2026 EAST COUNTY PREP FOOTBALL
No. 16 CHRISTIAN 62, MONTE VISTA 27
By Ramon Scott
EastCountySports.com
SPRING VALLEY — Monte Vista had the lead, Daesean Jenkins had Christian chasing him, and the unbeaten Patriots had a real problem on their hands.
Julian Morones kept providing the solution.
The sophomore rushed for 313 yards on 15 carries and scored seven touchdowns overall, powering Christian to a 62-27 victory Friday night after the Monarchs twice took the lead in a competitive first half.
Morones scored five times on the ground, caught a 10-yard touchdown pass and supplied a defensive touchdown by stripping the quarterback, recovering the fumble himself and taking it to the end zone.
Christian improved to 5-0, turning a 28-21 halftime advantage into a runaway with a 34-point third quarter. Monte Vista fell to 2-3, but Jenkins gave the Monarchs four touchdowns and their most productive offensive performance since their 2-0 start.
For the Patriots, the breakthrough came behind an offensive line that repeatedly opened substantial running lanes. Morones averaged 20.9 yards per carry, and Christian finished with 395 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns on 24 attempts.
Those numbers eventually overwhelmed Monte Vista. They do not capture how much the Monarchs challenged Christian before halftime.
Jenkins opened the scoring with a 72-yard touchdown run. Morones answered with his touchdown reception, then added a scoring run of approximately 50 yards early in the second quarter to put Christian ahead, 14-7.
Monte Vista responded with consecutive touchdowns. Jenkins scored from a yard out to tie it, then caught a touchdown pass that gave the Monarchs a 21-14 lead.
Morones’ third touchdown brought Christian even. Monte Vista threatened again, with another long reception by Jenkins helping move the ball into Patriots territory, but a missed field goal left the game tied.
Christian made the remaining time count.
With about a minute available, the Patriots moved downfield through a series of quick passes before Morones finished the possession with a 26-yard sweep. The extra point gave Christian a seven-point halftime lead.
Then Morones changed the game on both sides of the ball.
He opened the second-half scoring with a touchdown run of approximately 19 yards, extending the margin to 35-21. On the ensuing Monte Vista possession, he hit the quarterback as he prepared to throw. The ball came loose and went backward; Morones scooped it up and returned it approximately 20 yards for his sixth touchdown.
The conversion failed, leaving Christian ahead, 41-21.
Jenkins kept the Monarchs within reach with another 1-yard touchdown run, his fourth score of the night. The missed extra point left Monte Vista trailing, 41-27.
Morones answered with his longest run of the game, a 62-yard touchdown that made it 48-27 after the kick. He had scored each of Christian’s first seven touchdowns.
The Patriots finished the third-quarter surge with two more rushing scores. Logan Saathoff intercepted a pass before Kai Rosier scored on a 15-yard run. Sophomore Taj Carrillo, an El Capitan transfer, added the final touchdown and finished with 67 yards on eight carries.
Morones rested with the game in hand. Neither team scored in the fourth quarter.
Joel Hardy IV handled the passing duties, as the Patriots felt comfortable going with him as the starter.
The sophomore had 12 completions in 17 attempts for 89 yards. Connor Nguyen led the receivers with six catches for 59 yards, while Rosier added two receptions for 26 yards.
Defensively, Kayne Hubbard led Christian with 12 tackles, followed by Xander Molina with 11. Saathoff had seven tackles in addition to his interception.
Christian heads into Eastern League play unbeaten. Monte Vista enters its Grossmont Valley League schedule with an encouraging offensive response — and considerable work ahead defensively.
Seven touchdowns, with the seventh coming on defense
Julian Morones’ seven-touchdown night was a performance of power and speed. The distinction is in the categories.
Morones had five rushing touchdowns and one receiving touchdown. That accounts for six offensive scores. His strip-sack fumble return, supplied the seventh. He could’ve had more, but the Patriots were able to get in more reps with the lopsided score.
Morones’ scoring sequence:
- First: 10-yard touchdown reception, tying the game at 7-7 after the extra point.
- Second: Touchdown run of approximately 50 yards, giving Christian a 14-7 lead after the kick.
- Third: Rushing touchdown, tying the game at 21-21 after the kick.
- Fourth: 26-yard sweep, giving Christian a 28-21 halftime lead after the kick.
- Fifth: Touchdown run of 19 yards, extending the lead to 35-21 after the kick.
- Sixth: Strip sack and 20-yard fumble return, making it 41-21 following a failed conversion.
- Seventh: 62-yard touchdown run, extending the lead to 48-27 after the kick.
Morones had 15 carries for 313 yards. His 10-yard reception brought his rushing-and-receiving total to 323 yards, separate from the defensive return.
Jenkins gives Monarchs a threat for the league season
Daesean Jenkins made sure Monte Vista’s part in this game was more than the final margin.
The Monarchs had produced just eight points across consecutive losses to Morse and Rancho Buena Vista. Coming off a bye, they scored 21 in the first half against unbeaten Christian and held leads of 7-0 and 21-14.
