Norris, Foothillers make name in opener

2026 EAST COUNTY PREP FOOTBALL

GROSSMONT 34, MADISON 7

Hiller junior Norris scores three touchdowns as Foothillers answer early deficit with 34 consecutive points

SAN DIEGO — Cedric Norris entered Grossmont’s season opener largely unknown outside the Foothillers’ program.

Three touchdowns later, the junior wide receiver had formally introduced himself.

Norris caught two touchdown passes from quarterback Tyler Holmes, scored another on a direct snap and added a two-point conversion as Grossmont erased an early deficit and rolled past Madison, 34-7, on Friday night.

“I feel like this really was a breakout game for me because I didn’t play varsity last year, so nobody really knew about me too much,” Norris said. “I tried to show out and make a statement that I’m on the team now.”

It was an emphatic statement by Norris—and by a Grossmont team entering its first season back in the Grossmont Hills League.

The Foothillers surrendered the opening touchdown when Adrian Sola scored on a 19-yard run, but answered with 34 consecutive points and kept Madison out of the end zone for the remainder of the night.

Holmes completed the comeback with his arm and legs, passing for 168 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for 57 yards and another score.

Norris accounted for three of Grossmont’s five touchdowns in three different ways.

“It was a very tough game in the beginning,” Norris said. “Once we scored and started getting a lead, we started having momentum. We started playing how we should.”

Foothillers quickly regain control

Madison’s early touchdown forced Grossmont to respond, and Holmes did so with a 5-yard scoring run with 1:14 remaining in the first quarter.

The Foothillers attempted a two-point conversion, but the pass was intercepted, leaving Madison in front, 7-6.

Norris said the early stages featured plenty of emotion and talking between the teams. Grossmont’s turnaround began once the Foothillers redirected their attention toward their assignments.

“We’ve got to do less talking and play more through our actions,” Norris said. “After that, we really started focusing, doing our jobs and getting our work done.”

Grossmont moved ahead early in the second quarter after converting a fourth down with a 10-yard gain. Holmes followed with an 8-yard run to the Madison 1.

That set up the first scoring opportunity for Norris.

The junior went in motion, shifted behind center and accepted a direct snap before walking into the end zone untouched. Holmes flipped a pass to Jackson Baird for the two-point conversion, giving Grossmont a 14-7 lead with 9:59 remaining in the half.

The goal-line package was designed to take advantage of Norris’ previous experience at quarterback.

“It’s a new play that we just installed just for me since I used to play quarterback,” Norris said. “It worked pretty well.”

Norris spent most of his youth football career with the El Cajon Braves before arriving at Grossmont, aside from one season with El Capitan when he was 11.

His first varsity touchdown reception came later in the second quarter when Holmes found him for a 7-yard score with 3:03 remaining.

Norris nearly added the ensuing conversion, making a catch near the boundary, but officials ruled that he did not complete the play inbounds.

Grossmont still was not finished.

Junior running back Jacob Fee broke the final tackle on a 37-yard touchdown run through the middle with 1:05 left, extending the Foothillers’ halftime advantage to 26-7. Fee finished with 83 rushing yards and a touchdown.

Norris finishes the breakthrough

Norris completed his three-touchdown performance late in the third quarter on the game’s most memorable play.

After making the reception, Norris fought through multiple attempted tackles and continued toward the end zone despite Madison defenders grabbing at his legs. as he dragged defenders for 10 yards. Grossmont returned to Norris for the successful two-point conversion, completing the scoring at 34-7.

“They had one leg, but I have a rule: I can’t go down off the first guy,” Norris said. “I had to keep fighting for those yards.”

Although Holmes and Norris produced the headline plays, Norris emphasized that the offensive performance went beyond their connection.

“It wasn’t the plan, but as long as we made stuff work,” Norris said. “Tyler was doing excellent throwing the ball and getting out of the pocket. I feel like we all did well together and played as a team.”

Grossmont’s defense backed the offense by shutting out Madison over the final three quarters.

Nate Clark led the Foothillers with seven tackles, intercepted a pass and broke up two others. Izzy Lewis recovered a fumble.

Norris also credited Jonah Yos, defensive back Jamar McClendon and Grossmont’s defensive front for closing running lanes and containing the edges.

Madison managed 259 yards, including 155 on the ground, but could not convert that production into points after its opening possession. Sola led the Warhawks with 79 yards on 11 carries, while quarterback Xandar Minnich completed 8 of 19 passes for 104 yards with an interception.

Foothillers earn some attention

Madison entered the opener with the more established reputation. Norris said Grossmont recognized the perceived difference entering the matchup.

“We knew Madison was ranked higher than us—or ranked at all,” Norris said. “We felt like we needed to show that we should be on there, too, and show that we could really play against people.”

Norris admitted that even some teammates might not have anticipated his immediate impact.

“I think I did surprise my teammates, too,” he said. “A lot of them didn’t expect me to have what I have in me. I feel like I showed how much potential I have to everyone.”

After one night, Norris no longer qualifies as Grossmont’s secret weapon.

The Foothillers will return home Friday to face La Jolla, which opened its season with a 35-30 loss to Patrick Henry. Grossmont’s players entered the season carrying a bad taste from last year’s result against the Vikings, making the rematch another early measuring point.

La Jolla demonstrated that it can score, but Grossmont will bring a defense that allowed only one touchdown at Madison and an offense that produced balance between Holmes, Fee and its newly revealed playmaker.

Norris’ approach to receiving a larger role remains uncomplicated.

“As long as I get open,” he said, “I should be able to get the ball.”

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