Sultans rolling into postseason

By Ramon Scott
Updated: November 1, 2026

2026 EAST COUNTY PREP FOOTBALL

No. 31 SANTANA 55, EL CAJON VALLEY 6

Eight Sultans score as Santana heads into Division IV playoffs

By Ramon Scott
EastCountySports.com

SANTEE — Santana found room for nearly everyone in the end zone Friday night.

A senior lineman. Four touchdown receivers. Two more runners. And a sophomore quarterback who added a defensive touchdown to his passing production.

Eight different Sultans scored touchdowns as Santana defeated visiting El Cajon Valley, 55-6, closing the regular season with a third consecutive victory and considerable momentum heading into the CIF San Diego Section playoffs.

Coach Tim Estes’ Sultans finished 7-3 overall and 3-2 in the Grossmont Valley League, following road victories over Valhalla and Monte Vista with their highest-scoring performance of the three-game closing stretch.

Senior quarterback Ethan Miller completed 11 of 13 passes for 187 yards and three touchdowns. Sophomore Landon Braaksma added 74 yards and a touchdown on 7-of-10 passing, helping Santana produce 418 yards of total offense.

The Sultans led 14-0 after one quarter, 35-6 at halftime and 49-6 through three quarters.

For El Cajon Valley, the loss completed a 2-8 season and an 0-5 league finish. The Braves finished 83rd in the final computer ratings, outside the postseason field.

Clement gets the opening call

Santana’s first touchdown belonged to one of its big men.

Senior lineman Luke Clement took a short-yardage handoff and powered in for a 2-yard touchdown, finishing a possession that followed an early Santana interception.

Kolten “Koko” Thornton helped put the Sultans at the doorstep with a run down near the goal line. Clement handled the final yards, giving Santana a 6-0 lead after the unsuccessful conversion kick.

Senior Josh Pehl also scored on the ground, finishing with 29 yards on two carries, including an 18-yard touchdown run. Ethan Smith caught a two-point conversion pass as Santana built its two-touchdown first-quarter advantage.

The scoring continued through the air.

Thornton supplied one of the night’s most memorable catches, reaching up with one hand to secure Miller’s touchdown pass in the right corner of the end zone.

Senior Denton Goar caught a 10-yard touchdown pass to the left corner and repeatedly helped Santana move into scoring position. He finished with a team-leading five receptions for 85 yards, including a 36-yard gain.

Senior Brenden Varner added two catches for 30 yards and a touchdown. His 28-yard catch-and-run carried Santana from the Braves’ 38 to the 10, setting up Goar’s scoring reception.

Goar also hauled in a deep pass down the right side before being forced out near the goal line during Santana’s first-half scoring surge.

Braves find a connection

El Cajon Valley’s best offensive possession came before halftime.

Quarterback Ibrahimi connected on several throws to move the Braves into Santana territory. El Cajon Valley retained possession after a sack and a loose-ball scramble, then finished the drive with an athletic passing touchdown.

Moving to his left, Ibrahimi delivered a sidearm throw to Maddox Virgen, who worked across in front of his quarterback for the scoring reception.

The two-point attempt failed, leaving Santana ahead 35-6 at the break.

The Braves had opportunities to establish more passing rhythm, but dropped throws and Santana’s pressure repeatedly interrupted their possessions.

Braaksma strikes on both sides

Santana continued to widen the margin after halftime.

Junior Julian Mayers scored on a 16-yard run and finished with 33 yards on two carries.

Braaksma then supplied the defensive touchdown, intercepting a pass and returning it 31 yards to the end zone.

The sophomore contributed five tackles and four passes defended in addition to his interception, passing touchdown and 21 rushing yards.

Sophomore Alex Markevicz caught an 11-yard touchdown pass for Santana’s final score. He finished with two receptions for 18 yards.

Smith’s 41-yard reception was Santana’s longest completion, while Connor Galarneau added an 18-yard catch as the Sultans spread their 18 completions among nine receivers.

Timanus leads defensive pressure

Senior Dillon Timanus led Santana with 10 tackles, including nine solo stops, and contributed two tackles for loss and a sack.

The Sultans recorded nine tackles for loss and four sacks.

Cameron Cipro also had two tackles for loss. Brayton Knight, Dominic Johnson and Jake Bertalan joined Timanus with a sack apiece.

Santana intercepted three passes. Along with Braaksma’s touchdown return, senior lineman Brodie Acebedo returned an interception 27 yards, and sophomore A. Alegria added an interception with a 5-yard return.

Thornton contributed a 33-yard punt return, giving Santana another substantial gain in the kicking game.

Eight touchdowns, eight scorers

Santana’s scoring distribution reflected the variety of its offense — and the contribution of its defense.

Clement, Pehl and Mayers scored rushing touchdowns. Thornton, Goar, Varner and Markevicz caught touchdown passes. Braaksma scored on his interception return.

Varner also handled the kicking, making five extra points to finish with 11 points. Smith supplied the successful two-point reception.

Santana rushed for 157 yards on 18 carries, averaging 8.7 yards per attempt, and added 261 passing yards.

PLAYOFF LOOKAHEAD: Familiar foe in Division IV

Santana enters the postseason in a tightly packed Division IV group with Grossmont Valley League opponents West Hills and El Capitan, all three finishing next to one another in the final computer ratings, although not likely inside the top four.

That proximity adds a familiar element to the bracket picture. The Sultans’ seed, opening assignment and potential path will be determined when the section releases its playoff pairings.

Santana has given itself an encouraging finish to carry into that announcement.

After three consecutive losses interrupted a 4-0 start, the Sultans regrouped to win their final three regular-season games. Friday’s performance demonstrated the range of players capable of contributing as they prepare for November.

For the Braves, the season ends

El Cajon Valley’s 83rd-place computer finish leaves the Braves outside the postseason.

After going 2-3 in nonleague play, El Cajon Valley was unable to secure a Grossmont Valley League victory.

Friday nevertheless provided a scoring highlight for Ibrahimi and Virgen, whose connection completed the Braves’ lone touchdown drive against a Santana defense that controlled much of the evening.