EAST COUNTY FEARLESS FORECASTER – Week 11

2026 EAST COUNTY PREP FOOTBALL
FEARLESS FORECASTER — WEEK 11

Grossmont Hills, Valley championships on the line Friday

Three league championships are on the line, and two of East County’s biggest rivalries carry the weight of the regular season’s final Friday.

Granite Hills visits Helix seeking a fifth consecutive Grossmont Hills League title, while the resurgent Highlanders aim to reclaim the championship for the first time since 2021.

At Valhalla, El Capitan can finish its unbeaten run through the Grossmont Valley League and claim the crown outright — or the Norsemen can force a share and celebrate just the second league championship in program history, their first since 2009.

Foothills Christian supplies a third championship showdown, hosting O’Farrell Charter at El Cajon Valley High School with the outright Sunset League title at stake — a remarkable opportunity one season removed from a 1-9 finish.

Elsewhere, Steele Canyon hosts Mount Miguel with both seeking their first Hills League victory

West Hills visits Monte Vista with playoff positioning and the Monarchs’ postseason survival in play.

Santana hosts El Cajon Valley seeking a third straight win and a possible home playoff date.

Christian visits newly energized Scripps Ranch looking to halt a four-game slide.

And Mountain Empire returns from two idle weekends to challenge appointed Desert League champion Palo Verde Valley in a potential Division V-AA postseason preview.

Eagles’ championship run meets a resurgent Helix

No. 3 GRANITE HILLS (7-2, 3-0) at No. 7 HELIX (7-2, 3-0)
Friday, Oct. 30, 7 p.m. — Helix High School, La Mesa
Grossmont Hills League championship

For generations, an East County football team measuring its championship potential eventually had to measure itself against Helix.

Now the Highlanders must measure their return against Granite Hills.

The Eagles arrive in La Mesa seeking a fifth consecutive Grossmont Hills League championship, carrying four straight section titles and the experience of a program that has repeatedly found its best football when the stakes rise.

Helix arrives with the same record, the same unbeaten league mark and its strongest opportunity in several seasons to reclaim the championship.

After consecutive losing seasons, Damaja Jones’ Highlanders have returned to a familiar position near the top of the county. Their final regular-season assignment is proving that their resurgence extends all the way to the team that has taken control of the conference.

Both teams are 7-2 overall and 3-0 in league. Neither needs help to win the outright title.

For Helix, the opportunity comes at home. For Granite Hills, another championship requires going through a rival that looks considerably more capable of resisting than it did the past two seasons.

The championship standard has changed hands

Kellan Cobbs has built a remarkable run at Granite Hills.

The Eagles won the Division II section championship and a state Division II-A title in 2022, captured the section’s Open Division championship in 2023, then added Division I section titles in 2024 and 2025.

Those four seasons produced 46 victories, four section championships and a 16-0 league record.

That achievement places Cobbs alongside Jim Arnaiz in section championship count. Arnaiz coached Helix to titles in 1978, 1980, 1982 and 1998, establishing a standard that helped define East County football across decades.

Cobbs has matched those four championships in four consecutive seasons.

The distinction matters. Helix’s long history of championship football remains its own substantial legacy, while Granite Hills has assembled a sustained postseason run that belongs prominently in any discussion of the conference’s finest stretches.

Friday gives the Highlanders a chance to interrupt it.

A rivalry that has produced more than comfortable wins

Granite Hills has won the past four meetings, but the beginning of that streak required considerably more than a routine performance.

The Eagles escaped 46-44 in four overtimes in 2022, then won 44-43 in double overtime in 2023. Granite Hills followed with a 35-21 victory in 2024 and a 40-14 win last season.

Helix last defeated Granite Hills in 2021, winning 49-35, the season of the Highlanders’ most recent league championship.

Jones has brought Helix back into contention. Beating Granite Hills would give his program the league breakthrough that has remained beyond its reach during the Eagles’ current run.

The recent margins suggest Granite Hills established separation. This season’s results suggest Helix has narrowed it.

Benitez brings another late-game answer

Granite Hills enters after a victory that illustrated why championship experience deserves consideration in a close matchup.

Trailing previously unbeaten San Jacinto, 13-6, the Eagles needed a touchdown and another decision.

Senior quarterback Zachary Benitez delivered both.

Benitez threw a 16-yard touchdown pass to junior Jonah Hamilton with 1:58 remaining, then ran for the winning two-point conversion in a 14-13 road victory.

The finish came after an evening in which the Eagles had to work for nearly every offensive opportunity.

Benitez completed 16 of 28 passes for 222 yards, with one touchdown and two interceptions. Sophomore Manny Walker caught five passes for 116 yards, while senior Courtney “Nino” Miller-Thompson added three receptions for 56 yards.

Hamilton finished with six catches for 46 yards, including the touchdown that gave Granite Hills its chance to win.

Those contributions demonstrate the assignment facing Helix. Miller-Thompson remains the Eagles’ leading receiving threat, averaging 97.7 yards per game, but concentrating too heavily on him creates opportunities elsewhere.

Walker supplied the largest gains last week. Hamilton supplied the decisive catch.

Benitez has enough options to make the Highlanders defend the entire passing game.

Helix has weapons of its own

Senior quarterback Caden Thompson has helped give the Highlanders the offensive consistency they needed to return to championship contention.

Against Steele Canyon last week, Thompson passed for 207 yards and two touchdowns and ran for two more in a 42-14 victory.

Jacob “J.J.” Andrew-Johnson caught six passes for 115 yards and a touchdown. Jeremy Robinson caught a touchdown pass and returned a fumble for another score.

Junior running back Stephon Fuentes added 60 yards on 11 carries and a touchdown, continuing to provide the Highlanders with an established rushing option.

Helix can ask Thompson to distribute the ball, use Fuentes to sustain possessions and turn to Andrew-Johnson or Robinson when it needs a larger play. Donte Wright supplies another rushing option.

