PLAYOFFS: East teams close big

By Ramon Scott
Updated: November 8, 2024

2024 EAST COUNTY PREP FOOTBALL

Six games are underway tonight in postseason action as the first round is underway in the CIF Playoffs.

Division I

MOUNT MIGUEL 62, SANTA FE CHRISTIAN 34 (F)

The Matadors scored the first touchdown of the game in the first quarter on a drive engineered mostly by the running of K.J. Shields. Then, the Matadors extended the lead in the final minute of the first on a rushing touchdown by Jayden Hunter.

Santa Fe Christian got on the board with a touchdown pass to make it 14-6, but the Matadors scored midway through the second quarter on a touchdown pass for a 20-6 lead.

After SFC closed the game to within 21-13 with a rushing score, Mount Miguel scored on a touchdown reception by Ezelle Buchanan on a double pass to extend the lead to 28-13.

The Matadors made it 35-13 on a touchdown reception by Brandon Arrington with just under a minute to play in the first half.

Mount Miguel took a 41-13 lead on a pass reception by D.J. Wilkins.

Santa Fe Chrsita scored to make it 41-21 on a rushing touchdown by Magnus Falkiewicz.

The Matadors made it 48-21 on a pass completion to A.J. Logan with under two minutes to play in the third quarter.

Mount Miguel’s Kali Young had a touchdown run to put the Matadors ahead 61-28.

Dax Labrum had a scramble and pass to put the Eagles on the board at 14-6.

Division II

(8) CHRISTIAN 28, (9) IMPERIAL 26 (F)

The Patriots scored the first touchdown, coming in the second quarter to take a 7-0 lead. Ryan Fishwick scored on a pass from Roman Gustin.

However, the Tigers got a good kickoff return and scored on a 15-yard touchdown run.

The Patriots regained the lead on a pass from Caleb Runkle to Kai Rosier for a 14-7 lead.

Runkle passed to Brady Eads for a 10-yard touchdown connection on a short pass in the second quarter with 1:26 left to make it 21-7.

With eight minutes left in the third quarter, Imperial scored with a run by Rashad Robinson from two yards to make it 21-14.

The Patriots then fumbled the ball on their 25-yard line, as Imperial took possession.

A 15-yard pass cashed in the Imperial score off the turnover by Anthony Hellum Jr., but the PAT was blocked by the Patriots, leaving the score 21-20 in favor of CHS with 6:31 seconds left in the third.

A touchdown by the Patriots on a pass to Brady Eads from four yards out on the first play of the fourth quarter extended the lead to 28-20.

Imperial scored on a pass of 20 yards but Rosier, on a huge defensive play, made the attempt no good as. it was 28-26 with 7:55 left in the game.

Eads finished the game off with an interception for the Pats and they took over for the victory.

Division III

ESCONDIDO 57, STEELE CANYON 53 (F)

Escondido scored on a 34-yard touchdown pass from Zeke McIntyre to Josh Gonzales late in the game for the win over upset-minded Steele Canyon.

The Cougars ran in the conversion to make it a four-point lead.

John Weaver scored on a 20-yard touchdown run to give Steele Canyon the lead late in the fourth quarter as he burst through the line and to the right pylon.

The Steele Canyon Cougars took the lead in the second quarter just a minute or so in on an interception return for a touchdown for 92 yards by Nico Jara.

Escondido regained the lead on the ensuing possession on a rushing touchdown by McIntyre from three yards to make it 21-16 heading into halftime.

After a kickoff return into Steele Canyon territory, Escondido scored on a pass to the left side on a pass down the line of scrimmage to Gonzales which was run into the end zone for a 12-yard score and Escondido led 27-16.

Escondido extended the lead on another connection to Gonzalez, this one for 59 yards, for a 33-16 advantage.

Steele Canyon scored on a rushing touchdown with under five minutes to play in the third quarter to make the score 33-23.

But Escondido scored on another touchdown reception by Gonzales, his third of the night, and he ran in the conversion for a 41-23 lead.

Steele Canyon scored on a touchdown pass and rushed in for the conversion to draw to within 41-31.

Steele Canyon and Escondido had a sideline incident following a hit out of bounds by Steele Canyon that involved non-football participants on the sideline and required the entire Steele Canyon coaching staff to come to the Escondido sideline to try and calm the situation in the third quarter.

Jara intercepted a pass on the next play to keep the momentum with Steele Canyon and the ball on the Escondido 45 down 10 points.

