Third-generation star activates Eagles

By Nick Pellegrino
Updated: October 16, 2026

Granite Hills' Brooklyn Spencer / File photo by Vic Marano on Instagram

2026 EAST COUNTY PREP FLAG FOOTBALL

GRANITE HILLS 34, EL CAPITAN 14

Spencer runs Eagles past Vaqueros

By Nick Pellegrino
ECS senior writer

LAKESIDE — A third generation of athletes from the Spencer clan made its mark in girls flag football action Thursday (Oct. 15).

Granite Hills senior running back Brooklynn Spencer established a Grossmont Hills League record with four rushing touchdowns, leading the Eagles past host El Capitan, 34-14. The record applies specifically to league contests.

Spencer carried 12 times for a career-high 155 yards, a total believed to be a Granite Hills school record.

Granite Hills (10-6 overall, 4-3 GHL) actually ran more rushing plays than passes, gaining 235 yards on 19 carries while attempting only 17 passes—an unusual distribution in flag football.

Quarterback Taylor Nash completed 11 passes for 127 yards. Nash also carried seven times for 80 yards and one touchdown.

Junior Katie Petrich led the receiving corps, surpassing 100 yards for the first time this season with six receptions for 102 yards. The total was the second highest of her three-year career, trailing only the 128 yards she recorded against Santana as a sophomore in 2024.

Defensively, Granite Hills was led by seniors Ariana Parent with 10 flag pulls, Amaya Thomas with eight and Trinity Herrin with six. Herrin also recorded two interceptions.

El Capitan (6-11, 0-6 GHL) generated 337 yards of total offense, but Herrin’s two interceptions stopped a pair of Vaqueros drives in Eagles territory.

Senior Gabriella Jackson led El Capitan with 88 rushing yards and scored both Vaqueros touchdowns.

Kailey Joralemon again paced the Vaqueros with seven flag pulls and also recorded an interception.

Lily Murphy and Audrey Guillory added two sacks apiece.

The family tree

The Spencer family’s athletic story began with Irv Spencer, who launched a 20-year professional hockey career in 1954.

Spencer played in both the National Hockey League and World Hockey Association and spent two seasons with the original San Diego Gulls of the Western Hockey League after being assigned to the minor-league club in 1969.

After retiring, Spencer returned to La Mesa. The Gulls’ original practice facility was the La Mesa House of Ice, now a medical building near the base of Lake Murray Boulevard just north of Interstate 8, and many players lived near the rink.

Spencer and his wife raised a daughter, Nicole Spencer, who became a softball standout at Grossmont High and earned an NCAA Division I scholarship to Long Beach State.

Nicole later worked as a San Diego Padres ballgirl, stationed along the left-field line, and played one season of professional football with the San Diego Seduction of the Lingerie Football League in 2011. At the time, she was also a professional model.

East County Sports was informed that Brooklynn comes from another branch of the Spencer family and is Nicole’s second cousin.

Grossmont Hills League

STEELE CANYON 18, GROSSMONT 12 (3 OT)

LA MESA — Steele Canyon participated in its second multiple-overtime game of the season, but this time the Cougars came out on top.

After falling to Valley Center in four overtime periods on Sept. 8, Steele Canyon needed “only” three extra periods to defeat host Grossmont, 18-12, Thursday (Oct. 15) at Lt. Mitchell Memorial Field.

Following a scoreless first half, the teams exchanged touchdowns during the third quarter and remained tied through the first two overtime periods. Neither team converted a point-after attempt.

In the third and final overtime, Steele Canyon reached the end zone before keeping Grossmont from scoring to secure the victory. Additional details on the decisive touchdown were not reported.

Steele Canyon (10-9 overall, 4-3 GHL) remained tied with Granite Hills for second place. Both teams have one league contest remaining.

Grossmont (11-7, 2-4 GHL) clinched no worse than fourth place entering the final week of the regular season.

Non-League

CHRISTIAN 63, MARANATHA CHRISTIAN 0

GREENFIELD — Christian established program records for points and margin of victory, overwhelming visiting Maranatha Christian of Fairbanks Ranch, 63-0.

The Patriots (7-3 overall) snapped a modest two-game losing streak.

No individual statistics or additional game information were reported.

PATRICK HENRY 47, LIBERTY CHARTER 7

ALPINE — Why did two vastly different schools play each other?

Because of postponements caused by rain and excessive heat, Patrick Henry had openings in its schedule and needed to find an opponent that was not playing a league contest.

Liberty Charter owned one of the top records among the CIF San Diego Section’s smaller schools, making the pairing a worthwhile test for a young ballclub.

Both sides found what they needed, but only the Patriots were pleased with the result following a 40-point victory over the host Lions in Thursday’s (Oct. 15) non-league contest at Joan MacQueen Middle School.

Patrick Henry improved to 8-9 overall and remained in contention for a CIF postseason berth.

Liberty Charter fell to 10-3, with its other two setbacks coming against small-school power Mabel O’Farrell Charter of Skyline.