Torreys eclipse Hillers in D-3 finale

By Nick Pellegrino
Updated: November 27, 2023

RK2 Photography

2023 EAST COUNTY PREP FOOTBALL
CIF San Diego Section Championships

By Nick Pellegrino
ECS Senior Writer

CHULA VISTA — Perspective.

When you sink like a sack full of boulders into the bottom of water after allowing a record number of points in a championship football game, one needs perspective.

To an ordinary spectator, losing by a record count of 73-34, as Grossmont did to La Jolla Country Day in Saturday (Nov.25) afternoon’s CIF San Diego Section Division 3 championship game, fans of the Foothillers need to remember where the program has just been.

Less than 12 months earlier, the football team was coming off a dreadful 0-10 season, one of just five such campaigns in the 100-plus-year history of the program.

Part of the problem: the entire coaching staff resigned following the 2022 season, leaving an athletic department already missing its Director of Athletics due to serious health issues to find some way to piece together new roster.

In addition, boys basketball went mere 1-25, dropping every contest after taking the season opener. A traditionally strong baseball roster fell well below .500, while soccer — among others — also missed the break-even mark.

However, with the return of the school’s AD, along with new personnel in important spots like a new athletics trainer, while congratulations are offered to La Jolla Country Day, football may keep its head raised high for a winning season instead of dropping one’s skull due to a single bad day at the office.

Game stuff

In the 1970’s, future Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Allen registered five touchdowns in five different ways in a championship final contest against Kearny.

In hockey, Hall of Fame center Mario Lemieux of the Pittsburgh Penguins — he now owns the franchise — also scored five goals in a game, all by different methods (5-on-5, power play, short-handed, penalty shot and into an empty net).

On Saturday, Torreys senior quarterback Jaden Mangini posted such a performance, accounting for all 10 LJCDS touchdowns — six passing, four rushing — in steamrolling over fourth-seeded Grossmont

LJCDS, the No. 3 seed, surpassed the record of 71 points set by Monte Vista in the 2017 Division 4 title game triumph over San Diego, 71-48, also played at Southwestern’s Devore Stadium.

Note: The San Diego County (not section) record for points in any single game was set by San Diego in 1920, whipping Army-Navy (then located in Pacific Beach), 130-7, in an era when the team allowing the score needed to kickoff. The contest was once tied at 7-all… In 1962, San Diego would score a composite total of 130 points overall eight of its ballgames.

Mangini, who is committed to the Naval Academy, rushed 22 times for 115 yards and bolts of 1, 3, 6 and 38 yards

Through the air, Mangini finished with 414 yards, including a trio of scoring strikes to Torreys receiver Madden Craig (34, 39 and 42 yards).

The Foothillers threw for 304 yards on 24-of-47 passing. Four balls were intercepted.

Hillers receiver Parker Vanderburgh had seven catches for 77 yards and Amari Riley caught five passes for 69.

Zelan Reynolds led the defense with eight tackles and an interception.

Summary

TORREYS 73,FOOTHILLERS 34
Grossmont (7-6)...... 8 14  6 6 — 34
LJCDS (11-2)........ 10 21 35 7 — 73

First Quarter
Gro – Herber 2 run (Burlaza pass from Herber)
CD – Hochberg 60 pass from Mangini (Sach kick)
CD – FG Sach 29

Second Quarter
CD – Ace 13 pass from Mangini (Sach kick)
CD – Mangini 6 run (Sach kick)
CD – Craig 34 pass from Mangini (Sach kick)
Gro – Herber 1 run (run failed)
Gro – Vanderburgh 1 pass from Herber (Riley pass from Herber)

Third Quarter
CD – Mangini 1 run (Sach kick)
CD – Cesaire 28 pass from Mangini (Sach kick)
CD – Craig 42 pass from Mangini (Sach kick)
CD – Mangini 38 run (Sach kick)
Gro – Donovan 10 pass from Herber (pass failed)
CD – Craig 39 pass from Mangini (Sach kick)

Fourth Quarter
CD – Mangini 3 run (Sach kick)
Gro – Burlaza 1 pass from Herber (pass failed)