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Cougars quietly build big season
- Updated: September 22, 2024
2024 EAST COUNTY PREP FOOTBALL
STEELE CANYON 45, VALHALLA 14
EastCountySports.com
SPRING VALLEY – The Steele Canyon Cougars aren’t concerned about drawing attention to their current winning momentum.
The Cougars seem to prefer if observers ignore their current success entirely, preparing a sort of sneak attack on their opponents heading into the Grossmont Hills League portion of the schedule.
Well, that is going to continue to be more difficult after the Cougars won for the fourth time in five outings, capturing their third consecutive victory with a 45-14 road defeat of modest rival Valhalla to retain possession of the Jamacha Helmet trophy for the fifth time in a row.
The series had been put on hold in recent years following the Spring Season of 2020, but the Cougars won last year, as well, 26-12. Valhalla last won the matchup in 2016.
One thing appears certain. The Cougars have some of the most overlooked talent in the county.
Sophomore quarterback Gavin Caha passed for 267 yards and five touchdowns in the victory over the Norsemen.
The budding star is just shy of 1,000 yards and has 12 TD passes at the halfway point of the season – second-most of local passers – but he doesn’t seem to draw the attention other Grossmont Conference QBs have received.
Junior Noah De Arcos had two of the touchdown receptions, including a 4-yard touchdown play for a 7-0 lead early, while sophomore Josiah Stocker and senior Eneas Paredes both hauled in a touchdown catch.
Paredes’ play was a thing of beauty, as the fullback took a short pass over the middle and rambled his way to a 31-yard score.
Junior Nico Jara had a 37-yard touchdown reception which made the score 45-8.
Steele Canyon senior running back John Weaver had 132 yards on the ground on just five attempts, including a 56-yard touchdown run which gave Steele a 16-0 lead with 8:53 to play in the first quarter..
Jackson Newman had a 13-yard touchdown run to get Valhalla on the board, 38-8. He added second rushing score to close out the scoring on the final drive of the game.
Jackson rushed for 149 yards in the contest on 21 attempts.
Steele Canyon (4-1) got interceptions from seniors Stefan Raschtschenia and Caden Davey.
Junior Matt Guzman had a team-high five solo tackles for the Cougars, while senior Nicolas Marcon and junior Tyree Zarkaryan both had eight total stops.
Valhalla (2-3) was led defensively by Giacolo Lupo, who had nine total tackles, including five solo.
Despite having one of the best records in the county at 4-1, the Cougars have yet to attract attention of pollsters, having been left off the local media poll all season.
The Cougars host Point Loma, a team that ranks ahead of them in the computer power ratings, next Friday before facing off with Granite Hills on the road in its biggest test of the season on Oct. 4.