The balance is significant against an Eagles defense that has shown how quickly it can change a game.

Helix does not need to chase an explosive completion on every possession. It needs enough productive early downs to keep its full offense available.

Seven takeaways are a warning

Granite Hills forced seven turnovers at San Jacinto, including three interceptions by junior Ty Spencer.

Daeveon Brown and Jaylen Smith also intercepted passes. Jesse Wilhite and Gio Giovannu recovered fumbles.

Those plays allowed the Eagles to remain within reach while their offense struggled to finish drives.

Sophomore defensive lineman Kolton Hopkins led Granite Hills with eight tackles and received credit for five quarterback hurries. Jamir Alvarez, Cayden Phillips and Romeo Pepi added seven tackles apiece.

Helix cannot assume it will receive many possessions without encountering pressure, a contested throw or a defender attacking the football.

The Highlanders supplied their own defensive evidence against Steele Canyon. They kept the Cougars scoreless in the first half and built a 28-0 lead before Steele Canyon broke through.

Their ability to pressure Benitez while limiting the receivers’ room after the catch will be central Friday.

Rushing yards could make difference

Granite Hills averages 249.6 passing yards and 75.9 rushing yards per game. Helix averages 158.9 through the air and 138.9 on the ground.

The Eagles’ passing advantage is clear. So is the value of giving Benitez some rushing support.

San Jacinto held Granite Hills to 42 rushing yards on 32 attempts. Senior Gage Spalding accounted for 37 yards on 17 carries.

Against Helix, even modest improvement could help the Eagles avoid asking Benitez to solve repeated long-yardage situations.

For the Highlanders, Fuentes’ production can serve another purpose: extending possessions and reducing the number of opportunities Granite Hills receives.

Neither team needs to dominate the ground game to benefit from it.

A successful third-and-short, a run that produces second-and-manageable or a rushing touchdown inside the 10 could be particularly valuable in a game this close.

Kicking game belongs in discussion

Senior Jacob Nunez made field goals of 26 and 43 yards at San Jacinto, accounting for all six Granite Hills points before the late touchdown.

His longer kick came as the first half expired, following a Spencer interception and a quick completion to Hamilton.

The Eagles’ last victory required those points. Friday could demand the same attention to field position, protection and finishing a possession with something on the scoreboard.

In a rivalry that recently produced consecutive overtime games, the special teams cannot be treated as an afterthought.

Championship first, postseason next

The teams enter next to each other in the supplied section computer rankings, with Helix sixth and Granite Hills seventh.

The Eagles have the recent championship résumé, while the Highlanders have played well enough to make this a serious test on their home field.

The current playoff formula has both Helix and Granite Hills out of the Open Division playoff picture, however, the winner of the game will get a significant boost in their rating. Still, it seems more likely that the teams will both qualify in Division I.

The playoff projections place both in Division I, with an opening home game likely forboth in the eight-team field. A victory would strengthen the winner’s position, while any opportunity to reach the four-team Open field would also depend on results of the teams above them in the final ratings.

The immediate reward requires no calculation.

Friday’s winner is the outright Grossmont Hills League champion. And that’s all that matters this week.

Fearless Forecaster

Helix has earned the right to make this difficult.

Thompson’s improved command, Fuentes’ emergence and the receiving ability of Andrew-Johnson and Robinson give the Highlanders enough offense to challenge Granite Hills throughout the evening.

Their defense has also supplied considerably more resistance than the records of the previous two seasons might lead an opponent to expect.

But the Eagles have repeatedly demonstrated that they can function when a game becomes uncomfortable.

Last week, that meant surviving a demanding road assignment, relying on their defense and kicking game, then trusting Benitez to produce the winning touchdown and conversion.

Helix can move the ball and make the championship remain in doubt deep into the fourth quarter. Granite Hills’ receiving options, defensive playmakers and experience in deciding possessions provide a narrow advantage.

The Highlanders are back in the championship conversation. The Eagles still get the final word… GRANITE HILLS 31, HELIX 28

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Vaqueros seek outright crown; Norsemen seek place in history

No. 28 EL CAPITAN (5-4, 4-0) at No. 34 VALHALLA (6-3, 3-1)
Friday, Oct. 30, 7 p.m. — Valhalla High School, Rancho San Diego
Grossmont Valley League

At the beginning of the season, El Capitan at Valhalla looked like a possible championship game.

After West Hills and Santana each took a turn influencing the race, that is exactly what the regular-season finale has become.

The Vaqueros have already guaranteed themselves a place on the championship line. The Norsemen have one opportunity to join them.

El Capitan wins, and the Grossmont Valley League title belongs to the Vaqueros alone. Valhalla wins, and the teams share it at 4-1.

For El Capitan, Friday offers another chance to finish a league season unbeaten under Ron Burner.

For Valhalla, a victory would produce something considerably rarer: the program’s second varsity football league championship and its first since 2009.

Seventeen years is a long time between banners.

A familiar destination for Burner

El Capitan’s September record did not suggest an undefeated run through October.

The Vaqueros entered league play 1-4, having dealt with injuries and an offense that was still trying to establish continuity.

They have since won four consecutive games, combining a healthier lineup with the defense and physical play that have become familiar features of Burner’s teams.

Their league results tell the story: 19-7 over Santana, 56-0 over Monte Vista, 24-23 over West Hills and 41-0 over El Cajon Valley.

Only West Hills has scored more than one touchdown against them.

The Vaqueros have allowed 30 points in four league games, with 23 coming against the Wolf Pack. Their other three opponents combined for seven.

The West Hills victory also brought home the Tony Burner Memorial Trophy, making a last-second decision particularly meaningful to the program.

That game demonstrated something Friday may require again: El Capitan can survive a close contest without abandoning the approach that put it in position to win.

