first second-half possession.

Spicer never returned.

Kearns’ first complete series included an 18-yard pass to Smith, although a holding penalty erased another 18-yard completion. Grossmont eventually punted.

The next opportunity demonstrated why Mitchell trusted the backup with the remainder of the game.

KEARNS CREATES ON MOVE

Grossmont regained possession at its 26 with 4:11 left in the third quarter.

Kearns opened the drive with a five-yard run, then converted third-and-5 with a 25-yard completion to Yehoshua Covin.

He found Jaidan Brooks for six yards before Phillips moved the Griffins within one yard of another first down.

Facing fourth-and-1 at the Santa Monica 35, Grossmont kept the ball in Kearns’ hands. He gained five yards.

On the next play, the quarterback moved to his right and drew the cornerback toward him as if he might continue running. Kearns instead delivered the football down the right side to Brooks, who completed the 30-yard touchdown reception.

Jasper Brandenburg’s extra point returned Grossmont to the lead, 23-20, with 1:38 remaining in the third quarter.

The play captured what Kearns added to the offense.

He did not provide the same conventional pocket presence as Spicer. His ability to move, however, forced Santa Monica’s defenders to account for him on every snap.

When the corner committed to the possible run, Kearns threw behind him.

KEARNS COMPLETES OCTOPUS

Grossmont carried a 23-20 lead into the fourth quarter, but the next possession initially appeared to have stalled.

The Griffins lined up to punt on fourth-and-2 from their 28. Santa Monica was called for roughing the kicker, extending the drive.

Grossmont immediately returned to its ground attack.

Phillips gained nine yards. Kearns moved the chains with a two-yard keeper. Murray Crump added runs of 16 and four yards, placing the ball at the Santa Monica 26.

Kearns then read the defense on an option-style keeper, pulled the football from his running back and accelerated directly through the middle.

No defender filled the lane.

Kearns crossed the goal line virtually untouched for a 26-yard touchdown with 11 minutes remaining.

Grossmont kept the offense on the field for the conversion. Kearns ran around the right side and reached the end zone again, completing the football version of an Octopus—scoring the touchdown and the ensuing two-point conversion.

The eight-point sequence extended Grossmont’s lead to 31-20.

Kearns entered Saturday with no rushing touchdowns and negative career rushing yardage at Grossmont.

In one afternoon, he became the central figure in a victory over an unbeaten opponent.

DEFENSE CREATES CLOSEOUT

Santa Monica still had enough time to answer.

Grossmont’s defense gave the Corsairs no opportunity.

Clarkson threw incomplete on second and third down, forcing a three-and-out that consumed only 19 seconds. A kick-catch interference penalty gave Grossmont possession at the Santa Monica 34.

The Griffins did not strike quickly.

They did something more damaging.

Grossmont ran nine plays, converted third-and-8 and fourth-and-2 and removed 6:16 from the clock.

Kearns gained 12 yards on third-and-8. He later completed a seven-yard pass to Phillips before keeping the ball for three yards on fourth-and-2.

After another Kearns run placed the ball at the 6, Sa’ne Thompson finished the possession with a touchdown run.

Trakas’ extra point gave Grossmont a 38-20 lead with 4:25 remaining.

Santa Monica scored on backup quarterback Luke Eldridge’s three-yard run with 37 seconds left, but the failed conversion left the final margin at 12.

The Corsairs recovered neither the ensuing short kickoff nor enough time to threaten again.

PHILLIPS EMERGES IN DEBUT

Ka’tyleon “Ty” Phillips, a freshman making his season debut, rushed 14 times for 70 yards, averaging five yards per carry. He also caught two passes for 26 yards, producing 96 yards from scrimmage in his first recorded appearance for the Griffins.

Phillips is a 2025 graduate of Greenville High School in Alabama, where he played running back. He was listed at 6-foot and 225 pounds during his senior season.

His Grossmont debut came at an opportune time.

The Griffins played without leading rusher Ethan Ford and Ladarrione Perkins.

Phillips supplied the necessary production.

He gained 19 yards on a reception during Grossmont’s opening field-goal drive, carried for nine yards during the 99-yard touchdown possession and produced consecutive runs of 14 and 12 yards late in the first half.

During the fourth quarter, his nine-yard run helped launch Kearns’ touchdown drive, and his seven-yard reception contributed to the possession that consumed more than six minutes.

Phillips did not score.

His ability to provide a dependable running threat made Grossmont’s Kearns package considerably more difficult to defend.

TWO QUARTERBACKS, ONE OFFENSE

The result should not be reduced to Kearns replacing Spicer.

