Norsemen win again, raise expectations

By Ramon Scott
Updated: October 12, 2026

2026 EAST COUNTY PREP FOOTBALL

No. 19 VALHALLA 55, EL CAJON VALLEY 0

By Ramon Scott
EastCountySports.com

EL CAJON — Valhalla is thinking beyond a rebuilding season. The Norsemen want winning to become an expectation, their young playmakers to become familiar names and their program to command a more lasting place in the San Diego County football conversation.

Friday supplied another substantial contribution to the campaign, but because of the level of their competition in this transitional season, some pollsters still refuse to take their impact seriously.

Junior quarterback Adrian Wilson threw four touchdown passes, sophomore receiver T’Marrion Williams caught three of them and senior running back Jayden Hunter scored twice as Valhalla overwhelmed El Cajon Valley, 55-0, in a Grossmont Valley League game.

The Norsemen improved to 5-2 overall (7-0 on the field) and 2-0 in league, while the Braves slipped to 2-5 and 0-2. Valhalla is No. 19 in the latest ECS rankings.

For coach Jason Carter’s team, the confidence is understandable. Valhalla has opened league play by beating Monte Vista and El Cajon Valley by a combined 111-7.

There has been considerably more suspense over who would score next than over who would win.

The larger measure of the Norsemen’s progress will come as the Valley schedule unfolds. For now, they are handling the teams in front of them with an efficiency that leaves little room for an opponent to recover.

El Cajon Valley broke up a pass on its first defensive play. Valhalla soon found the opening it wanted, however, striking on a 50-yard touchdown reception by Williams down the right side.

That play introduced the principal problem for the Braves: the Norsemen could score from well outside the red zone, then finish possessions with their running game when the field shortened.

Hunter reached the end zone on a 4-yard run, followed by a successful two-point conversion pass to freshman AJ Wright. Wilson added a 1-yard touchdown run, and sophomore Camryn Conley caught a 23-yard touchdown pass.

Williams later elevated for a 7-yard touchdown reception from Wilson, displaying the ability to finish a play above a defender as well as race past one. He finished with five catches for 125 yards and three touchdowns.

Hunter’s second touchdown came on a 13-yard run. He gained 72 yards on eight carries, averaging 9 yards per attempt.

Wilson completed 9 of 15 passes for a reported 216 yards, with four touchdowns. Conley added three receptions for 54 yards, while Wright caught a 27-yard pass.

The defense made its own contribution to the scoring.

Wright intercepted a pass and returned it 35 yards for a touchdown, completing an evening in which he produced a reception, a two-point conversion and a defensive score.

Valhalla finished with three interceptions and seven sacks, keeping the Braves from mounting a scoring response.

Sophomore Kaleb Osoimalo led the pressure with three sacks. Chris Figueroa, Gabriel Lederer, Isaiah Steiner and James Shelton were each credited with one.

Conley and junior Amar’e Young joined Wright with interceptions. Young also led the Norsemen with six tackles, while senior Matthew French recorded two passes defended.

Valhalla scored seven offensive touchdowns and one defensive touchdown. Five successful PAT kicks and Wright’s two-point conversion completed the 55-point total.

For coach Syd Reed’s Braves, the defeat extended their league losing streak to 17 games. Their next opportunity comes at home against Monte Vista.

For Valhalla, the next assignment is to keep giving its growing expectations something concrete to stand on.

Young finishers

Much of Valhalla’s production Friday came from players with substantial high school football still ahead of them.

Williams and Conley are sophomores. Wright is a freshman. Wilson is a junior.

Together, those four accounted for all four receiving touchdowns, a rushing touchdown, an interception-return touchdown and a two-point conversion.

Williams supplied the biggest receiving night, but Conley’s work on both sides of the ball and Wright’s combination of offensive and defensive contributions demonstrated the range of Valhalla’s emerging personnel.

The Norsemen’s ambitions for the future have a practical foundation: several of the players producing these results will be returning.