Nine league championships, another outright opportunity

Burner’s championship record extends well beyond the current Valley League race.

Including the share already secured this season, he has guided El Capitan to nine league titles across the Grossmont Conference’s changing alignments.

His earlier championships came in 2006, 2008 and 2009 in the Grossmont North; 2010, 2020, 2022 and 2024 in the Valley; and 2014 in the Hills. The 2010 and 2020 crowns were shared.

The 2014 team also won the section Division II championship, while his 2024 team captured Division IV and advanced to a state championship game.

Those accomplishments give the Vaqueros a substantial foundation. Friday’s players still must earn the outright title themselves, but their program knows what championship preparation requires.

Valhalla has new prosperity to accomplish

The Norsemen’s only previous league championship came under Steve Sutton in 2009, when they finished 5-0 in the Grossmont South.

Friday would produce a shared title rather than an outright championship. Its importance to Valhalla would nevertheless be considerable.

First-year head coach Jason Carter arrived with experience helping build Lincoln’s championship program under David Dunn. His work there included developing players and helping sustain an offense capable of producing against the county’s strongest opponents.

At Valhalla, Carter has the opportunity to establish that kind of expectation in his own program.

A revamped roster and several dangerous skill players changed the Norsemen’s outlook immediately. A championship would give that change a lasting place in school history.

It could also provide an early indication of what Carter’s program might become beyond this season.

League play supplied the resistance

Valhalla’s early results made the Norsemen difficult to evaluate.

They overwhelmed opponents, regularly building leads before the games had developed much competitive rhythm. Their official record also became complicated by two forfeit losses and a forfeit victory over St. Pius X–St. Matthias.

The Norsemen enter Friday 6-3 officially, despite losing only once on the field.

That defeat came against Santana, which arrived at Valhalla having lost its first two league games and left with a 20-19 victory.

The result changed the championship race. It also required Valhalla to respond against another contender.

The Norsemen did so last Friday, winning 38-24 at West Hills to preserve their opportunity to share the title.

They could not recover the outright championship they had surrendered control of against Santana. They could make certain Friday still mattered.

Wilson gives the Norsemen ways to attack

Junior quarterback Adrian Wilson passed for 323 yards and two touchdowns against West Hills, giving Valhalla the downfield production it needed in a game that remained competitive into the fourth quarter.

Sophomore Camryn Conley scored three touchdowns, illustrating the versatility that makes the Norsemen difficult to contain.

Jayden Hunter supplies another major rushing and receiving threat, while sophomore T’Marrion Williams gives Wilson a receiver capable of changing field position quickly.

Valhalla can create problems without requiring a lengthy series of successful plays. A missed tackle, a defender losing leverage or a receiver getting behind coverage can become a touchdown.

El Capitan’s assignment is making the Norsemen earn more of those yards in smaller portions.

The Vaqueros do not have to eliminate every explosive play. They must prevent those plays from becoming the defining feature of the evening.

Passanisi’s return helped settle El Capitan

Junior quarterback Hayden Passanisi has regained continuity since returning from injury, giving the Vaqueros a more settled offense during their league run.

His ability to make timely throws matters against a Valhalla defense that cannot be allowed to concentrate entirely on the run.

Michael Castillo provides an established rushing option, while Elijah Arzu gives El Capitan a player who can create a large gain through the air or with the ball delivered to him in space.

Arzu’s speed is particularly important in this matchup.

The Norsemen have enough offensive talent to make El Capitan defend across the field. The Vaqueros need to impose some of the same responsibility on Valhalla.

If Passanisi can connect with his receivers and the offensive line can keep El Capitan out of repeated long-yardage situations, the visitors have enough offense to win.

They do not need to turn Friday into a track meet.

Trenches could favor Vaqueros

El Capitan’s clearest path begins with controlling the line of scrimmage.

The Vaqueros can help their defense by sustaining rushing possessions, limiting Valhalla’s opportunities and keeping Wilson on the sideline.

Defensively, early-down success would allow El Capitan to make the Norsemen work through longer passing situations rather than choose freely from their offense.

That is where the visitors’ physical approach could have its greatest effect.

Valhalla, however, must avoid allowing patience to become passivity. The Norsemen have the players to attack, and their best opportunities may come before El Capitan establishes the kind of game it prefers.

The contrast should make the opening possessions revealing.

Series supplies another challenge

El Capitan has won the past five meetings, most recently 42-0 in 2024. The Vaqueros also won 35-9 in 2023, 45-0 in 2022, 42-7 in 2021 and 28-6 in the shortened 2020 season.

Valhalla last defeated El Capitan in 2019, winning 28-20.

The programs did not meet last season.

Those results establish the recent direction of the series, but Carter’s current team presents a different collection of challenges from the Valhalla teams the Vaqueros previously faced.

Friday is the Norsemen’s opportunity to demonstrate how much has changed.

Different postseason positions, same goal

The playoff projections place Valhalla fifth in Division III and El Capitan eighth in Division IV.

For the Norsemen, a victory would strengthen their case to move up and receive a first-round by in the. 12-team field, although results elsewhere and the final calculations will determine whether they can reach that group, otherwise they would host a first-round game.

El Capitan’s projected position puts the Vaqueros near the line between hosting an opening-round game and traveling. An outright league championship would give them a strong finish while they try to improve that placement.

The championship possibilities are much simpler: El Capitan is already a champion, and Valhalla must beat the Vaqueros to become one.

Fearless Forecaster

There are sound reasons to take El Capitan.

The Vaqueros have won every league game, have allowed only 30 points in those four victories and have a coach with extensive experience preparing teams for championship opportunities.

Their strength at the line of scrimmage could decide this game.

But Valhalla has enough speed and offensive versatility to make that advantage difficult to sustain for four quarters. Wilson’s production against West Hills showed the Norsemen can respond after a disappointing result, and Hunter, Conley, and Williams give him several ways to create another answer.

