Cougars stock victory in Hills prep

2026 EAST COUNTY PREP FOOTBALL

No. 19 STEELE CANYON 35, CIVICA (NV) 12

By Ramon Scott
EastCountySports.com

SPRING VALLEY — One touchdown required Josiah Stocker to roll over a would-be tackler without going down. Another required him to outrun the coverage while his quarterback bought enough time to launch the football.

CIVICA had trouble finishing the job against him either way.

Stocker caught seven passes for 185 yards and three touchdowns, and Gavin Caha threw four touchdown passes as No. 19 Steele Canyon defeated visiting CIVICA of North Las Vegas, 35-12, Friday night.

The Cougars improved to 4-2 with their third consecutive victory, completing their nonleague schedule before opening Grossmont Hills League play at Granite Hills. CIVICA fell to 4-2.

A week after finding just enough offense and several decisive defensive plays to escape Dorsey, 28-26, Steele Canyon produced 405 total yards against the Wolves.

Caha completed 13 of 24 passes for 282 yards, with four touchdowns and one interception. He also rushed for 47 yards on five carries, giving the senior quarterback 329 yards of total offense.

Stocker supplied the largest share of the passing production, averaging more than 26 yards per reception.

His first touchdown was also the night’s most unusual.

With 1:29 remaining in the first quarter, Stocker appeared to have been stopped near the 48-yard line. Instead, he rolled across the defender’s body without a knee touching the turf, regained his footing and broke loose down the sideline.

The Cougars missed the extra point, and their advantage disappeared on the ensuing kickoff.

Bakari Wilson returned the kick 86 yards for a CIVICA touchdown, slipping through the coverage before escaping down the right side. The Wolves’ return tied the score at 6-6 before their conversion attempt.

Steele Canyon subsequently found another opening through its formation.

Cameron Trujillo caught a 21-yard touchdown pass from Caha, working from the middle of a three-receiver set on the left. Trujillo settled a few yards downfield and turned to receive the pass. When he turned back upfield, no defender was close enough to prevent the score.

The Cougars kept the deception going on the conversion.

With Joel Rodriguez handling the ball in a swinging-gate formation, Steele Canyon left its initial alignment to the left while Rodriguez moved right. When a defender committed to stopping him, Rodriguez tossed to the open Trujillo for two points.

Trujillo had accounted for all eight points – an octopus – on the touchdown and conversion, giving Steele Canyon a 14-6 lead.

Stocker and Caha delivered another explosive connection with 1:21 remaining before halftime.

From an inside slot in a four-man diamond formation to the left, Stocker sprinted down the left side. Caha moved right to escape pressure, then fired deep just before reaching the line of scrimmage.

Stocker caught the ball inside the CIVICA 30, behind the defender, and finished a 68-yard touchdown.

He finished the night with three scoring receptions. Trujillo caught Caha’s other touchdown pass, and Steele Canyon added a rushing score to complete its five-touchdown performance.

Marcus Hunt carried 17 times for 75 yards, giving the Cougars a steady complement to their passing game. Steele Canyon finished with 123 rushing yards, averaging 5.3 yards per attempt.

Trevor Zenno added two receptions for 21 yards.

Rodriguez contributed well beyond the conversion play, collecting two interceptions for the Cougars.

The victory gave Steele Canyon consecutive wins over El Capitan, Dorsey and CIVICA. Now comes a considerably steeper assignment: taking that progress on the road against the defending Hills power.

Stocker stays on his feet

The first Stocker touchdown deserves more than a routine entry in the scoring summary.

The senior receiver appeared to be tackled near midfield, but the defender beneath him kept him from touching the ground with a body part that would have ended the play.

Stocker rolled over the top, recovered his balance and accelerated down the sideline.

It was an unusual combination of awareness, body control and persistence — and the first of three touchdown catches in a 185-yard evening.

His 68-yard score before halftime offered a different example of the same finishing ability. This time, he separated from the coverage and gave Caha a deep target while the quarterback extended the play.

Eight points, two interceptions

Cameron Trujillo scored a touchdown and caught the ensuing two-point conversion, completing the combination sometimes called an “octopus.”

His touchdown came from a three-receiver alignment that left him uncovered. His conversion came after Joel Rodriguez drew a defender toward the ball and released a pass to him.

Rodriguez also intercepted two CIVICA passes, making him a contributor to both the Cougars’ scoring and their defensive stops.

Next: Granite Hills

Steele Canyon (4-2, 0-0) at Granite Hills (4-2, 1-0)
Friday, Oct. 9, 7 p.m. — Granite Hills Stadium

Steele Canyon’s winning streak has restored momentum. Its Hills opener will test how much of that improvement can survive against a team with considerably more offensive firepower.

The Eagles, No. 6 entering last Friday, have already opened league play with a victory over Grossmont. The Cougars will be playing their first Hills game.

Zac Benitez, Courtney Miller-Thompson and Gage Spalding give Granite Hills several ways to punish a defense. Benitez can move the ball through the air, Miller-Thompson can turn a completion into a major gain, and Spalding makes it difficult to devote too much attention to the passing game.

Steele Canyon’s best route to a competitive evening begins with possession.

The Cougars are physical enough to make Granite Hills work. Hunt’s running and Caha’s ability to move the chains with his legs can help them sustain drives, reduce the Eagles’ opportunities and create manageable passing situations.

That must become consistent production, however. A few long completions will help, but repeated short possessions would leave the defense facing too many snaps against Benitez.

Stocker gives Steele Canyon a receiver capable of winning a matchup and changing field position quickly. Trujillo and Zenno provide additional options. The Cougars will need those answers while protecting Caha from pressure and avoiding turnovers.

Defensively, keeping the Eagles in front of them is essential. Granite Hills can score quickly enough to undo several minutes of good work with one missed assignment or tackle.

Steele Canyon has earned a better outlook through three consecutive victories. This remains a very tall order on the road, with Granite Hills reasonably viewed as a three- to four-touchdown favorite.

The Cougars can make portions of the game competitive through physical play and sustained drives. Doing it for four quarters against the Eagles is the challenge.

No meeting in 2007 or 2014.

Steele Canyon holds a 13-10 series advantage, but Granite Hills has won the last four meetings by a combined 153-17. The Cougars last defeated the Eagles, 21-20, in 2021.

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