Jenkins supplied all four Monte Vista touchdowns: runs of 72, 1 and 1 yards, plus a touchdown reception. He also made another long catch during a second-quarter possession that ended with a missed field goal.
His impact was clear from the scoring sequence.
His opening sprint immediately gave the Monarchs a big play to build on. His two second-quarter touchdowns demonstrated that Monte Vista could answer after Christian moved in front. And his final short scoring run brought the Monarchs back within 14 points in the third quarter.
That production matters heading into league play. Monte Vista showed it can create scoring opportunities through Jenkins both on the ground and through the air. Sustaining those possessions and giving the offense more chances with defensive stops becomes the next step.
Running lanes, a second sophomore and Hubbard’s dozen
Morones was the headliner, but Christian’s rushing production extended beyond his 313 yards.
Taj Carrillo averaged 8.4 yards on eight carries, gained 67 yards, broke a 30-yard run and scored the Patriots’ final touchdown. Kai Rosier scored on his only recorded rushing attempt, a 15-yarder.
Together, the three runners produced 395 yards at 16.5 yards per attempt. The consistent openings up front allowed Christian to keep gaining ground after Morones left the game.
On defense, sophomore Kayne Hubbard earned Christian’s defensive player-of-the-game recognition with 12 tackles, including four solo stops. Xander Molina followed with 11 tackles, five solo.
Logan Saathoff and Jaden Jones each had seven tackles, and Caleb Brierley added five. Saathoff’s interception set up the Rosier touchdown that stretched the lead to 55-27.
Morones received the team’s overall and offensive player-of-the-game honors. He also was credited with Christian’s only sack.
Up next: Unbeaten Patriots meet San Diego
SAN DIEGO (1-4, 1-0 Eastern) at CHRISTIAN (5-0, 0-0)
Saturday, Oct. 3, 7 p.m. — Christian
Christian has completed its nonleague schedule without a loss. Its Eastern League opener brings an opponent whose record looks less imposing than its most recent performance.
San Diego defeated Scripps Ranch, 35-6, for its first victory and a 1-0 start in league play. The Cavers will arrive with a conference win already secured while Christian begins its league schedule.
Quarterback Jayden Harris completed 13 of 17 passes for 165 yards and three touchdowns in that victory. Kye Cooper contributed 12 tackles, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery, while Xavier Wilson also made 12 tackles. Delontay Williams supplied 104 yards of total offense.
That gives Christian several concerns beyond simply reproducing its rushing success.
The Patriots will need to pressure Harris without allowing San Diego’s playmakers easy opportunities downfield. Monte Vista demonstrated that explosive plays can put Christian in an early chase; reducing those openings would help the Patriots control the game before halftime.
Offensively, Christian has fresh evidence that it can build around Morones without asking him to do everything. Hardy completed better than 70 percent of his attempts against Monte Vista, Nguyen supplied six catches, and Carrillo gave the running game another productive option.
Ball security will matter against a San Diego defense coming off Cooper’s two forced fumbles. Christian’s line and Morones provide an obvious starting point, but the Patriots’ ability to finish possessions without giving the Cavers a short field could be just as significant.
Christian has outscored its first five opponents 191-56. San Diego has been outscored 116-91, but its league record gives the Cavers a different starting point for October.
Up next: Monte Vista takes Jenkins’ momentum into Valley opener
MONTE VISTA (2-3, 0-0 Grossmont Valley) at VALHALLA (3-2, 0-0)
Friday, Oct. 2, 7 p.m. — Valhalla
Monte Vista begins Grossmont Valley League play with a clearer picture of what its offense can do — and what its defense must repair.
The Monarchs’ four-touchdown effort against Christian was a substantial improvement over their previous two games. Jenkins gave them an explosive rushing threat, a scoring target through the air and a short-yardage finisher.
The next assignment requires those strengths to help keep another productive offense off the field.
Valhalla’s leaders include running back Jayden Hunter, quarterback Adrian “AJ” Wilson and receiver AJ Wright. Monte Vista cannot afford to allow the repeated running lanes that helped Christian average 16.5 yards per carry. Better tackling and more resistance near the line of scrimmage are essential to keeping the Monarchs’ offense within striking distance.
Sustained possessions would help, too. Jenkins can change the score in one play, but Monte Vista also needs drives that consume time and reduce the number of opportunities available to Valhalla.
The Norsemen’s defensive leaders include Gideon Hypes and Adrian Rojo-Hernandez. Creating room for Jenkins while finding complementary production will be central to Monte Vista’s chances.
Valhalla is listed at 3-2 following a reported forfeit victory over St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy. Details of that result were not available. Its official record also reflects the previously reported forfeitures of its first two games, so the Norsemen are 3-2 this season, but three of their games are the results of forfeits, although they have actually played four on-field games.
Both teams begin league play at 0-0. For Monte Vista, the opportunity is to turn Friday’s offensive improvement into a more complete performance before its three-game losing streak extends into the games that determine the Valley standings.
Christian 7 21 34 0 — 62 Monte Vista 7 14 6 0 — 27