The home field helps. So does the opportunity to turn a promising first season under Carter into something the program has experienced only once before.

Expect El Capitan to make Valhalla earn it, with Passanisi and Arzu helping the Vaqueros remain a threat to take the championship outright.

One more offensive finish gives the Norsemen their share… VALHALLA 24, EL CAPITAN 23

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Cougars seek finish that carries into November

MOUNT MIGUEL (2-6, 0-3) at No. 23 STEELE CANYON (4-5, 0-3)
Friday, Oct. 30, 7 p.m. — Steele Canyon High School, Spring Valley
Grossmont Hills League

Steele Canyon has spent October facing the strongest part of its league schedule.

The Cougars have one more opportunity to turn that experience into a victory before the postseason.

Mount Miguel arrives with the same immediate objective: avoid finishing winless in Grossmont Hills League play and carry something encouraging into November.

Both teams are 0-3 in league, having lost to Granite Hills, Grossmont and Helix. Their circumstances, however, suggest different expectations for Friday’s regular-season finale.

Steele Canyon has demonstrated enough against quality opponents to enter as a substantial favorite. Mount Miguel has retained enough speed and receiving talent to make careless possessions costly.

For the Cougars, the assignment is finishing drives and preventing the Matadors’ occasional explosive plays from becoming a sustained challenge.

Steele Canyon’s record requires context

A 4-5 record does not fully explain the Cougars’ season.

Their losses have come against Santa Fe Christian, Eastlake, Granite Hills, Grossmont and Helix. Santa Fe Christian remains unbeaten, Eastlake is 8-1, and the Eagles and Highlanders will settle the Hills championship Friday.

Steele Canyon also owns victories over San Diego and El Capitan, two teams playing for outright league championships in their finales.

Those results demonstrate that the Cougars can compete beyond the impression created by their league record.

The disappointment is that they have not converted October’s opportunities into a win.

Steele Canyon scored 42 points at Grossmont two weeks ago but surrendered 53. Last Friday, Helix controlled the game early and won 42-14.

The Cougars now face an opponent against whom they should have more room to establish their offense.

Caha needs drives that finish

Senior quarterback Gavin Caha has supplied much of Steele Canyon’s offensive production, whether throwing from the pocket, extending a play or carrying the ball himself.

He averages 194.3 passing yards and 226.4 total yards per game.

His recent performances also illustrate how sharply the assignment can change from week to week.

Caha threw for 433 yards against Grossmont, then completed 14 of 18 passes for 93 yards and a touchdown against Helix. He added 40 rushing yards against the Highlanders.

Steele Canyon was stopped on downs five times in the Helix game, repeatedly losing opportunities to extend possessions or produce points.

Against Mount Miguel, the Cougars need to turn favorable situations into sustained drives and touchdowns.

They have receiving options to help.

Josiah Stocker averages 53 receiving yards per game. Trevor Zenno supplies another downfield target, while Cameron Trujillo enters after making two outstanding touchdown catches against Helix.

Trujillo finished that game with seven receptions for 73 yards and two scores.

One required an impressive adjustment and footwork near the boundary. The other came on a 32-yard pass from senior Luke Rode, who took a turn at quarterback after intercepting a Helix pass.

The Cougars have players capable of finishing difficult plays. Friday should give them opportunities to make more routine offensive work productive as well.

Hunt can help establish control

Marcus Hunt provides Steele Canyon’s principal rushing complement, averaging 55.4 yards per game.

He gained 130 yards and scored three touchdowns against Grossmont before being limited to 29 yards on 10 carries against Helix.

A productive running game would give the Cougars more control over Friday’s tempo.

Mount Miguel must respect Caha’s mobility and the receivers’ ability to stretch the field. If Hunt can consistently gain yards between those threats, Steele Canyon can avoid repeatedly relying on a demanding third- or fourth-down conversion.

The Cougars do not need another high-volume passing night to win.

They need enough balance to keep Mount Miguel from making the game depend on a handful of possessions.

Matadors have players who can escape

Mount Miguel’s difficulties have not removed its ability to produce a spectacular play.

Against Grossmont, Enrique Gonzalez found Traejon “Trae” Williams for a 99-yard touchdown, turning a possession that began at the Matadors’ 1 into an immediate score.

Williams finished with two catches for 114 yards and two touchdowns.

Junior Cayden “Prince” Mobley supplied the largest receiving contribution, catching eight passes for 175 yards, including a touchdown.

Sophomore quarterback Noah Ramos completed 7 of 9 passes for 135 yards, giving the Matadors another productive passing contribution alongside Gonzalez.

Da’King “DK” Smith added a touchdown catch, and sophomore David Watt remains a threat whenever he finds open space.

Those players give Steele Canyon reason to maintain its coverage discipline even if the Cougars establish an early lead.

Mount Miguel does not necessarily need a long drive to answer a touchdown. Its challenge is producing enough successful possessions between the explosive plays.

Lopez carries a substantial load

Senior Dominic Lopez continues to contribute wherever Mount Miguel needs him.

Against Grossmont, Lopez rushed 11 times for 47 yards, caught three passes, scored on a short reception and recorded 17 tackles, including a tackle for loss.

His involvement illustrates both his value and the pressure on the Matadors.

Mount Miguel needs enough offensive possession time to reduce the number of snaps its defense must handle. It also needs more defenders sharing the responsibility of stopping an opponent with several ways to attack.

Tylan Young-Hall added 10 tackles against Grossmont, while Khyree Teartt forced and recovered a fumble.

Those individual plays created opportunities. The Matadors need to combine them with more consistent defensive finishes.

Special teams cannot provide another short field

Mount Miguel’s opening possession against Grossmont ended with a high punt snap and blocked kick, giving the Foothillers the ball at the Matadors’ 9.

