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Knights, Matadors, Braves fall

2026 EAST COUNTY PREP FOOTBALL

Stewart Breaks Out as Knights Push Calipatria

CALIPATRIA 25, FOOTHILLS CHRISTIAN 22

EL CAJON — Foothills Christian did not come away with its first victory, but the Knights delivered their most encouraging performance of the young season Friday night.

Senior David Stewart rushed for 221 yards and two touchdowns on only 18 carries as Foothills Christian pushed Calipatria to the finish before falling 25-22.

Stewart averaged 12.3 yards per attempt, broke a 72-yard run and added 53 yards on four kickoff returns. His 274 all-purpose yards accounted for nearly two-thirds of the Knights’ 411-yard total.

Foothills Christian produced 346 yards from scrimmage and averaged 10.7 yards on its 23 rushing attempts. Sophomore Quentin Wardlaw added 25 yards on five carries.

Junior quarterback Hayden Oleson completed four passes for 100 yards and a touchdown. Sophomore Liam Dailey supplied the biggest play in the passing game, catching two passes for 81 yards, including a 69-yard touchdown. Jace Hilemon added a 14-yard reception, and Isaac Maisonet made a 5-yard catch.

The teams traded most of their scoring early before the defenses controlled much of the second half. Foothills Christian’s final total included a safety, helping produce the unusual 25-22 final.

The Knights also received a promising performance from a young defense stocked heavily with sophomores. Duke Houston, who was named Foothills Christian’s player of the game, led the unit with eight solo tackles and 11 overall.

Junior Wyatt Matlock recorded seven tackles and a quarterback hurry. Dailey and junior Drew Mikulsky made six tackles apiece, while Maisonet finished with five.

Junior JJ Hernandez registered the Knights’ lone sack, a 3-yard loss, and also was credited with three tackles and a quarterback hurry. Sophomore Jake Kern recovered a fumble and returned it 5 yards, while Maisonet and Dailey each forced a fumble.

Sophomore punter Rome Stewart averaged 35 yards on four punts, placing one inside the 20.

Foothills Christian fell to 0-2, but the three-point defeat represented a substantial step forward and gave the Knights several performances upon which to build.

Stewart’s Breakout Night

David Stewart’s 221 rushing yards were especially impressive because they came on just 18 attempts. He produced nearly nine times as many rushing yards as the rest of the Foothills Christian roster combined and accounted for two of the Knights’ three touchdowns.

Youth Shows on Defense

Eight of the 13 Foothills Christian players credited with a tackle were freshmen or sophomores. Houston, Dailey and Maisonet combined for 22 tackles, giving the Knights a productive young defensive core despite the loss.

Up Next

Foothills Christian travels to Orange Glen next week with an opportunity to earn its first victory. The Patriots are coming off a 42-0 loss to San Ysidro, giving the Knights a favorable matchup after their competitive showing against Calipatria.

Centurions’ quick strikes overwhelm Matadors

NO. 27 UNIVERSITY CITY 55, NO. 33 MOUNT MIGUEL 14

SAN DIEGO — University City turned an early gamble into immediate momentum and rolled past Mount Miguel 55-14 in a nonleague game Friday night.

No. 33 Mount Miguel went for a fourth down inside its own 35-yard line during the opening quarter, but No. 27 University City made the stop and cashed in with a 1-yard touchdown run.

The Centurions later broke a short pass into a 59-yard touchdown down the right sideline for a 20-0 advantage. A 31-yard touchdown pass contributed to a second-half surge that put University City ahead 48-14 before the final margin was established.

Thomas Dietrich threw for 287 yards and four touchdowns for the Centurions (2-0), while Deshaun Hille accumulated 103 yards and scored four times.

Cayden “Prince” Mobley supplied Mount Miguel’s biggest offensive spark with an 89-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. The Matadors also produced a takeaway when sophomore Jeiah Eister stripped the ball and Mobley recovered the fumble.

Mount Miguel (1-1) has a Week 3 bye before visiting unbeaten Torrey Pines on Friday, Sept. 11, at 7:15 p.m. The Falcons are 2-0 and have outscored their first two opponents 87-13, presenting another imposing nonleague test for the Matadors.

Barr has big play in Braves’ defeat

HILLTOP 45, EL CAJON VALLEY 6

CHULA VISTA — Rashaunn Barr broke loose for an 87-yard touchdown run, but El Cajon Valley could not overcome Hilltop’s fast start in a 45-6 nonleague loss Friday.

Barr took a counter sweep toward the right side, cleared the defense and raced to the end zone for the Braves’ first touchdown of the season. The senior finished with 90 rushing yards, while Amir Miller caught seven passes for 90 yards.

Hilltop built a 24-0 advantage before Barr’s touchdown and led 31-6 at halftime. Tre Nichols scored on a rushing play and a 41-yard punt return, Max Vaquero rushed for two touchdowns and Lajuan Johnson added another score for the Lancers (2-0). Hilltop’s defense recorded five sacks.

Despite the final margin, El Cajon Valley continued to create negative plays defensively. The Braves totaled 10 tackles for loss, an interception, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.

Senior Angel Perez led El Cajon Valley with seven tackles, four tackles for loss and a forced fumble. Jonathan Gonzalez and Janvier Kashindi each recorded five tackles and two tackles for loss. Gavino Kendall-Pinal added five tackles and an interception, while Marven Shmeka recovered a fumble.

Freshman Jaymirre Crawford contributed five tackles and one tackle for loss. Sophomore Tyrell Waters made four tackles, one for loss, and supplied two quarterback pressures.

Braves return home to face Canyon Hills

El Cajon Valley (0-2) will seek its first victory when it hosts Canyon Hills next week. The Braves lost 32-13 at Canyon Hills last season.

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