Postseason-bound Foothillers smash

By Ramon Scott
Updated: October 26, 2026

Grossmont's Jamar McClendon, a junior, tries to elude Mount Miguel's grasp.

2026 EAST COUNTY PREP FOOTBALL

No. 13 GROSSMONT 49, MOUNT MIGUEL 30

EastCountySports.com

SPRING VALLEY — Grossmont finished its regular season with seven players reaching the end zone. Now the Foothillers wait to learn where they will begin the postseason.

Tyler Holmes threw three touchdown passes and ran for another in a 49-30 victory over Mount Miguel on Friday, Oct. 23, giving Grossmont consecutive league victories and 102 points over its final two games.

The Foothillers (7-3, 2-2 Grossmont Hills League) enter their idle week near the Division II–Division III playoff boundary. Their current position would place them atop the Division III field, but the final week’s results could move them into the lower seeds of Division II.

Against Mount Miguel, Grossmont demonstrated the offensive variety it will carry into that assignment.

Jackson Baird, Cedric Norris and Max Bewley caught Holmes’ touchdown passes. Jacob Fee, Kaiden Ong and Jamar McClendon joined their quarterback with rushing touchdowns.

Izzy Lewis led the defensive effort with 14 tackles and a fumble recovery, while Darion Crawford intercepted a pass.

Mount Miguel answered with five touchdown passes, including a 99-yard connection from Enrique Gonzalez to Traejon “Trae” Williams, but the Matadors could not overcome Grossmont’s scoring balance and special-teams opportunities.

The first of those opportunities came on Mount Miguel’s opening possession. A high punt snap led to a blocked kick, giving Grossmont the football at the Matadors’ 9.

Holmes finished the short drive with a 4-yard touchdown run, then kept again for the two-point conversion and an 8-0 lead with 10:12 remaining in the opening quarter.

Mount Miguel responded by taking the football away.

Norris carried tacklers on a reception before losing the ball, and Khyree Teartt was credited with the forced fumble and recovery. The Matadors took over at Grossmont’s 38, with a penalty advancing the football to the 16.

Gonzalez lofted a pass toward the right corner of the end zone, where Williams won a contested catch for Mount Miguel’s first touchdown. The extra-point attempt was blocked, leaving Grossmont ahead 8-6.

Baird supplied the next touchdown on a deflected pass.

Holmes threw into traffic with two Foothillers receivers nearby. A Mount Miguel defender tipped the football, but it traveled behind the defenders, where Baird went up and pulled it down. Holmes ran for his second two-point conversion, making it 16-6 with 35.9 seconds left in the quarter.

The Matadors again pulled within four during the second quarter.

Facing fourth-and-1 at the Grossmont 10, Gonzalez threw wide to the left to Da’King “DK” Smith. Smith secured the catch, broke a tackle near the 5 and walked into the end zone. The conversion pass fell beyond the intended receiver’s reach, leaving Grossmont ahead 16-12 with 7:52 remaining in the half.

Grossmont answered with a reverse.

Fee took a pitch moving left before handing to McClendon coming back toward the right. McClendon raced 24 yards for the touchdown, restoring a 22-12 lead with 6:07 left after an unsuccessful conversion attempt.

Later in the quarter, the Foothillers took over at Mount Miguel’s 43 following a turnover on downs. Fee broke loose to the 1, then finished the possession with a 1-yard touchdown run. The conversion pass was incomplete, and Grossmont took a 28-12 lead into halftime.

The Foothillers extended their advantage quickly in the third quarter.

Ong took a pitch to the left, reached the outside and beat the remaining defender for a touchdown with 9:30 remaining. Holmes kicked the extra point for a 35-12 lead.

Grossmont recovered the ensuing onside kick, and Holmes capitalized with a touchdown pass to Bewley, who made a leaping catch with 8:44 left. The Foothillers’ advantage reached 42-12.

Mount Miguel’s next possession produced its most spectacular answer.

The Matadors failed to pursue the deep kickoff and eventually recovered at their own 1. Gonzalez then connected with Williams down the left side for a 99-yard touchdown, turning difficult field position into six points and trimming the deficit to 42-18.

Holmes responded by rolling right and firing on the run to Norris, who made an excellent grab for a 9-yard touchdown. Grossmont’s lead reached 49-18.

Sophomore Noah Ramos directed another Mount Miguel scoring possession, throwing a 24-yard touchdown pass to Cayden “Prince” Mobley, who made an outstanding catch on the left side of the end zone.

Gonzalez returned at quarterback for the final scoring play, delivering a jump pass to Dominic Lopez for a 6-yard touchdown with 49.5 seconds remaining. The conversion failed, completing the 49-30 final.

Gonzalez finished 13-for-24 for 218 yards and three touchdowns, with one interception. Ramos completed 7 of 9 passes for 135 yards.

Mobley led Mount Miguel’s receivers with eight catches for 175 yards. Williams added two receptions for 114 yards and two touchdowns, while Smith caught three passes for 31 yards and a score.

Lopez contributed throughout the game, rushing 11 times for 47 yards, catching three passes and recording 17 tackles, including a tackle for loss. Tylan Young-Hall added 10 tackles, and Blue-Knight Johnson finished with six.

A prolonged second-quarter injury stoppage involved a lineman who initially was helped to his feet but could not leave the field. He was eased back to the ground, and an ambulance came onto the field.

The Matadors (2-6, 0-3) conclude their regular season Friday, Oct. 30, at Steele Canyon, with kickoff scheduled for 7 p.m. The Cougars (4-5, 0-3) also seek their first Hills League victory.

Grossmont’s regular-season work is complete, with consecutive victories giving the Foothillers a productive finish while the remaining games determine their playoff destination.

Mount Miguel will be the bottom seed in the Division 2 playoffs likely regardless of next week’s result.