Later, Grossmont recovered an onside kick and quickly added another touchdown.

Those sequences made a difficult defensive assignment considerably harder.

The Matadors cannot afford to give Steele Canyon the same assistance.

Secure snaps, clean exchanges and handling kickoffs must accompany whatever improvement Mount Miguel produces on offense and defense.

For the Cougars, pressure from players such as Luke Rode, who averages 8.1 tackles per game, can help create favorable field position without requiring an offensive possession to begin deep in their own territory.

The recent series belongs to Mount Miguel

These teams resumed their series in 2024 after not meeting since 2015.

Mount Miguel won 57-35 in 2024 and 28-21 last season. Steele Canyon won the 2015 meeting, 24-14.

The Cougars therefore have something to reverse Friday beyond their current league losing streak.

The Matadors’ recent victories reflected a program that had climbed from Valley League competition into Hills contention. This season has brought a much more difficult adjustment, but the players who remain still have an opportunity to extend that series success.

Division II is current postseason picture

The supplied playoff projections place Steele Canyon tenth and Mount Miguel twelfth in Division II.

Both positions would mean opening on the road, with neither team currently projected near the four first-round byes.

Mount Miguel’s placement requires an explanation beyond its record. The Matadors began in Playoff Pool I, and the one-division downward limit keeps them from falling below Division II under the format.

That restriction explains their projected division; it does not make their likely first-round assignment easier.

Steele Canyon would also benefit from a more confident finish before taking on a higher-seeded opponent.

Friday offers a chance to improve positioning and performance, even though the final brackets remain unsettled.

Fearless Forecaster

Mount Miguel can create scoring plays. Its receivers demonstrated that against Grossmont, and Steele Canyon cannot assume a difficult season has eliminated the Matadors’ speed.

But the Cougars have the more complete offensive foundation, a quarterback capable of making plays through the air and on the ground, and a schedule that has already tested them against several strong teams.

Expect Caha to find more room than he had against Helix, Hunt to supply useful rushing production and Steele Canyon’s receivers to create enough separation to finish drives.

The Matadors produce a few answers. The Cougars produce more consistent possessions and take their first league victory into the postseason… STEELE CANYON 38, MOUNT MIGUEL 14

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Wolf Pack seek strong finish; Monarchs seek another week

No. 38 WEST HILLS (6-3, 2-2) at MONTE VISTA (3-6, 1-3)
Friday, Oct. 30, 7 p.m. — Monte Vista High School, Spring Valley
Grossmont Valley League

West Hills spent the past two weeks trying to remain in the Grossmont Valley League championship race.

The Wolf Pack’s final regular-season assignment carries a different kind of postseason importance.

A victory at Monte Vista would give West Hills a 7-3 finish, a winning league record and a stronger opportunity to protect its projected place among Division IV’s four first-round bye teams.

Monte Vista could be playing for another game.

The Monarchs enter near the postseason qualification line, making Friday an opportunity to strengthen their case rather than wait on results elsewhere. A loss would leave them vulnerable.

Those circumstances should keep West Hills’ attention on the opponent in front of it.

So should the recent series.

The Wolf Pack escaped 7-6 at home last season. On their previous visit to Monte Vista, in 2024, the Monarchs won 42-21.

West Hills has the stronger season résumé. It also has ample reason to recognize that a trip to Spring Valley requires a complete performance.

Two losses, plenty of competitive football

The Wolf Pack’s championship opportunity ended with consecutive defeats against El Capitan and Valhalla.

Neither game suggested West Hills had become an easy opponent.

El Capitan needed a field goal with 7.6 seconds remaining to win 24-23. Last Friday, West Hills led Valhalla during each of the first three quarters before falling 38-24.

The Wolf Pack pulled within 26-24 in the fourth quarter against the Norsemen and remained one possession behind until a late interception helped Valhalla finish the game.

For head coach Casey Ash, the task is preserving that competitiveness while correcting the mistakes that kept West Hills from finishing.

Four interceptions against Valhalla supplied too many opportunities to an offense capable of turning a short field into points.

Against Monte Vista, protecting possessions could be as important as creating explosive plays.

Dill remains the starting point

Senior quarterback Evin Dill repeatedly kept West Hills moving against Valhalla.

He rushed 21 times for 105 yards and a touchdown, adding 170 passing yards and two touchdowns for 275 yards of total offense.

His mobility gives the Wolf Pack an answer when a passing play breaks down and another option in short-yardage situations.

Monte Vista must account for that running ability without allowing West Hills’ receivers to work behind the defense.

Sophomore Xavier Moffatt demonstrated the danger last week.

Moffatt caught three passes for 114 yards, including an 81-yard touchdown, and added 40 yards on three rushing attempts.

His 154 yards from scrimmage gave the Wolf Pack a substantial contribution beyond the quarterback position.

Senior Zack Waters also caught a touchdown pass, working into the end zone as Dill rolled right and delivered the ball.

West Hills has enough ways to move the football. Its priority is making those gains produce possessions that end with points rather than turnovers.

Monte Vista can make ground game difficult

The Monarchs’ record places them behind the Valley League’s leading group, but their rushing attack remains capable of making an opponent work.

Daesean Jenkins and Braeden Sillie give Monte Vista runners who can turn a missed tackle or an open crease into considerably more than a modest gain.

Jenkins demonstrated that ability two weeks ago against El Cajon Valley, rushing for 172 yards and two touchdowns and adding a 73-yard punt-return touchdown. Sillie contributed 153 rushing yards and a score.

The Monarchs followed that victory with a 35-18 loss to Santana, but their running game continued to demand attention.

West Hills cannot afford to pursue the football carelessly or assume that containing a play initially guarantees a short gain.

For Monte Vista, sustained rushing success would accomplish more than improving its yardage total. It could shorten the game, limit Dill’s possessions and keep the Monarchs within reach into the second half.

