Marauders win with Thompson’s spirit

2021 EAST COUNTY PREP FOOTBALL

MIRA MESA 13, GROSSMONT 7

 

EastCountySports.com staff report

MIRA MESA – The Mira Mesa High Marauders continue to play inspired and inspiringly following the death of their head coach, Chris “Thompy” Thompson, on Sept. 4.

The Marauders played at home and won for the first time since Thompson’s passing just three weeks ago, holding off the visiting Grossmont Foothillers, 13-7, on Friday night.

Imagine the internal strength of this club, having to shut down its program for the week due to health protocols, which eventually harmed the popular coach who had already successfully battled cancer.

Then, taking just another week off after the mentor’s sudden death, before traveling to Los Angeles to play a tough Loyola club.

Mira Mesa performed well in defeat, surely channeling the determined coach’s noted fire and attention to detail, especially when faced with an underdog challenge against the Cubs.

Against the Foothillers, a team that had lost three straight by an unfamiliar large margin, the Marauders likely used their emotions to their benefit in honor of one of the area’s favorite sons.

Mira Mesa took a 13-0 lead before Trenton Giles had a 62-yard touchdown run to pull Grossmont to within six points.

However, Mira Mesa (2-2) held on for the non-league victory as Marauder quarterback Alex Zappia passed for the two touchdowns – one in the first quarter and one in the third quarter.

Grossmont senior receiver Ryan Roedick caught eight passes from Giles, good for 52 yards.

Giles had 196 total yards in the contest.

For Grossmont’s first-year head coach Chris Holmes, the game also had personal meaning.

Holmes coached with Thompson as assistants on Helix’s 2017 Southern California division championship team.

“It was definitely an emotional game,” Holmes said. “Really moving ceremony before kickoff to honor Coach Thompson. You could see how much his players wanted to win that game for him. They played with a tremendous amount of fire and passion last night. Great team win by them.”

Giles had 220 yards of total offense.

Grossmont (2-4) has now lost four straight for the first time since 2018.

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Grossmont 0 0 7 0 — 7

Mira Mesa 7 0 6 0 — 13

MM — Evans 31 pass from Zappia (Medina kick)

MM — McGee 42 pass from Zappia (kick failed)

G — Giles 62 run (Garcia kick)

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