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Siegfried is Eagles’ desperado vs. El Cap
- Updated: September 30, 2017
Granite Hills JAKE SIEGFRIED maneuvers through the El Capitan defense Friday night. / photo by Ramon Scott
2017 EAST COUNTY PREP FOOTBALL
GRANITE HILLS 28, EL CAPITAN 7
By Jim Lindgren
Special to EastCountySports.com
EL CAJON – Let’s be honest – Granite Hills’ JAKE SIEGFRIED is not a talented quarterback who runs the ball well.
He’s a terrifying running back who also throws the ball well.
“That guy is amazing,” El Capitan defensive back CHASE LOVATO said. “We couldn’t stop him.”
El Capitan and Granite Hills collide during the Eagles’ Homecoming game Friday night in El Cajon. / photo by Ramon Scott
Behind a big and skilled offensive line, Siegfried rushed for 228 yards on 23 carries and scored three second-quarter touchdowns to lift Granite Hills to a 28-7 win over rival El Capitan on Friday night in the Eagles’ homecoming game.
“He runs hard,” Granite Hills coach KELLAN COBBS said. “He’s got good vision for a quarterback. He finds the holes.
“We kind of view him like a running back.”
Similarly, in all honesty, TYLER GONZALEZ is not really a running back who also plays stellar defense for the Eagles. But he’s awfully effective running the ball.
Gonzalez (6-foot-3, 232 pounds) rushed for 156 yards on 14 carries, including a 73-yard touchdown run on the first play of the third quarter to complete the scoring and give the Eagles a 3-2 mark heading into Grossmont Valley League play next week at Santana (3-3).
El Capitan (2-3) saw its two-game winning streak stopped because the Vaqueros couldn’t stop Siegfried or Gonzalez. CHRISTOPHER OSTRENG added a 20-yard gain as Granite Hills rushed for 392 yards and totaled 431 yards. Siegfried was 6-for-9 passing for 39 yards with one interception.
The Vaqueros play host to Grossmont (3-2) next week in the Grossmont Hills League opener for both schools.
Granite Hills lost at El Capitan last year, 17-16, when the Vaqueros blocked a field-goal attempt on the final play of the game.
“Definitely this week at practice, we took it to heart,” Siegfried said. “We told ourselves, ‘We can’t let that happen again.’ ”
Granite Hills’ TYLER GONZALES rushes Friday night against El Capitan. / photo by Ramon Scott
In their previous meeting in 2015, Granite Hills edged El Capitan, 10-7, when the Vaqueros missed a field goal on the final play of the game.
With Siegfried and Gonzalez running at will, the Eagles scored all 28 points in an 8 minute, 35-second span in the second and third quarters.
Siegfried, breaking tackles and simply running through defenders, scored on runs of 19, 14 and 1 yards in the second quarter. Gonzalez raced for paydirt on the first play of the third quarter.
“They had a good game plan,” El Capitan defensive coordinator Antwan Applewhite said. “They were more physical than us up front. That’s why they came out with the win.”
El Cap started well, getting a seven-play, 70-yard drive on its first possession and took a 7-0 lead at 8:19 of the first quarter on a 21-yard pass from ANTONIO OLIVIERI to DYLAN BURKE.
The key play of the drive was a 55-yard pass from Olivieri to STAR IULI on the game’s third snap.
It was all Granite after that.
“We had a good first drive,” El Capitan coach RON BURNER said. “Then we couldn’t get anything going.
“They outplayed us on both sides of the ball. You’re not going to win games like that.
“So now it’s back to the drawing board.”
Olivieri, a defensive end and tight end playing quarterback for the third straight week because starter WICK HAUSER is nursing a shoulder injury, was 14 of 26 for 171 yards and a touchdown.
Burke had five receptions for 77 yards and a TD. Iuli finished with three catches for 64 yards. El Capitan’s running game produced only 55 yards.
El Capitan’s CHASE LOVATO runs with the ball following an interception against Granite Hills during the second half. / photo by Ramon Scott
Trailing 7-0, Granite Hills came to life late in the first quarter, and Siegfried’s first rush in the second quarter went for 24 yards. The Eagles’ first scoring drive was 11 plays, 65 yards with Siegfried scoring from 19 yards with 8:19 to play in the half.
After forcing a three-and-out, Siegfried rumbled for 34 yards and then 14 for a touchdown and a 14-7 lead at 5:43.
Forcing another three-and-out, Granite Hills took over on their 36-yard line and went on an eight-play, 64-yard scoring drive with Siegfried notching his third touchdown on a 1-yard keeper with 0:39 before intermission.
“It felt really good to move down the field like we were able to do,” Siegfried said. “I have to give it up to my offensive line. They did a fantastic job opening some huge holes for us to run through.”
That offensive line features GARRISON KRUSE, DAMON HIDALGO, JUSTIN KELLY, GARRETT CURRAN and EVAN DENNEY, along with tight end WILL BURTON.
“We’re trying to keep some balance there between (Siegfried and Gonzalez),” Cobbs said. “And the offensive line made that pretty easy tonight. They were getting some good push out there.”
Granite’s defense was solid as well. Burton had several big stops from his defensive end position, including the game’s only sack for a loss of five yards.
“Will was all over the place,” Cobbs said. “Boise State was here, and he really came up big. I think he’s Division I (college) football player, for sure.”
Granite Hills bashes the line for more yardage Friday night. / photo by Ramon Scott
JACK SIEGFRIED, Jake’s younger brother, had a big game defending passes and coming up with a big hit for a loss in the fourth quarter.
GIDEON ALABA, ETHEN BISHOP and AARON MACHADO also had impressive stops at opportune times. They were assisted well by ZOSEPH CUERO, KIERAN BLANKENSHIP, JAKE YOUNG, JUWAN DENNIS, NOAH MEDEIROS, BRYCE CHRISTIAN, NOAH ESPINOZA and LEO CASTRO.
JUSTIN McELLIGOTT was 4-for-4 on PATs.
El Capitan got another big game on defense from Lovato, who intercepted his fourth pass of the season and recovered a fumble after stripping the ball from Gonzalez after a 24-yard game.
“We just gotta stop the run,” Lovato said. “We’ve got to do better up front.”
Granite Hills’ homecoming festivities included a stirring tribute to the late Dr. RICHARD BUTCHER, who served 47 years for the Eagles as team doctor.
Homecoming also included a stirring fireworks show at Valley Stadium, and Cobbs was quick to compliment the Eagles’ faithful.
“We’re really proud of our student section,” Cobbs said. “They were really rocking. That was fun to see such a great turnout.”
GRANITE HILLS 28, EL CAPITAN 7
El Capitan 7 0 0 0 – 7 Granite Hills 0 21 7 0 – 28
EC – Dylan Burke 21 pass from Antonio Olivieri (Truman Burd kick)
GH – Jake Siegfried 19 run (Justin McElligott kick)
GH – Jake Siegfried 14 run (Justin McElligott kick)
GH – Jake Siegfried 1 run (Justin McElligott kick)
GH – Tyler Gonzalez 73 run (Justin McElligott kick)