That is a realistic route to an upset.

Wolf Pack defenders work to finish

West Hills received substantial individual defensive production against Valhalla.

E.J. Lee-Fields led the Wolf Pack with 13 tackles. Anthony Torres added 12 and received credit for two forced fumbles, while Markus Leath finished with 11 tackles and five passes defended.

Waters supplied seven tackles, two tackles for loss and two sacks.

Those players will be central to controlling Monte Vista’s early-down rushing attempts.

The Monarchs become more difficult to defend when they can repeatedly create manageable second and third downs. West Hills needs enough stops near the line of scrimmage to make Monte Vista work outside that preferred rhythm.

The Wolf Pack also must finish tackles after contact.

A sound first step against Jenkins or Sillie means little if the runner escapes the initial defender and reaches the next level.

The series offers a useful warning

Recent meetings have produced dramatically different outcomes.

West Hills won 41-6 at Monte Vista in 2021 and 41-21 at home in 2022. The Monarchs answered with their 42-21 home victory in 2024, before the Wolf Pack survived last season’s 7-6 decision.

Monte Vista also shut out West Hills 35-0 in 2018 and 42-0 in 2019.

There is little in that sequence to support treating Friday as an automatic result based on the standings.

The Wolf Pack have experienced both comfortable victories and difficult evenings against this opponent. Their immediate responsibility is making sure the current team’s stronger overall season becomes an advantage on the field.

A bye would change November assignment

The supplied playoff projections place West Hills fourth in Division IV.

That position matters because the division’s top four seeds receive first-round byes.

A victory would strengthen the Wolf Pack’s opportunity to remain in that group. An upset loss could leave them exposed to movement around the cutoff.

For a program still seeking its first playoff quarterfinal victory, the distinction carries additional significance.

A bye would put West Hills directly into a quarterfinal. Winning that game would produce the semifinal appearance that has remained beyond the program’s reach.

That opportunity belongs to November. Friday’s work comes first.

Monte Vista faces a more immediate question: whether its season continues at all.

The Monarchs are near the projected qualification line. A fourth victory would substantially strengthen their position; a loss would make their fate more dependent on the final ratings, available berths and results elsewhere.

Neither team should need a championship banner on the line to recognize the importance of the finale.

Fearless Forecaster

Monte Vista has enough rushing ability to make this more competitive than the computer projections suggest.

The Monarchs are at home, have a reason to play with urgency and have recently shown that they can make West Hills uncomfortable.

But the Wolf Pack’s overall performance has been stronger. Dill supplies the most dependable offensive foundation in the matchup, Moffatt gives West Hills an explosive complement, and the defense has enough experienced contributors to produce the necessary stops.

Expect Monte Vista to create some substantial gains and remain involved.

West Hills protects the ball more effectively than it did against Valhalla, finishes enough possessions and takes a seven-win regular season into the playoff selections… WEST HILLS 27, MONTE VISTA 17

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EL CAJON VALLEY (2-7, 0-4) at No. 31 SANTANA (6-3, 2-2)
Friday, Oct. 30, 7 p.m. — Santana High School
Grossmont Valley League

The championship will be decided elsewhere, but Santana still has something worth bringing home Friday night.

A postseason game, for starters.

The Sultans enter their regular-season finale against El Cajon Valley seeking a third consecutive victory, a seven-win season and an opportunity to improve their position in the projected Division IV playoff field.

Currently sitting around the visiting side of the first-round bracket, Santana could strengthen its case for a home assignment with a victory. An El Capitan loss at Valhalla could help that pursuit, although the final ratings and results elsewhere will determine where the Sultans land.

For the Braves, the postseason possibilities are considerably narrower. An upset would keep their hopes alive, but even that might not be enough. El Cajon Valley finished its nonleague schedule 2-3, leaving the Braves little room to absorb the difficulties that followed in league play.

Santana finds its finishing kick

Three consecutive losses interrupted Santana’s 4-0 start, but coach Tim Estes has his team moving forward again.

The Sultans followed their 20-19 upset at Valhalla with a 35-18 victory at Monte Vista, showing different ways to win consecutive road games.

Against the Monarchs, senior quarterback Ethan Miller completed 12 of 16 passes for 160 yards and two touchdowns. But he had company directing the passing attack.

Ethan Smith threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to senior Brenden Varner, then caught a 58-yard scoring pass from sophomore Landen Braaksma. Miller found senior Denton Goar and sophomore Alex Markevicz for the other passing touchdowns.

Junior Julian Mayers supplied a 59-yard touchdown run, giving Santana five different touchdown scorers.

That variety should present a substantial challenge for a Braves defense that has spent too much of the last two weeks defending short fields.

Santana’s defensive pursuit has also helped restore its momentum. Dillon Timanus recorded 14 tackles against Monte Vista, while juniors Tatum Morehouse and Cameron Cipro added 13 apiece. Senior Kolten Thornton contributed 10, and senior Ethan Toth supplied two tackles for loss and a sack.

Braves seek something to build on

El Cajon Valley comes off losses of 56-6 to Monte Vista and 41-0 to El Capitan.

The Braves were without their usual starting quarterback last week, with Maddox Virgen handling snaps. Virgen also contributed defensively, breaking up a fourth-down pass against the Vaqueros.

With the lineup unsettled, El Cajon Valley is getting opportunities to evaluate additional players.

The immediate challenge is establishing enough offense to sustain possessions. El Capitan held the Braves to minus-44 yards, according to the Vaqueros’ coaching staff, repeatedly forcing El Cajon Valley into difficult down-and-distance situations.

Familiar opponents, different destinations

The programs have maintained a friendly rivalry, even as Santana has generally controlled the recent results.

The Sultans won 21-14 last season, a reminder that this matchup has not always followed expectations. Santana also won 41-0 in 2024, 26-6 in 2022 and 36-12 in 2021.