Pressure and field position

The shutout came with assistance from more than the pass rush.

Senior Raed Alanewka recorded seven touchbacks on nine kickoffs, averaging 59.4 yards, repeatedly making El Cajon Valley start without a return.

Combined with seven sacks and three interceptions, that limited the Braves’ opportunities to manufacture a short field or change the game with one explosive return.

Alanewka also converted all three of his PAT attempts, while junior Alan Jalal added two successful PAT kicks. Those five points, AJ Wright’s two-point reception and Valhalla’s eight touchdowns accounted for the 55-point total.

Next: Santana offers first modest challenge

SANTANA (4-3, 0-2) at No. 19 VALHALLA (5-2, 2-0)
Friday, Oct. 16, 7 p.m. — Valhalla High
Grossmont Valley League

Valhalla returns home against a Santana team trying to halt a three-game losing streak after opening the season 4-0.

The Sultans fell 12-3 to West Hills in the Santee City Cup game Friday. Their defense kept that rivalry competitive, but their offense has scored only 10 points in two league games.

Quarterback Ethan Miller and receiver Kolten “Koko” Thornton give Santana a passing combination capable of testing Valhalla’s secondary. Running back Julian Mayers offers another route to sustaining possessions.

For Santana, protecting Miller and turning first downs into points will be essential against a defense coming off seven sacks.

For Valhalla, the assignment is to maintain its offensive balance while making Santana earn its yards. Williams stretches the coverage, Hunter supplies the running threat and Wilson can finish possessions through the air or on the ground.

The recent series favors the Norsemen. Valhalla won 31-14 in 2024 and 28-0 in 2025, taking the last two meetings after Santana won three consecutive encounters in 2020, 2021 and 2022.

Series notebook

The series history shows Valhalla with. a 19-17-1 series advantage, counting Santana’s awarded victory in a forfeited 1988 game.

Valhalla’s longest winning run was six consecutive meetings from 2001 through 2006, including two victories in 2005. The Norsemen beat Santana 47-7 in the regular season and 47-14 in the playoffs that year.

Santana’s longest official streak was four meetings from 1987 through 1990, including the 1988 forfeit. Its most recent victory was 48-6 at Valhalla in 2022.

Among the close finishes: a 6-6 tie in 1975, Valhalla’s 13-12 win in 1977 and its 17-16 victory in 2002.

Next: Monarchs visit Priest Field

MONTE VISTA at EL CAJON VALLEY (2-5, 0-2)
Friday, Oct. 16 — El Cajon Valley High
Grossmont Valley League

For El Cajon Valley, the next game offers a more attainable opportunity to change the direction of its league season, and more importantly, try to improve its chance at a postseason berth.

Monte Vista is a nearby rival facing its own difficult stretch. Both programs have already encountered Valhalla’s scoring power, and the Braves now need to convert a more competitive matchup into a sustained performance.

El Cajon Valley’s priorities begin with protecting the football and avoiding the negative plays that repeatedly interrupted possessions Friday. Receiver Amir Miller, who caught a touchdown pass against West Hills, provides one offensive option as the Braves seek a response.

Their 17-game league losing streak began after a 47-32 home victory over Mount Miguel in 2022. That season brought three league wins, their first such total since the 2005 CIF finalist team.

Series notebook

Monte Vista leads the all-time series 33-17-1 and has won the last three meetings: 24-14 in 2023, 40-12 in 2024 and 27-0 in 2025.

El Cajon Valley last defeated the Monarchs in 2022, following a 41-22 victory in 2021.

The Monarchs’ longest series winning streak was nine meetings from 1982 through 1995. The Braves won the first five meetings, from 1961 through 1965.

The lone tie was 6-6 in 1981. More recently, Monte Vista won five straight from 2016 through 2020 before the Braves answered with their consecutive victories.

Friday gives El Cajon Valley a chance to interrupt both its current league drought and Monte Vista’s recent control of this matchup.