Highlanders get offense rolling in blowout victory

By ECS Staff
Updated: September 10, 2016

HELIX'S SCOTTIE YOUNG RECOVERS A FUMBLE IN THE END ZONE FOR A TOUCHDOWN FRIDAY NIGHT. / PHOTO BY CHRISTOPHER SMITH - MBA SPORTS

2016 EAST COUNTY PREP FOOTBALL

HELIX 42, EASTLAKE 7

By Chris Davis
© East County Sports.com

EASTLAKE (9-10-16) — The second-ranked Helix Highlanders traveled to Eastlake High on Friday (Sept. 9) and came away with a 42-7 victory in a non-league contest.

“We hadn’t scored in the second half (all year),” Helix’s first year head coach ROBBIE OWENS said after the victory. “I thought ZEKE NOA sparked us at tailback. We have been using him a little bit, but he really got us rolling tonight.

Helix’s Zeke Noa scores on a short TD run during the Highlanders’ rout of the Titans. / photo by Christopher Smith – MBA Sports

“Our offensive line did a great job. It was great seeing our offense get rolling. The defense had been carrying us all year, and they did another fine job tonight.”

Noa led the Highlander (2-1) rushing offense with 120 yards on 13 carries with a pair of touchdowns. CARSON BAKER had a sub-par night through the air as he went 9-for-17 for 91 yards and a touchdown and interception.

The junior quarterback added 57 more yards on the ground to his total offense numbers.

The Scotties’ scoring barrage started on the defensive side of the ball as SCOTT YOUNG picked up a fumble in the end zone for the first score. KEATON CHASE cleaned up the extra point.

The clock had just turned under six minutes, when Noa finished his first scoring dash of the night that covered 65 yards. Chase tacked on the second of his six extra points.

“It was one of those plays that (Eastlake) lined up in the right look for that call,” Owens explained about the run.

Noa had a different way of explaining the run. “It was just run downhill. We had to score fast.”

Helix gangs up to stop an Eastlake ball carrier Friday night. / photo by Christopher Smith – MBA Sports

Eastlake (1-2) took the ensuing kickoff at their own five, and brought it out 61 yards to the Helix 39. That possession ended just three plays later when JAYDEN TAUANUU intercepted a pass and returned it 26 yards to the Eastlake 34.

Just over three minutes later, Baker connected with Young (8 catches for 85 yards and 2 touchdowns) for a 5-yard scoring strike and a 21-0 lead.

Eastlake got their only score of the night with five seconds remaining in the first half on a 13-yard pass.

Helix deferred their option to the second half and took their time scoring – the longest drive of the night taking 13 plays and covering 63 yards and about six minutes and 20 seconds, culminating in Noa’s second score of the night.

DUCE REYNOLDS tacked on a touchdown from one yard out. Reynolds may get the scoring glory, but all the hard work was put in by Baker who ran 58 yards to get Reynolds into position to score.

Young closed out the scoring late in the fourth quarter to give the Scotties the final 42-7 score. Noa also added six tackles on the night to lead the defensive attack.