This time, Santana has the more settled offense, more scoring options and a clear postseason incentive.

The Sultans should establish control early and carry a three-game winning streak into November… SANTANA 49, EL CAJON VALLEY 7

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Patriots seek a home playoff date

No. 39 CHRISTIAN (5-4, 0-4) at SCRIPPS RANCH (1-8, 1-3)
Friday, Oct. 30, 7 p.m. — Scripps Ranch High School
Eastern League

Christian has spent October trying to rediscover the winning formula that carried the Patriots through September.

Scripps Ranch finally found its own last Friday.

That makes this regular-season finale considerably more interesting than the Falcons’ record might suggest.

Christian enters with four consecutive losses after opening 5-0, but the Patriots still have a postseason ahead of them. A victory could improve their projected Division III position enough to bring a first-round game home, although that opportunity also depends on results elsewhere.

Scripps Ranch sits near the bottom of the projected Division III field, but its first victory supplied something the Falcons had been missing: evidence that their persistence could produce a finish.

Their 47-43 home victory over University City gives first-year coach John Taylor a chance to close the regular season with consecutive wins.

Falcons find their offense

Scripps Ranch’s breakthrough came with production from several directions.

Ian Campbell carried 21 times for 126 yards and three touchdowns against University City, while Rylan Dickey turned five carries into 66 yards and two scores. Together, they supplied 192 rushing yards and five touchdowns.

Quarterback Nolan Cooper complemented that ground game by completing 9 of 13 passes for 135 yards and two touchdowns. Brady Boskin caught both scoring passes, finishing with two receptions for 43 yards.

That balance makes the Falcons a more demanding assignment than their eight losses might suggest. Christian must contain the running game without allowing Cooper and Boskin to turn limited passing opportunities into touchdowns.

Fabian Garcia also contributed a sack and a blocked punt among his three tackles, adding another way for Scripps Ranch to change a game.

Patriots seek a reset

Christian’s league schedule has exposed the limitations of an offense working through uncertainty at quarterback.

Whether Caleb Runkle can return remains to be seen. The Patriots have continued developing their younger options, but producing consistently against their league opponents has been difficult.

Sophomore Julian Morones remains central to Christian’s chances. His ability to create offense on the ground gives coach Patrick Bugg a dependable starting point, particularly in a game where sustained possessions could keep the Falcons’ offense on the sideline.

The Patriots need to finish drives and avoid giving Scripps Ranch additional possessions through turnovers or special-teams mistakes.

Christian has already demonstrated it can win a close game against this opponent. The Patriots escaped Scripps Ranch with a 16-15 victory last season. In their previous meeting in 2023, however, the Falcons won 37-0.

A narrow nod

Taylor inherited a program with substantial recent accomplishments under longtime coach Marlon Gardinera, including section and state championships in 2021 and a Division II semifinal appearance last season.

The Falcons’ recent results provide more immediate reasons for Christian to be cautious.

Scripps Ranch lost by 14 at St. Augustine, a closer margin than Christian’s 42-20 defeat against the Saints last week. The Falcons then beat a University City team that defeated the Patriots, 47-27.

Common opponents offer support for Scripps Ranch, and its newly productive offense makes a second victory entirely plausible.

Still, Christian has the stronger overall season and a chance to enter the postseason with renewed confidence. Morones gives the Patriots a way to control stretches of the game, and a slightly more efficient finish could be enough.

Expect another nervous ending between these teams.

FEARLESS FORECAST: CHRISTIAN 24, SCRIPPS RANCH 23

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RedHawks return with something to prove

MOUNTAIN EMPIRE (5-3, 1-1) at PALO VERDE VALLEY (7-2, 3-0)
Friday, Oct. 30, 7 p.m. — Palo Verde Valley High School, Blythe
Desert League — Homecoming

BLYTHE — Mountain Empire cannot bring home a Desert League championship Friday night. It can still demonstrate why its season might end with a different trophy.

In just two seasons, coach Cameron Keller has restored stability, winning football and postseason expectations to the RedHawks. Their trip to Palo Verde Valley offers another measure of that progress against a league champion they could encounter again in November.

Keller inherited a program coming off a 1-9 season and immediately guided Mountain Empire to a 9-3 finish and a Division V-AA semifinal appearance in 2025. With five victories already this fall, the RedHawks have secured consecutive winning seasons under his direction.

Now they return from two idle weekends with an opportunity to improve their playoff position and challenge one of their division’s leading contenders.

Weather changed the stakes

The cancellation of Mountain Empire’s Southwest El Centro game because of high winds removed an opportunity to make this finale a championship showdown.

Even a victory Friday would leave the RedHawks 2-1 in league, behind Palo Verde Valley and Vincent Memorial in total league victories.

The Yellow Jackets have already secured at least a share of the championship. A victory would complete their unbeaten league schedule and give them the title outright.

Mountain Empire, meanwhile, has not played since its 41-14 victory at Calipatria on Oct. 9. The cancellation, followed by a scheduled bye, interrupted an encouraging response to its league-opening loss against Vincent Memorial.

The challenge is recovering that rhythm quickly.

Robinson leads dangerous offense

Junior Elisha Robinson made his last appearance memorable, rushing for 294 yards and four touchdowns on 15 carries against Calipatria.

His scoring runs covered 75, 20, 77 and 62 yards, lifting his season totals to 1,539 rushing yards and 22 rushing touchdowns. He also surpassed 3,000 career rushing yards.

The canceled game reduced his opportunities to pursue a 2,000-yard season, but a postseason run could keep that goal within reach.

Senior quarterback Chance Ross gives Mountain Empire another way to stretch a defense. He has thrown for 958 yards and 12 touchdowns against three interceptions, with senior Amar Mahasin contributing 28 receptions for 606 yards and nine scores.

Senior CJ Bynum added an 85-yard touchdown reception at Calipatria.

