Turner, Granite Hills, hits overdrive

By Nick Pellegrino
Updated: December 1, 2024

2024 EAST COUNTY PREP FOOTBALL
CIF-San Diego Section Championships – Division 1

Sat., Nov. 30
At Devore Stadium, Southwestern College
(3) Granite Hills 42, (1) Sab Narcos 25

ECS staff report

CHULA VISTA – Buoyed by five rushing touchdowns by running back Max Turner, Granite Hills motored in “Overdrive” from the opening kickoff, hitting a high note in taking down top-seeded San Marcos, 42-25, in Saturday’s (Nov. 30) CIF-San Diego Section Division I championship game.

The Eagles (11-2 oiverall) saw Turner rush for a 1-yard score on the contest’s opening drive, then much like the Winnipeg based Canadian band — Bachman-Turner Overdrive, which swept through North America starting in 1973 — simply kept following hit after hit by the Eagles offensive line to mount s 21-0 vushion at Southwestern College’s evore Stadium.

San Marcos made one run to moe to within 21-16, but Turner would later add scoring bursts of 1, 3 and 2 yards, then a back-breaking 33-yard gallop in the fourth period to cinch the triumph.

The Eagles, the defending CIFSDS Open Division champion after downing top-seeded Lincoln, has now captured three consecutive section crowns. the best run by a Grossmont Conference school since Helix claimed three crowns in four seasons fromn 1998-2001.

Granite Hills, along with El Capitan and Monte Vista, will learn who their first-round opponent for next weekend’s CIF Southland regionals will be on Sunday. CIF STATE WEBSITE

The all-time series between the schools is now level at 1-each; the Knights won the CIF semifinals, 28-17, in 2013.

Game Stuff

San Marcos deferred after the coin toss, so Granite Hills needed less than three minutes to complete an 80-yard scoring march.

However, the key play may have occureed on the ensuing Knights possession. Just as they were entering the Eagles’ red zone, a short pass was intercepted by a defensive lineman (some reports listed No. 99, but such a number is not on the Eagles roster).

Granite Hills then took to the air 78 yards for a 14-0 lead, capped by a Zackary Benitez touchdown pass of 67 yards to wide receiver Kyler Oberg.

When Turner punched in his second score early in the second quarter, the Eagles were in “overdrive” with a 21-point adantage.

San Marcos fought back to within 21-12, then returned the second-half kickoff 99 yards to trim the defcit to move within a field goal, but they failed on the conversion.

Granite Hills then returned to te ground game to push the lead back into double figures and take valuabe time off the clock.

Turner added a pair of TD runs in the third period,the first to cap an 80-yard march following the TD runback. When San Marcos answered, Turner registered his longest run of the contest, romping 33 yards in the closing minutes.

The final Eagles score was set-up on a tackle for lost yardage by Jonathan Deleon in the red zone, then an interception by Jayden Proctor, which was returned to midfield to start the final quarter.

Compiled by Nick Pellegrino

Summary

EAGLES 42, KNIGHTS 25
Granite Hills (11-2)    14  7 14  7 - 42
Dsn Marcos (11-2)        0 12  6  7 - 25

First Quarter
GH – Max Turner 1 run (Trent Whillock kick)
GH – Kyler Oberg 67 pass from Zackary Benitez (Trent Whillock kick)

Second Quarter
GH – Max Turner 1 run (Trent Whillock kick)
SM – C.J. Williams 9 pass from Kreet Makihele (kick failed)
SM – Kreet Makihele 3 run (run failed)

Third Quarter
SM – Knights 99 kickoff return (kick failed)
GH – Max Turner 3 run (Trent Whillock kick)
GH – Max Turner 2 run (Trent Whillock kick)

Fourth Quarter
SM – Colton Williams 14 pass from Kreet Makihele (Carson Hackeyy kick)
GH – Max Turner 33 run (Trent Whillock kick)