ROUNDUP: East teams fall on Friday

By Nick Pellegrino
Updated: September 3, 2024

El Capitan and Scripps Ranch on Friday night. / RK2 Photography

2024 EAST COUNTY PREP FOOTBALL
Games of Fri.-Sat., Aug. 30-31

ECS staff report

Kearny 41, Monte Vista 35

LINDA VISTA – The Monte Vista Monarchs and Kearny Komets hooked up in a wing-dinger in Friday’s (Aug. 3) non-league game, but the Komets scored a touchdown with under four minutes to play and the clock ran out on the Monarchs to allow host Kearny to escape with a narrow 41-35 decision.

Kearny (1-1) kept answering the Monarchs thanks to four sacks, but when the Monarchs (0-2) made adjustments to their offensive line protection, they were able to move the ball over the final two quarters.

With their third straight victory in the series, the Komets are now even with Monte Vista at 4-4 all-time. The last MCHS win came in 2016 (50-0 at Kearny).

Alex Villanueva rushed for 259 yards and four touchdowns for Monte Vista.

Quarterback Dayon Bean passed for 115 yards for the Monarchs on 5 of 7 passing.

Monte Vista led 21-14 at the end of the first quarter, but the game was tied 21-all at halftime.

Bean threw a touchdown pass in the third quarter, which gave Monte Vista a 27-21 lead.

Villanueva had a 40-yard rushing score to give the Monarchs a 35-27 lead in the final minute of the third quarter.

Kearny countered quickly with a touchdown before the end of the third quareter but still trailed 35-33

The Komets scored the go-ahead touchdown on a pass with less than four minutes to play in the game.

Scripps Ranch 20, El Capitan 7

LAKESIDE – The vaunted El Capitan pass attack was limited to a mere 97 yards by Scripps Ranch in a 20-7 decision Friday (Aug. 30) at El Capitan Stadium.

The Falcons allowed just 12 completion on 33 El Cap pass attempts, taking the wire-to-wire victory.

The lone touchdown for El Capitan (1-1) saw Ayden Banegas haul in a pass from Brandt Barker.

On defense, Aaron Altamirano (8 tackles, 8 assists) and Tyler Easley (5 tackles, 6 assists) — both senior linebackers — kept the Vaqs close as the contest’s leading tacklers.

Marlon Ames, another senior, registered a QB sack, while Easley posted a fumble recovery.

This was the first-ever meeting between the schools.

Madison 35, Steele Canyon 21

CLAIREMONT MESA – Madison pulled away in the second half after leading just 16-8 at halftime.

The Warhawks scored on the opening drive of the third quarter, then returned the ensuing kickoff for a scoop-n-score following a Cougar fumble. Then the Cougars turned it over again on the following kickoff.

The Cougars’ Gavin Caha, a sophomore, continued to impress with a 19-of-21 night with two touchdowns and no interceptions.

Caha threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to Noah Dearcos to tie the game at 7-all, and a 73-yard touchdown connection to senior Austin Haisch in the third quarter but the Cougs were down by four touchdowns at that point.

Caha also rushed for a 2-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter.

Steele Canyon senior John Weaver IV rushed for 97 yards on 17 carries.

Senior Jacob Vasquez had a 31-yard run for the Cougars, while teammate Josh Bisesi had three receptions for 53 yards.

St. Francis (Mountain View) 35, Helix 14

LA MESA – The Helix Highlanders are 0-2 following the home loss to the Lancers of the West Catholic Athletic League.

Helix senior Harlem Harris had an 11-yard touchdown reception, while junior Jake Williams had a 15-yard touchdown reception for the Highlanders. Both passes were by left-handed quarterback Jerome Stevens, a junior.

Helix trailed 28-14 with just under seven minutes to play in the game.

Helix starting quarterback Lee Norman-Lester was knocked out of the game in the first quarter following a pass while scrambling to the sideline.

St. Francis sacked Helix four times.

Stevens was 8-for-16 for 66 yards. Both touchdown passes came under heavy pressure and appeared to be just heaves into the end zone, but the Scottie ball catchers were in the right place when the aerials arrived.

Helix alumni Scott Anderson (Class of 1978) was honored in memoriam on Friday night prior to the game. Former Highlander greats Jamar Taylor, Class of 2008, and Levine Toilolo, Class of 2009, were honored at halftime.

Pablo Jackson rushed 27 times for 157 yards for the Highlanders.

Freshman Jeremy Robinson had a team-high four receptions for Helix.

University City 49, West Hills 14

SANTEE – University City quarterback Quentyn DeMara passed for 382 yards and five touchdowns, leading the Centurions past host West Hills, 49-14, Friday (Aug. 30) at Wolf Pack Stadium.

University City (2-0) as now scored 112 points in two contests to establish a new school record. The old mark was 103 to open the 2021 campaign.

In setting the new record, DeMara, a junior, saw two of his scores go to Tay Lockett, who paced the receiving corps with seven receptions for 88 yards, and one trip into the Pack’s giant mascot tunnel in the second quarter.

However, the longest score went to senior Dreyden Garner, who burned the Pack on a 49-yard connection.

Throw in an addition 120 rushing yards, the Cents finished with 502 yards in total offense.

West Hills (0-2) was led by Joe Hamilton, who had 127 total yards, including a team-high 69 yards rushing on 12 attempts from quarterback.

Senior Edgar Leon hauled in a 27-yard touchdown pass from Hamilton to tie the game at 7-all in the first quarter.

Senior Jacob Sininger had a 29-yard run for West Hills.

The ballgame was the first-ever meeting between the schools, which both opened in the 1980s.

The Bishop’s 24, Christian 13

EL CAJON – On Saturday (Aug. 312), the Knights defeated the Patriots knocking Christian High quarterback Spencer Johnson from the game in the process.

Johnson had 283 yards of offense before he left with an injury. The injury isn’t expected to keep the Pats’ QB sidelined for long.

Johnson was 11-of-17 for 208 yards through the air, and he rushed 13 times for 75 yards and a touchdown.

Brady Eads added a rushing score for Christian.

Senior Jake Marsh had five receptions for 90 yards for CHS, while sophomore Kai Rosier had a 61-yard reception.

Junior Hank Houston had eight tackles for the Patriots, while teammate Roman Gustin had seven tackles.

Classical 50, El Cajon Valley 0

ESCONDIDO – The Braves have been outscored 81-0 in their first two games this season, going up against formidable opponents at the level in Crawford and Classical Academy.