Granite O-Line leads to GHL championship

By Nick Pellegrino
Updated: October 25, 2024

2024 EAST COUNTY PREP FOOTBALL

By Nick Pellegrino
ECS Senior writer

LA MESA – It’s time to proclaim the true reason for the success of the Granite Hills Eagles.

Don’t look in the backfield for a set of solid running backs. It’s the players up front which are doing the heavy lifting.

While different running backs were scoring touchdowns, the line of

were in control for most of the nioght, as Granite Hills guaranteed itself of a shaeof the Grossmont Hills League title by downing Helix, 35-21, at Benton Hart Stadium.

The victory was the Eagles’ third straight in the series over Helix, and the school’s second longest winning streak ever. The record is four staright staring a half-century ago (1974-77) under legendary head coach Dwight Morris.

The lineman consist of left tackle Hunter Hamilton, left guard Haval Haji, center Landon Hart, right guard Julian Baileym and right tackle Jeremiah Maze, with Lorenzo Rojas-Santos entering in power or jumbo formations.

These Eagles proved to be the difference when both team selected to try to convert fourth downs in their own territory. Obviously, the Eagles made their risky play, leading to the victory.

In the first half, the hist Highlanders wer inside their own 10-yard line when a fake punt was sniffed out by the Eagles defense.

Although Helix would hold Granite Hills on the ensuing possession, the battle for field position went to the Eagles for the rest of the first half.

The Eagles rolled the disc in the final minutes of the fourth quarter, attempting to protect a 28-21 advantage.

A handoff up the middle to Max Turner was barely enough to move the chains.
One play later, the ball went to sophomore Anthony MCCall, whotook the ball for first time after just becoming eligibel following his transfer from Del Norte.

McCall raced through the line untouchded and rambled 65 yards for the game-clinching score with 1:24 remaining.

Tuner carried the ball for most of the first half, but the second half belonged to another sophomore back Gage Spalding, who took the ball mostly whenthe Eagles were in wildcat frmation.

Unlike the smaller Turner,’who slashed his way forward for yardage, Spauling can move the pile to power his way to first downs, including a breakout rush of 32 yards in the second period.

Early on

Granite Hills needed just 2:49 to reach the scoreboatd — and they kicked off.

The Eagles defense twice stopped Helix in the backfield for losses to force a quick punt. Included were hits by Kuba Polak on third down. It could be argued that if McCall did not bust through the line for his late TD, Helix had a chance to again tie (or win with as 2-point conversion) in his dramatic series.

The Eagles then raced 59 yards in three plays. Turner;s first score from 1-yard out was set up on 53-yard, first down pass from quarterback Zac Benitez to a wide open receiver in junior Hudson Daniels.

Helix answered on an 80-yard drive, mostlt run out of wildacat formation, capped by a 1-yard dive to saiah Jackson on the first play of the second quarter.

However, Granite Hills would re-take the lead for keeps moments later. Key passes to Trenton Ingram and Lathan”The Spiker: Fry moved the ball into the red z=one, followed with what looked to be a 2-yard TD pass to Brenden Lewis on a one-handed reception. He was ruled out of bounds for no catch.

The Eagles did take the lead ontheir next possession when Helix faked its punt, with the kicker well inside the team’s end zone.

Benitez then fired an 8-yard TD pass to Turner n the left side and a 14-7 lead.

In the second half, the Eagles again opened with a first-drive touchdown to mount a 21-7 cushion. Turner again scored from the Helix-1, also on fourth down.

Helix trimmed the deficit in half as Jackson raced for 30 yards, setting up a 1-yard plunge.

Granite Hills moved to 21-14 on a 1-yard Spalding rush. Helix again moved to within seven points when Jake Williams raced 43 yards on a pass.

Granite Hills defender Trevor Smith, one of the ballgame’s leading tacklers,iced the triumph with an interception.

The Eagles (7-2 overall) can claim the GHL crown outright with a hoem win against Grossmont next Friday on Senior Night.

Helix (3-6, 1-2 GHL) plays at Steele Canyon to conclude the regular season. Not withstandings a long playoff run, the Scotties will suffer their first losing season since 2005 (Ithe year El Cajon Valley advanced tothe CIF San Diego Section title game in Division II).

Summary

EAGLES 35, HIGHLANDERS 21
Granite Hills (7-2, 3-0) 7 7 7 14 - 35
Helix (3-6, 1-2)         0 7 7  7 - 21

First Quarter
GH - Turner 2 run (Whillock kick), 9:11
Second Quarter
H  - Jackson 8 run (Laue kick), 11:55
GH - Diaz 8 pass from Benitez (Whillock kick), 5:2-
Third Quarter
GH - Turner 1 run (Whillock kick), 829
H  - Jackson 1 run (Laue kick), 6:46
Fourth Quarter
GH - Spalding 1 run (Whillock kick), 6:56
H  - J.Williams  43 pass from Valverde (Laue kick), 4:41
GH - McCall 65 run (Whillock kick), 1:28

Notes

Patrolling the sidelines for Granite Hills was former offensive lineman Alejandro Arzola , the 2023 CIF-San Diego Section player of the year on offense. Arzola is currently playing community college football for state-ranked San Diego Mesa,which enters the weekend ranked sixth in California.

A story on Helix kicker Aubrey Laue(far right) appears in The Athletic

Granite Hills won the two previous in the series in multiple overtimes. In 2022, the Eagles won 46-44 in four extra periods, then last season they won 44-43 in double-OT.