Those threats make the RedHawks more than a team waiting for Robinson to break loose. Mountain Empire averages 378.3 total yards and 39 points per game.

Junior Angel Avila helps create that production as a lead blocker while also leading the defense with 9.1 tackles per game.

Palo Verde presents familiar Novmber obstacle

The Yellow Jackets ended Mountain Empire’s season with a 46-7 semifinal victory last November. Friday gives the RedHawks an opportunity to show how much ground they have gained.

Palo Verde Valley’s strength remains its running game, which averages 323.1 yards.

Senior Christian Richards has rushed for 902 yards and scored 14 total touchdowns. Junior Ayden Walker adds 599 rushing yards, while seniors Cesar Lainez and Alex Rodriguez provide additional scoring options.

Lainez leads the defense with 7.4 tackles per game, and Richards has three interceptions.

The Yellow Jackets have handled their league assignments convincingly, defeating Vincent Memorial, 21-7, Calipatria, 45-12, and Southwest El Centro, 38-10.

Mountain Empire must tackle consistently enough to avoid allowing those runners to control both the scoreboard and the clock.

A contender’s opportunity

The current ratings place Palo Verde Valley second and Mountain Empire fourth among the 10 programs in the preseason Division V-AA pool.

That leaves the RedHawks positioned to host an opening-round game in the eight-team field. A victory could strengthen their case to move to third, although the final ratings will determine the bracket.

More broadly, Mountain Empire has an opportunity to enter that tournament believing it can compete with the teams above it.

Palo Verde Valley gets the nod at home, with its collection of runners supplying the late difference. But Robinson, Ross and Mahasin give the RedHawks enough offense to make this a competitive, potentially high-scoring finish.

Keller’s team has already established that last season’s turnaround was something it could sustain. Friday offers a chance to show its next step might come in November… PALO VERDE VALLEY 35, MOUNTAIN EMPIRE 28

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Championship opportunity on Senior Knight

O’FARRELL CHARTER (4-5, 3-0) at FOOTHILLS CHRISTIAN (5-3, 3-0)
Friday, Oct. 30, 7 p.m. — El Cajon Valley High School
Sunset League championship — Senior Night

EL CAJON — Foothills Christian has already turned a one-win season into a winning season. Friday night, the Knights can turn that progress into a championship.

For coach Dustin Turley, his players and a school working to establish a lasting foothold in 11-man football, this is an opportunity worth appreciating before the opening kickoff.

Foothills and O’Farrell Charter have completed their first three Sunset League assignments without a defeat. There is no complicated championship scenario awaiting them.

The winner finishes 4-0 and takes the outright title.

On Senior “Knight”, Foothills has a chance to give its departing players a distinction that seemed considerably more distant after last season’s 1-9 finish.

A different kind of football success

Winning football is familiar at Foothills Christian. Sustaining it through the program’s changes between eight-man and 11-man competition has been the challenge.

The Knights built an accomplished eight-man tradition, including an undefeated 11-0 championship season in 2019 and another section title in 2023. Their intervening attempts to establish themselves in 11-man football proved more difficult.

This season marks their first winning 11-man regular season since 2010, when Foothills finished 6-3 and won its league.

Turley’s second season has supplied evidence that the Knights can build something substantial in their current setting.

They have beaten the teams they needed to beat, developed contributions from younger players and put themselves one victory from a championship.

Stewart gives Knights their foundation

Senior David Stewart made certain Foothills reached this opportunity, rushing for 237 yards and three touchdowns in last week’s 41-14 victory over Victory Christian Academy.

Stewart carried 23 times behind an offensive front credited with 14 pancake blocks. Junior Asher Cross supplied seven, senior center Marshal Bailey added four and sophomore Jake Kern contributed two.

Junior Drew Mikulsky added 45 yards and a touchdown, helping the Knights finish with 282 rushing yards.

That is the starting point against O’Farrell: establish the run, sustain possessions and create manageable opportunities for junior quarterback Hayden Oleson.

Oleson completed only two passes last week, but both produced touchdowns. Sophomores Liam Dailey and Isaac Maisonet supplied the scoring receptions.

Against a defense focused on Stewart, those selective passing opportunities could become particularly valuable.

Falcons bring championship credentials

O’Farrell’s 4-5 overall record conceals how effectively the Falcons have handled their league schedule.

They have outscored their three Sunset opponents 131-12 and enter following a bye, with four consecutive victories overall.

Foothills has been convincing in league play, too, holding a combined 115-34 advantage. But O’Farrell presents a different defensive challenge from the Knights’ recent assignments.

Jayden Hawkins leads the Falcons with 94 rushing yards per game and averages 132.3 total yards. Quarterback Dakobi Coleman and receiver Oscar Jones, who averages 56.4 receiving yards, give O’Farrell additional ways to move the football.

Defensively, Romel Aguilar averages 6.5 tackles per game.

The Falcons also won last season’s meeting, 38-23, giving Foothills another opportunity to measure its improvement.

Championship comes first

Both teams currently sit inside the projected eight-team Division V-AA field, with Foothills sixth and O’Farrell seventh in the supplied ratings.

Friday can improve a postseason position, but the immediate prize is the league championship.

The Knights need a stronger start than last week, when they trailed Victory Christian 6-0 before scoring 41 unanswered points. Giving O’Farrell an early advantage could make it harder to dictate the game through Stewart.

Mikulsky and Bailey can help prevent that. Mikulsky recorded eight tackles and an interception last week, while Bailey contributed three tackles for loss, including a sack.

Expect a competitive finish between two teams that have earned their places in this showdown.

Foothills gets the nod behind Stewart, its improving offensive front and enough timely passing to finish the drives that matter.

A successful season becomes a championship season for Turley and the Knights… FOOTHILLS CHRISTIAN 28, O’FARRELL CHARTER 21

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