Sultans sack Braves, stay alive in Valley

By Bill Dickens
Updated: October 29, 2016

Santana's BOBBY WALLACE carries against El Cajon Valley. / TRYAN PHOTOGRAPHY

2016 EAST COUNTY PREP FOOTBALL

SANTANA 45, EL CAJON VALLEY 14

By Bill Dickens
© East County Sports.com

EL CAJON (10-29-16) — With one game remaining in the regular season, the Santana Sultans find themselves still alive for at least a share of the Grossmont Valley League title IF they can close the campaign with a victory over Mount Miguel Friday (Nov. 4).

At this point, Santana (2-1 Grossmont Hills League, 6-3) trails Granite Hills by one game in the league standings. The Eagles would have to lose their final game at their neighbor to the west, El Cajon Valley, next week, as well.

El Cajon Valley makes a tackle on Santana Friday night. / TRyan Photography

The Santana defense came up big in sacking El Cajon Valley quarterback TYSON SMITH six times and limiting him to 37 yards rushing and 3-for-5 passing for 20 yards, as the Sultans shunned the Braves, 45-14, on Madison Ave.

El Cajon Valley (0-3 GVL, 5-4) had 217 yards rushing as a team, but it was a disappointing performance for the Braves’ offensive ace, as it was obviously he was hampered by an injury.

The Braves’ LUIS MORALES had a 56-yard touchdown run to score first in the game behind the nifty pull block of sophomore MASON TILEIA, and LUIS PEREZ had a 68-yard run to end El Cajon Valley’s scoring in the fourth quarter.

The Sultans’ BOBBY WALLACE completed the cycle by rushing for two scores, catching a touchdown pass and passing for a touchdown. He had 128 yards in the first half alone.

Midway through the third quarter he passed the 1,000 yard rushing mark on the season, becoming the second back in the last 15 years to rush for 1,000 yards in back-to-back seasons with JERRAD SCHNAUTZ the last back to do it for Santana in 2000 and 2001.

On the season. Wallace now has 1,042 yards and needs 203 more yards to break the team single-season record of 1,244 set in 1994 by DREW PALMER.

Sultans quarterback JOSH OEDEWALDT, with his 200 yards on the night, has 1,829 yards on the season, which is good for 7th in the record books for most yards in a season in Sultans’ history. He should move his way up in the record book by the end of the season.

Also with his 24 touchdown strikes on the year, Oedewaldt moves into 4th all-time for most TD passes among Santana’s elite.

Santana on offense against El Cajon Valley on Friday night. / TRyan Photography

When it’s all said and done at the end of the season, he will be in the top two all-time with DJ BUSCH, who was the record-setting QB for the 1999 Sultans.

The game was tied 8-8 after one quarter and the Sultans pushed ahead 10-8 by halftime. After that it was all Santana.

Wallace scored on a 17-yard run around the left side to help equal the game in the first.

Oedewaldt finished his latest effort by clicking on 14-of-19 passes and one touchdown pass.

Wallace led the ground forces with 215 yards on 21 carries.

AIDEN RASMUSSON led the Santana aerial patrol with 7 catches for 100 yards, while ANDERS TOLHURST pulled in 4 aerials for 46 yards and the touchdown.

Tolhurst, who caught the left-handed option pass from Wallace for a score in the third quarter, did more than just catch passes, as he recovered 2 fumbles.

Rasmussen’s 37-yard reception in the second quarter helped set up a short 2-yard score from Wallace.

BRAYDEN NIETO notched a team best 11 tackles against the Braves.

ADAM VARGO and DOMENIC DEHOYOS each registered 8 tackles for Santana. Dehoyos also notched 2 sacks, as did DEVAN HENSELMEIER.

BROCK ELLIS rushed in for a touchdown in the third quarter for Santana.

Two-way star OMAR GARCIA, of the Braves, was named Homecoming King at halftime.