Grossmont needed both quarterbacks to win.

Spicer completed the deep throw to Turner that rescued Grossmont from its own 1. He produced the opening touchdown pass to Smith and helped the Griffins establish a 10-3 lead.

Kearns supplied the second-half change of pace and allowed Grossmont to protect its starter.

Together, the quarterbacks completed 15 of 26 passes for 227 yards and two touchdowns. They added 84 rushing yards and two more scores.

That amounted to 311 yards of total offense and four touchdowns from the position.

Spicer delivered from the pocket and connected on the game’s longest play, the 49-yarder to Grant.

Kearns operated effectively on the move, converted critical short-yardage situations and changed the mathematics of Grossmont’s ground game.

Santa Monica entered prepared to defend one style.

The Corsairs could not adjust quickly enough to the other.

GRIFFINS DEFENSE STIFFENS

Santa Monica finished with 27 first downs and completed 26 passes, but the Corsairs managed only 342 total yards and 26 points.

Grossmont limited Santa Monica to 81 rushing yards on 23 attempts.

Clarkson completed 19 of 38 passes for 198 yards and two touchdowns. Both scores went to White, who finished with nine receptions for 119 yards.

Eldridge completed all seven of his passes for 63 yards during the closing minutes and scored Santa Monica’s final touchdown.

Grossmont did not record a sack, but it produced six tackles for loss, four quarterback hurries and three pass breakups.

Isaac Turner, Jonathan Smith and Titus Toilolo each recorded six tackles. Turner also broke up two passes.

Jeremiah Savaiinaea Jr. created one of the game’s most important defensive plays in the first quarter.

Santa Monica took possession at the Grossmont 17 after a fumbled punt attempt and advanced to the 2. Savaiinaea forced Landon Davis to fumble at the goal line, and Grossmont recovered at its 1.

Instead of falling behind, Grossmont drove 99 yards for Spicer’s touchdown pass to Smith.

That created a potential 14-point swing.

MISTAKES REMAIN WARNING

Grossmont produced its best victory despite continuing two damaging trends.

The Griffins committed 12 penalties for 117 yards and lost two fumbles in addition to Spicer’s interception.

Grossmont has now exceeded 100 penalty yards in four consecutive games.

Santa Monica converted the interception into no points, but Grossmont’s second lost fumble helped create Malloy’s field goal at the end of the first half. Another special-teams fumble gave the Corsairs possession at the Grossmont 17 in the first quarter before Savaiinaea forced the goal-line turnover.

Grossmont was good enough to overcome all three giveaways.

That does not make them sustainable.

The Griffins’ defense repeatedly protected the offense, while Kearns produced three second-half scoring drives.

Against the strongest opponent remaining on Grossmont’s schedule, another three-turnover performance could erase the progress demonstrated Saturday.

For now, however, the larger point is unavoidable.

Grossmont committed three turnovers and 12 penalties—and still defeated an unbeaten team by 12 points.

PACIFIC RACE CHANGES

Santa Monica entered as the American Pacific’s only unbeaten overall team and as the league’s representative in the state Top 25.

Grossmont left the field alone at the top of the conference standings.

The Griffins are 3-0 in league play and have won four consecutive games since falling one point short against Antelope Valley.

The streak has developed in stages.

Grossmont required Isaac Turner’s 100-yard interception return and Trakas’ 43-yard field goal to survive L.A. Valley, 22-21.

The Griffins then controlled Victor Valley, 34-16, producing their most complete road performance.

Against Santa Monica, Grossmont faced the league’s highest-scoring team, lost its halftime lead and responded with 22 second-half points behind its backup quarterback.

This was not merely another brick stacked on the previous victory.

It was evidence that Grossmont can alter its plan during a game and beat an opponent capable of exposing the original one.

KICKING DEPTH

Trakas opened the scoring with his 39-yard field goal and made both of his extra-point attempts, producing five points.

He remains perfect on his college field-goal attempts after making three against L.A. Valley, including the 43-yard winner.

Brandenburg converted the extra point following Brooks’ touchdown, while Lucas Mora missed after Kearns’ first score.

Grossmont has now received scoring contributions from all three specialists.

Mora also delivered three touchbacks on four kickoffs, while Trakas recorded another.

Syph provided the game’s most important return with his 39-yard punt return to the Santa Monica 7. He added 57 yards on two kickoff returns and finished with 97 total return yards.

UP NEXT: WEST LOS ANGELES

Grossmont visits West Los Angeles College on Saturday, Oct. 10, at 1 p.m.

