Easterners mostly underdogs on Friday

By Ramon Scott
Updated: August 30, 2024

2024 EAST COUNTY PREP FOOTBALL

EAST COUNTY FEARLESS FORECASTER

Friday

No. 1 GRANITE HILLS (1-0) at No. 13 MATER DEI CATHOLIC (0-1) — The Eagles looked strong in a 28-17 road win at Mission Hills last week despite three turnovers. Senior Maxwell Turner had 203 yards rushing with three touchdowns.

Granite Hills’ defense came up with two interceptions in the fourth quarter against Penn State commit Troy Huhn as Eagles’ sophomore quarterback Zachary Benitez outplayed another Division I signal caller, throwing for 234 yards.

Mater Dei lost at home to Cathedral, 56-28, but the Dons have immediately bolted back into the top three in the county already this season. The Crusaders’ Kartell Purvis passed for 220 yards and three touchdowns.

The Crusaders aren’t quite what they have been over the past several seasons but they are still expected to be a contender in the Division I playoffs as a team well inside the top 20 this season… GRANITE HILLS, 35-20.

RANCHO BUENA VISTA (0-1) at No. 5 MOUNT MIGUEL (1-0) — The Computers don’t seem to have caught up to the Mount Miguel Matadors just yet. While pollsters have the Matadors near the top five after just one week, the official ratings have Mount Miguel sitting at No. 15.

Mount Miguel went out of the section in Week 1 – a rarity for the program which last left the county in 2008 – and the came home with an impressive 47-15 victory over St. Anthony (Long Beach).

New Matador QB A.J. Stowers passed for 298 yards and four touchdowns. The defense had a strong performances, as well, as junior Vince Pryor had an interceptions, while Easton Sanchez and Dominic Lopez recorded sacks.

The Longhorns, now coached by former assistant Terrence McKinney, got worked by fourth-ranked San Marcos, 53-8, so you can only hope for a improvement from a program that went 1-9 last year and come up against another juggernaut… MOUNT MIGUEL, 56-7.

ST. FRANCIS (Mountain View) (0-0) at HELIX (0-1) — The Highlanders are totally revamped this season with practically all new starters this season and it showed in a 49-20 home loss to a top-ten ranked El Camino team last Friday.

Helix junior quarterback Lee-Norman Lester passed for 113 yards and rushed for 131 yards, but Helix fell further and further behind to the Wildcats. Sophomore Braylon Ross and senior Harlem Harris both had three receptions for the Scotties.

The Highlanders defeated the Lancers, 45-21, on the road last season. Norman-Lester saw action late in the game, completing 4-of-5 passes for 55 yards. He also rushed six times for 39 yards.

The Lancers appear slightly improved off last season’s 7-4 record, as they finished second in the Central Coast’s West Catholic Athletic League to perennial power, Serra.

This is an anticipated year for Lancer seniors Aaron Knapp (quarterback/12 TD passes last year) , Kingston Keanaaina (running back/1,500 yards, 19 TDs last season), Jackson Cahoon (linebacker), who teamed with his co-three-star brother, now-junior Chase Cahoon, for 200 tackles last season.

This is the season opener for the Lancers… ST. FRANCIS, 31-28.

STEELE CANYON (1-0) at MADISON (0-1) — The Cougars recorded a mild upset at Ramona last Friday, 51-41, behind 230 yards on the ground from John Weaver IV. The Cougars’ Gavin Caha passed for 179 yards to give Steele good balance.

Madison lost an out-of-section road game at Foothill (Santa Ana), 28-20.

This is a nearly a yearly renewal but Madison has won five of the six meetings. The Warhawks rolled last year, however, 33-7, on the Cougars’ home turf. It was the third-straight win in the series for Madison,

The Cougars won in 2019, taking a 19-14 decision on the road.

Madison has a good passing combo in quarterback Isaac Diaz and receiver Ryan Jackson. The pair hooked up on a touchdown last week that tied the game at 14-all. The Warhawks also had a 58-yard completion to Zagar Aiken make it 7-0.

This one features two of the top big-play makers in the county with Steele Canyon’s Nico Jara, who had a 61-yard touchdown last week, and the Warhawks’ Isaiah Murrell, a junior who had a 90-yard kickoff return after Foothill had taken a 21-14 lead.

See our other previews on Thursday’s East County Sports Report show on YouTube…

GROSSMONT (0-1) at OLYMPIAN (0-1) — Grossmont 42, Olympian 28

SCRIPPS RANCH (1-0) at EL CAPITAN (1-0) — Scripps Ranch 31, El Capitan 28

UNIVERSITY CITY (1-0) at WEST HILLS (0-1) — University City 21, West Hills 14

VALHALLA (0-1) at MAR VISTA (1-0) — Valhalla 24, Mar Vista 21

MONTE VISTA (0-1) at KEARNY (1-0) – Monte Vista 24, Kearny 21

BISHOP’S (0-1) at CHRISTIAN (1-0) — Bishop’s 34, Christian 31

EL CAJON VALLEY (0-1) at CLASSICAL ACADEMY (1-0) — Classical Academy 28-14.

FOOTHILLS CHRISTIAN (0-0) at CALIFORNIA SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF (Riverside) (0-0) — CSDR 38, Foothills Christian 28