Scotties face Vikings; Monarchs-Cougs set

By ECS Staff
Updated: April 13, 2021

Helix senior OL Shawn Martinez. / Dan Barnes Photography

2020/21 EAST COUNTY PREP FOOTBALL

By Jim Lindgren

A football is oblong, right. So try and follow the bounces in the final week of the abbreviated spring season. There have been many already in the schedule.

In an already crazy season, the latest domino tumble started last Thursday when Oceanside received news of a positive COVID-19 test and had to forfeit its game against St. Augustine last Friday and El Camino this Friday.

St. Augustine started looking for a replacement to play on Saturday but couldn’t get approval to play at Long Beach Poly because it is two counties away — a no-no under current restrictions. So Saints, which does not have a home field because Mesa College is closed to games, did not play.

El Camino was contacted by several teams for a game this week but terms could not be reached, and the Wildcats announced they are finished.

Santa Fe Christian was supposed to play at Classical Academy in Escondido this Friday, but Classical had a positive test and had to cancel. Grossmont was supposed to play at Granite Hills for the second time this spring. So, they all pulled a switcheroo (along with Carlsbad, which did not have a game but was desperately looking).

So, SFC (5-0) will play at Grossmont (1-3) instead, and No. 2-ranked Carlsbad (4-0) will play at No. 5 Granite Hills (5-0) — essentially for county runner-up bragging rights if No. 1 Cathedral (4-0) beats Madison (2-2).

Meanwhile, Helix was supposed to play at Steele Canyon, but both sides were hoping for a change since this too would be a second meeting for these Division I powers.

Mount Miguel (2-2) was forced to cancel its game at Monte Vista for lack of available varsity players. So, the three East County teams tossed around ideas, which also included a dangerous El Camino (2-2) team and/or La Jolla Country Day, which had an opening when Francis Parker had to cancel its final two games for a positive COVID test.

Then early Tuesday morning — follow the ball closely now — a wanted gunman was tracked by police to San Diego High, and that created a long SWAT standoff when the fugitive sought refuge in a garbage dumpster on campus with guns, drugs, and a hostage. San Diego High was forced to cancel school for the day and all activities on campus. That meant no practice for the football team, which only had 10 players show up for practice on Monday.

San Diego High had been through enough. The Cavers canceled their game at La Jolla this Friday.

More calls, more switches, and a new resolution.

Helix (2-3) will play at No. 6 La Jolla (4-0) instead, and Steele Canyon (2-3) will play at Monte Vista (3-1).

That left LJCD out – but only temporarily. The Torres picked up a Saturday game at Classical Academy, which had to cancel two games but added one since its new finale is on Saturday and its mandatory shutdown period will be over.

Previous cancellations led to two other changes this week involving three South Bay teams. Castle Park plays at Kearny, and Sweetwater will host Mar Vista.

No playoffs this season! We knew that, but it’s too bad when you consider all the fun we could have had figuring out that schedule!

Stay tuned …

Editor’s Note: After this article was posted, Mountain Empire athletics director Jarrod Sills informed ECS that the RedHawks game against Palo Verde Valley has several changes. Instead of travelling halfway up the California-Arizona border to meet in Blythe, the season finale will now be held at Southwest High in El Centro. In addition, the date was altered to Saturday, Apr. 17. Kick-off is slated for 11 a.m.

Football Changes

Friday, April 16

Steele Canyon at Monte Vista, 7

Helix at La Jolla, 7

Carlsbad at Granite Hills, 7

Santa Fe Christian at Grossmont, 7

Castle Park at Kearny, 7

Mar Vista at Sweetwater, 6:30

Saturday, April 17

Mountain Empire vs. Palo Verde Valley, at EC-Southwest, 11 a.m.

La Jolla Country Day at Classical Academy, 1

Regularly scheduled games (East County only)