Powers’ late kick keeps trophy home

By Ramon Scott
Updated: October 17, 2026

Elijah Arzu, of El Capitan, is defended. by Marcus Leath, of West Hills. / Vic Marano

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2026 EAST COUNTY PREP FOOTBALL

No. 37 EL CAPITAN 24, No. 24 WEST HILLS 23

By Ramon Scott
EastCountySports.com

LAKESIDE — Ryder Powers had watched the game slip away, watched his teammates bring it back within reach and now stood one kick from giving El Capitan a homecoming finish nobody in the packed stands would forget.

Twenty-eight yards. A one-point deficit. The Tony Burner Memorial Trophy waiting on the outcome.

Powers sent it through.

His field goal with 7.6 seconds remaining lifted El Capitan to a 24–23 victory over West Hills on Friday, ending a remarkable exchange of fourth-quarter blows and leaving the Vaqueros alone atop the Grossmont Valley League.

“It was a great moment and I’ll never forget it,” Powers said during the ECS postgame show. “I’ll cherish it for the rest of my life.”

With members of El Capitan’s 2006 team attending their 20-year reunion, the current Vaqueros supplied a game worthy of another gathering years from now.

El Capitan appeared positioned to close it out, lost a fumble on a potential game-sealing run, surrendered a touchdown and two-point conversion, then drove into field-goal range in the final minute.

West Hills had its own remarkable comeback: a touchdown run erased by holding, a fourth-down failure, a desperate chase and forced fumble, then a poised scoring drive by senior quarterback Evin Dill that put the Wolf Pack ahead with 1:08 remaining.

Neither team played a spotless game. Both produced exceptional plays when the stakes were highest.

El Capitan improved to 4–4 overall and 3–0 in league. West Hills fell to 6–2 and 2–1, joining Valhalla one game behind after the Norsemen lost to Santana, 20–19.

The Vaqueros became the first team in the rivalry to win the Tony Burner Memorial Trophy three consecutive years.

“Everyone picked West Hills to win but we had different ideas,” Burner said afterward.

Two minutes that changed everything

El Capitan led 21–15 when West Hills threatened to take control late in the fourth quarter.

Dill broke a 25-yard run that would have carried the Wolf Pack to the Vaqueros’ 5, but holding wiped it out. Ethan Soule, with pressure from Colton Kidd on the play, followed with a crucial sack. Soule received the credit for the five-yard loss.

An incomplete fourth-down pass gave El Capitan possession with 2:24 remaining.

Then Anthony Mattar broke into the open.

The senior, making his season debut after an injury, already had scored twice. Now he was racing toward what looked like the run that would finish West Hills.

E.J. Lee-Fields refused to let it end.

The Wolf Pack senior chased Mattar down from behind and punched the ball loose. Markus Leath recovered and returned it to the West Hills 34, giving Dill another opportunity with 2:08 left.

Dill needed little time.

A screen to Christian Rosolino carried West Hills into El Capitan territory. A completion to Leath moved the ball to the 23. Then, after briefly bobbling a snap, Dill gathered himself and fired down the left side to Rene Varela Ugalde, who was stopped just short of the goal line.

Dill finished the possession with a 2-yard touchdown run at 1:08, tying the game, 21–21.

With kicker Bryce Robertson injured earlier in the game, West Hills again went for two. Rosolino took the ball across on a play moving to the right, putting the Wolf Pack ahead, 23–21.

From a fourth-down stop that seemed to settle matters to a West Hills lead, the game had turned completely around.

There was still one more turn coming.

Passanisi answers

An unsportsmanlike-conduct penalty following the kickoff pushed El Capitan back deep in its own territory.

Junior quarterback Hayden Passanisi responded with the composure the moment demanded.

Elijah Arzu climbed for a catch near the 35. Another completion helped move the Vaqueros across midfield, and Passanisi found Arzu again at the West Hills 37 with 24.1 seconds remaining.

Two pass-interference penalties against the Wolf Pack advanced El Capitan to the 11.

Powers had his opportunity.

“I would probably say my range is about like 45 yards solid,” Powers said. “It was great that they got closer.”

The senior converted the 28-yard attempt, completing an evening in which he also made all three extra points.

West Hills managed one final Dill completion to Varela Ugalde, but the clock expired with the Vaqueros ahead.

Passanisi finished 8 of 11 for 130 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions.

“Tonight Hayden had the hot hand,” El Capitan coach Shaun McDade said. “He showed a lot of maturity today.”

The final possession supplied the clearest evidence.

“That last drive, some of those throws he made showed he’s really growing up,” McDade said.

Moffatt, Mattar trade early scores

Before the frantic finish, sophomore Xavier Moffatt gave West Hills two first-half touchdowns.

On the first, El Capitan brought pressure and Dill answered with a strong throw downfield. Moffatt broke inside, caught the ball near the 10 and finished a 40-yard touchdown reception for a 7–0 lead with 3:30 left in the first quarter.

Arzu immediately changed the field with a long kickoff return, officially credited at 60 yards.

Mattar finished the ensuing possession with a 6-yard touchdown run, and Powers tied it, 7–7, with 1:22 remaining.

Mattar scored again on a 1-yard plunge with 9:04 left in the second quarter, putting El Capitan ahead, 14–7.

West Hills answered with a 25-yard Moffatt touchdown run on a deceptive backfield play. Lee-Fields added the two-point conversion, giving the Wolf Pack a 15–14 lead with 4:40 remaining before halftime.

Moffatt finished with 39 rushing yards on two carries and the 40-yard touchdown reception.

Mattar carried nine times for 64 yards and two touchdowns, giving El Capitan another productive option alongside Michael Castillo, who gained 61 yards on 12 carries.

