Highlanders pack’em in for Homecoming

By Ramon Scott
Updated: October 21, 2017

Helix tackles West Hills Friday night in La Mesa. / photo by Ramon Scott

Helix makes a tackle for loss Friday night. / photo by Ramon Scott

2017 EAST COUNTY PREP FOOTBALL

HELIX 59, WEST HILLS 0

EastCountySports.com staff report

Helix sacks JORDIN YOUNG Friday night. / photo by Ramon Scott

LA MESA – The second-ranked Helix Highlanders scored 38 points in the first quarter and won on Homecoming to send the faithful home early and happy from Hart Stadium with a 59-0 Grossmont Hills League win over visiting West Hills.

The large victory throng of fans, students and returning alums, including a few former Highlander stars on the sideline, were treated to an onslaught of Helix highlights for about 20 minutes straight after the opening kickoff.

The victory sets up next week’s Grossmont Hills League championship-determining game between the Highlanders and Grossmont Foothillers at Grossmont.

Helix has defeated Grossmont twenty consecutive times.

The Highlanders scored on their first play from scrimmage as ISAAC TAYLOR-STUART put the West Hills defense in the spin cycle with a highlight-reel touchdown run from 60 yards out on a simple run up the middle led by senior lineman ISAIAH MANN.

Helix recovered a fumble on and returned it inside the red zone as senior lineman JACOB NANTON was a big man running with the football.

KEATON CHASE kicked a 30-yard field goal with 7:18 left in the 1st, giving the Highlanders a 10-0 lead.

Helix scored on a fumble recovery for a TD by Shawcroft with 7:01 left in first quarter to make it Helix, 17-0.

After the initial hit at the line by the Highlanders led by senior FLETCHER CHRISTIAN, Shawcroft reached down to pick up the ignored loose ball and had a rather easy 25-yard escape to the end zone.

Wooden rushed for a 9-yard TD to give Helix a 24-0 lead.

CARSON BAKER threw a touchdown pass to MICHAEL SHAWCROFT for a 31-0 lead.

ISAIAH WOODEN, who battled the flu bug earlier in the week, had a 91-yard punt return to give Helix a 38-0 late in the first quarter.

Helix sophomore backup quarterback and running back DELSHAWN TRAYLOR added a TD, as the Highlanders led 45-0 at halftime.

The second half was played with a running clock.

Traylor added another TD to give the Highlanders a 52-0 lead in the second half.

West Hills’ JARED HUDSON had a first-quarter sack of Baker.

The victory margin by Helix over the Wolf Pack matches the largest in the series between the schools when the Highlanders defeated West Hills, 62-3, back in 2011.