Patriots better than Stellar, early, late

By Bill Dickens
Updated: October 1, 2016

Christian's Jon Stine lifts teammate Theo Goodwin following a TD Friday night. / CHSRedZone photo

2016 EAST COUNTY PREP FOOTBALL

CHRISTIAN 40, STELLAR PREP 14

By Bill Dickens
© East County Sports.com

Christian lines up against Stellar Prep Friday night.

EL CAJON (10-1-16) — Visiting Stellar Prep from Oakland arrived plenty late for Friday night’s (Sept. 30) game against Christian High.

The Thunder rolled up to Valley Stadium after the scheduled 7 p.m. kickoff after leaving the Bay Area by bus at 6 in the morning.

By the time kickoff rolled around, Stellar Prep appeared surprisingly fresh, getting the first score of the game, but the momentum wouldn’t last long, as the Patriots pummeled the visitors, 40-14.

JOEY MORONES kept the touchdown train going with three more scores on Friday night.

He opened the Patriots’ scoring with a 9-yard run with 2:02 left in the first quarter. He had 5 carries for 57 yards on the opening drive for CHS.

“They tried to apply the pressure on every down as they brought the house, sending eight guys every down,” said Patriots offensive coordinator DAVID BEEZER. “They were big and fast and athletic.”

Christian’s Isaac Rosenthal rumbles Friday night against Stellar Prep. / CHSRedZone photo

Morones broke through the wall with 11 carries for 163 yards.

Christian recovered a fumble at the Stellar Prep 6-yard line.

Christian quarterback BRAD JEREMIAH threw a 14-yard touchdown pass on an inside slant from the left side to THEO GOODWIN with 11:49 left in the second quarter to give the Patriots a 12-8 lead. The conversion failed.

Just over a minute-and-a-half later the pair hooked up again for a 48-yard beautiful score, giving Christian a 19-8 lead with 10 minutes left in the first half. Jeremiah lofted this one well in front of Goodwin’s pattern down the left side, but the speedy receiver ended up catching it well in stride, covering the final 20 yards into the end zone.

Morones had his second TD of the half on an 11-yard score with three minutes to go before halftime, making it 26-8. He ran through a pair of defenders just after getting the ball from Jeremiah, who was being taken down to the ground by the rushing defenders.

Then Goodwin did it again.

He returned yet another opening kickoff of the second half in front of the home crowd on an 88-yard return, lifting Christian to a 33-8 lead.

Goodwin returns another second half kick off for a TD. / CHSRedZone photo

The Patriots’ ETHAN CONTRERAS had an interception with 2:58 left in the third quarter as he stayed in front of an intended target in the end zone for a spectacular play and a touchback.

The Thunder scored a touchdown on a fumble recovery by Oklahoma University commit Addison Gumbs to make it 33-14. He picked up the ball just inside the 5 and went in for the easy score after a teammate forced the miscue.

ISAAC ROSENTHAL countered with an interception with 9:06 left in the contest.

Morones scored on a 63-yard run for his third touchdown of the night with 4:39 left in the game for the final margin.

“He’s a special player with a solid future ahead of him,” said Beezer.

Morones found plenty of room behind his big buddies up front – seniors JONATHAN STINE, CHASE HANDLEY, JAMIR HAILEY, AUSTIN MANION and sophomore DUNCAN HUNTER.

Anthony Bostic had the game’s opening score with a 3-yard run for Stellar.