The Wildcats are officially 3-2 overall and 1-0 in conference play after receiving a forfeit victory over L.A. Pierce. West L.A. opened with losses to Antelope Valley and College of the Desert before defeating Compton 50-0 and L.A. Southwest 32-27.

West L.A.’s identity is established on the ground.

The Wildcats average 211 rushing yards per game and only 111 through the air.

Freshman Dane Dunn has rushed for 340 yards and three touchdowns, averaging 6.4 yards per carry. Sophomore Malikai Johnson has added 313 yards and two touchdowns, also averaging 6.4 per attempt.

Together, Dunn and Johnson produce more than 163 rushing yards per game.

Quarterback Brandon Tolson has completed 25 of 43 passes for 341 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions. Eliot Ming has added 103 yards and two scores without an interception.

West L.A. has thrown only 55 passes across four on-field games, making the matchup substantially different from Grossmont’s test against Santa Monica.

The Corsairs attempted 45 passes Saturday.

West L.A. will attempt to control the ball with two productive backs and force Grossmont to win at the line of scrimmage.

The Wildcats allow 130.3 rushing yards and 168 passing yards per game. Their defense has intercepted four passes, including one each by Ken-trell Holley, Amir Rogers, SirRey Tyler-Mathews and Terrall Tillman.

Grossmont’s quarterback situation will become the leading question entering the game.

Mitchell’s explanation suggests Spicer remains the starter when healthy. Kearns’ performance against Santa Monica, however, gives the Griffins a package that West L.A. must now spend an entire week preparing to defend.

That may be the lasting value of Saturday’s adjustment.

Kearns did not only beat Santa Monica.

He gave Grossmont another offensive identity for every remaining opponent to consider.

GAME LEADERS

PASSING

Grossmont: Melvin Spicer IV, 9-of-16, 139 yards, TD, INT; Michael Kearns III, 6-of-10, 88 yards, TD
Santa Monica: Pierce Clarkson, 19-of-38, 198 yards, 2 TD; Luke Eldridge, 7-of-7, 63 yards

RUSHING

Grossmont: Michael Kearns III, 13-72, 2 TD; Ka’tyleon Phillips, 14-70; Murray Crump, 4-22
Santa Monica: Landon Davis, 14-42; Pierce Clarkson, 4-30

RECEIVING

Grossmont: Isaiah Grant, 1-49; Elijah Smith, 3-49, TD; Trenice Woods, 4-41; Jaidan Brooks, 2-36, TD; Ka’tyleon Phillips, 2-26
Santa Monica: Lamont White, 9-119, 2 TD; Amir Smith, 4-34; Braydon Sanford, 2-26

DEFENSE

Grossmont: Jonathan Smith, 6 tackles; Isaac Turner, 6 tackles, 2 breakups; Titus Toilolo, 6 tackles; Jeremiah Savaiinaea Jr., forced fumble
Santa Monica: D’Anthoni Coleman, 9 tackles; Robert Nobles, 6 tackles, quarterback hurry; Nikolas Morgan, interception

BY THE NUMBERS

38 — Grossmont points, its most this season
22 — Grossmont points after falling behind 20-16
20 — Points directly produced by Michael Kearns III
96 — Ka’tyleon “Ty” Phillips’ yards from scrimmage
99 — Length of Grossmont’s first-quarter touchdown drive
6:16 — Time consumed by Grossmont’s fourth-quarter clinching drive
39 — Isaac Syph’s punt-return yardage before Kearns’ first touchdown
12-117 — Grossmont’s penalties and penalty yardage
4 — Consecutive Grossmont victories
3-0 — Grossmont’s American Pacific League record

SCORING SUMMARY

First quarter

Grossmont — Philipa Trakas 39-yard field goal
Santa Monica — Jack Malloy 37-yard field goal
Grossmont — Elijah Smith 29-yard pass from Melvin Spicer IV; Trakas kick

Second quarter

Grossmont — Michael Kearns III 3-yard run; kick failed
Santa Monica — Lamont White 14-yard pass from Pierce Clarkson; Malloy kick
Santa Monica — Malloy 37-yard field goal

Third quarter

Santa Monica — White 34-yard pass from Clarkson; Malloy kick
Grossmont — Jaidan Brooks 30-yard pass from Kearns; Jasper Brandenburg kick

Fourth quarter

Grossmont — Kearns 26-yard run; Kearns conversion run
Grossmont — Sa’ne Thompson 6-yard run; Trakas kick
Santa Monica — Luke Eldridge 3-yard run; conversion failed

EastCountySports.com

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