Steele Canyon converted the situation into points when Gavin Caha scored on a quarterback sneak to draw SC to within 41-38.

Escondido scored on a 32-yard touchdown pass down the middle of the field once again to Gonzales, who had a monster night. A conversion pass made the lead 11 points.

Steele Canyon’s exciting back Jacob Vazquez scored on a 14-yard touchdown run. The Cougars ran in the conversion to make the score 49-46.

Steele Canyon scored first to take a 6-0 lead, but Escondido got touchdowns from Jorge Martinez, on a reception, and McIntyre on a run.

Steele Canyon scored on a field goal by Elijah Sutherland with under five minutes remaining in the first quarter to take a 9-7 lead at the time.

Zeke McIntyre took it himself for a 13-yard touchdown to make it 14-9 in favor of Escondido.

Steele Canyon was inside the five in the last minute of the first half but were denied any points.

Division V

WEST HILLS 33, MAR VISTA 15 (F)

West Hills scored a touchdown on its first possession on a 64-yard touchdown run by Junior Leon on just the third play from scrimmage.

Mar Vista countered with a touchdown on the ground from the 2, tying the game, 7-all on a run by Peter Thomas.

Joey Hamilton added a 5-yard rushing touchdown to give West Hills a 14-7 lead. The drive was set up by a great kickoff return by Leon, then a pass to Leon from Hamilton of 35 yards to take it down to the 12.

West Hills’ Marshon Mitchell had an interception to give West Hills the ball at the Mar Vista 46. His return was for 25 yards.

Trevor Briseno had an interception early in the second quarter for West Hills.

Ryder Alexander scored on a toucdhown run from eight yards with under five minutes to play in the first half on a counter.

Hamilton added a rushing touchdown from 25 yards in the final minute of the first half for a 26-7 lead.

Mar Vista scored on a touchdown pass in the third quarter to pull to within 26-14 when Thomas connected with Moya from 5 yards. A conversion pass made the score 26-15.

The Wolf Pack scored a touchdown to make the score 33-15.

SANTANA 33, KEARNY 18 (F)

The Komets opened with a three-and-out, then the Sultans scored a touchdown to take the lead.

Ethan Miller passed to Denton Gore from 5 yards to give the Sultans the first score of the game. The drive was set up by a Sultan interception of Kearny gunslinging quarterback Brody Stump.

Santana added a second score in the first quarter when Noah Qualin had an interception return of 23 yards after the receiver tipped the ball into the air when trying to catch the pass.

Kearny got on the board with a touchdown to pull to within 14-6 with a 5-yard touchdown pass. On fourth down, Stump hit Zaiden Gravely for the score.

Santana added a field goal by Grant Johnson in the second quarter, but the lead was just 17-12 at halftime after the Komets scored their second TD of the game.

Wyatt Williams was having a strong game on the ground for the Sultans, but appeared to leave the game shortly before halftime with a ailment. He returned to the game in the third quarter.

In the third quarter, the Sultans scored on a 60-yard punt return by Kolton Thornton with 7:21 left in the third quarter to make it 24-12.

Ethan Miller hit Xander Bennett with a pass down the middle for a touchdown from 22 yards gave the Sultans a 30-12 lead with 3:45 left in the third quarter.

Johnson kicked a field goal with just over five minutes left for a 33-12 lead.

Kearny added a fourth-quarter touchdown on a 2-yard Stump keeper and the two point conversion was no good with just a couple of minutes left.

MONTE VISTA 34, FALLBROOK 33 (F)

The Monte Vista Monarchs scored quickly to start the game but the Warriors answered right back in the first.

Flenoied Dupree

The Monarchs struck back immediately on a deep touchdown pass to Rahshawn Florence early in the second quarter to give Monte Vista a 15-14 lead.

But the Warriors’ freshman sensation Teague Lucy scored to make it 21-15 in favor of Fallbrook.

Rahshawn Florence got his second touchdown of the night for Monte Vista to take a 22-21 lead in the last minutes of the first half.

Monte Vista scored the first touchdown of the second half to make the score 28-21 on a short burst by Alexander Villanuena, but the Warriors countered right back to make the score 28-27 as it was getting wild when the Warriors connected for a nice touchdown pass to the right side.

Monte Vista led 34-33 in the fourth quarter with just four minutes left in the game.

Fallbrook extended their early lead on the first play of the second quarter to go up 14-8.