The late fumble was a painful ending to Mattar’s long run, but it did not erase what his return brought to the offense.

“He’s a great guy, great player,” Powers said.

Field position, defense set the stage

The third quarter passed without a score as penalties interrupted El Capitan possessions and both teams fought to escape difficult field position.

Dill, handling punting duties after Robertson’s injury, had pinned El Capitan at its own 1 late in the first half.

Kidd and junior Ford Seymour later returned the favor. Kidd’s punt was downed by Seymour near the West Hills goal line late in the third quarter, forcing the Wolf Pack to work out of its own end.

McDade singled out Seymour’s contribution beyond that play.

“He’s been kind of a rotation guy and really came in and stepped up for us today,” McDade said.

West Hills senior Mike Ware supplied important pass coverage, including a third-quarter breakup. Zack Waters finished with eight tackles, three tackles for loss and a sack. Lee-Fields also had eight tackles, while Leath and Anthony Torres each recorded six.

El Capitan finally reclaimed the lead with 9:19 remaining.

Passanisi faked to Mattar and delivered to Arzu, who broke a tackle and completed a 16-yard touchdown reception. Powers’ extra point made it 21–15.

Arzu finished with six receptions for 103 yards, adding 32 rushing yards, the 60-yard kickoff return and an eight-yard punt return for 203 all-purpose yards.

El Capitan’s defense was led by sophomore Robinson Silva, who recorded 13 tackles, two tackles for loss and a fumble recovery. Powers and Soule each had eight tackles. Mateo Sanchez added seven tackles and a forced fumble.

Dill completed 11 of 18 passes for 183 yards and a touchdown, while rushing 18 times for 76 yards and another score. Varela Ugalde caught six passes for 77 yards, and Leath added two receptions for 36 yards.

West Hills held a 325–281 advantage in total offense.

El Capitan held the trophy.

“Couldn’t be more proud of my team tonight,” Burner said. “They battled all game, overcame adversity and won the game on a last second field goal.”

Powers gives Vaqueros more than the winning kick

The field goal will be the lasting image, but Ryder Powers’ contribution extended well beyond the final seconds.

The senior finished with eight tackles and a pass defended, made all three extra points and delivered the winning field goal.

For Shaun McDade, Powers also serves as an extension of the coaching staff.

“He’s kind of like having another coach out there on the field,” McDade said.

The two communicate before and after practice about what they see and how the defense should respond. That understanding matters in games with as many sudden changes as Friday’s.

Powers also understood the setting: homecoming, a packed Lakeside crowd, a rivalry trophy and returning players from the 2006 team.

“I really love this sport,” he said. “I love playing it. I love doing it for everybody.”

McDade said the atmosphere reflected the community behind the program.

“Lakeside shows up for its own. That’s for sure,” he said.

Wolf Pack’s resilience nearly produces its own classic

For West Hills, the final score obscured how much the Wolf Pack overcame to get within seconds of a rivalry victory.

An early injury to Bryce Robertson changed the kicking operation. Evin Dill took over punting duties, and West Hills successfully converted two-point tries after each of its final two touchdowns.

Sophomore Xavier Moffatt supplied two scores. Rene Varela Ugalde repeatedly gave Dill a dependable target. Markus Leath contributed downfield catches and the recovery that revived West Hills’ chances.

And E.J. Lee-Fields’ pursuit of Anthony Mattar created one of the game’s defining plays.

With El Capitan threatening to run out the clock, Lee-Fields chased down the runner and punched the ball free. It was the difference between watching the game end and handing Dill another possession.

Dill then drove West Hills to the lead, overcoming a bobbled snap along the way before scoring himself.

The Wolf Pack’s late penalties proved costly, particularly the holding call that erased Dill’s long run and the pass-interference flags on El Capitan’s winning possession.

But the response to each setback demonstrated why West Hills remains a contender.

Even from the opposing sideline, Powers recognized Dill’s influence.

“He’s grown into a varsity quarterback,” Powers said. “He got a lot better.”

LOOKAHEAD: El Capitan controls its path

El Capitan vs. El Cajon Valley — Friday, Oct. 23, 7 p.m.

The Vaqueros return home with sole possession of first place and an opportunity to move to 4–0 in league before their regular-season finale against Valhalla.

El Cajon Valley enters 2–6 overall and 0–3 in league, following a 56–6 loss to Monte Vista. El Capitan will be heavily favored, but its immediate assignment is to turn Friday’s emotional victory into another complete performance.

Mattar’s return strengthens a backfield already receiving steady production from Castillo. Passanisi’s accurate passing against West Hills gives the Vaqueros another reason to feel their offense is coming together.

McDade credited the blockers for helping make that possible.

“The offensive line was outstanding,” he said.

Avoiding the penalties that interrupted promising possessions remains an important part of the next step.

LOOKAHEAD: West Hills faces another contender

West Hills vs. Valhalla — Friday, Oct. 23

West Hills returns home for another game with direct championship implications.

The Wolf Pack and Valhalla are both 2–1 in league, with the Norsemen 5–3 overall after their 20–19 loss to Santana. Each needs a victory to maintain pressure on El Capitan and preserve its strongest route to a share of the championship.

The matchup looks considerably closer after Friday’s results. West Hills showed it could trade big plays with the league leader, while Santana demonstrated that Valhalla’s explosive start to league play had not put the Norsemen beyond reach.

For the Wolf Pack, the priorities are clear: recover emotionally, address the availability of Robertson and eliminate the penalties that proved so expensive in Lakeside.

Dill, Moffatt, Varela Ugalde, Leath and Lee-Fields give West Hills ample reason to believe its most important football is still ahead.