What can be said about the Steele Canyon High School football team after its first game of the season?
Please don’t look past the Cougars in their remaining games.
“This is a typical young team,” said Steele Canyon head coach Scott Longerbone following last Friday’s narrow 10-6 non-league loss at 10th-ranked Eastlake. “We have only a few seniors, a lot of juniors and some sophomores and freshmen who are starting.
“We have a team that will get better each week. We need to limit our mistakes going forward.”
The Cougars entered the high- profile game ranked 15th in the section, 10th among Division I teams, while the host Titans were ranked eighth best in Division I.
The rankings seemed to hold in an otherwise defensive matchup.
Steele Canyon was the first to get on the scoreboard courtesy of a defensive touchdown by senior Spencer Campillo, who picked off Eastlake sophomore quarterback Johnny Limon and returned the intercepted pass 20 yards untouched into the endzone.
The Cougars missed the extra conversion point to lead 6-0.
The Eastlake defense had much to say about the rest of the game while holding the visitors’ offense scoreless.
The Titans went ahead, 7-6, on a 12-yard scoring run by senior Trey White with7:23 left in the third quarter. The hosts did not score again until junior Kalen Jones split the uprights on a 35-yard field goal with 5:20 left in the game to provide some much-needed breathing room.
Campillo added 10 tackles, one sack and one caused fumble while classmate Davis Langfeldt wowed the standing-room only crowd with a leaping one-handed interception in front of the goal line. Senior Nathaniel Gillis also had one pick to brace the Cougar defense.
Junior Adrien Chargualaf paced the visitors overall with 11 tackles, including 10 unassisted stops. Senior Isaiah Walker had one fumble recovery.
Eastlake’s defense was just as active with senior Jayden Cortell recording two interceptions and 45 return yards. Senior Isaiah Hinojosa had one blocked punt while White blocked the extra-point attempt.
The Titans limited the visitors to just 27 passing yards and 102 rushing yards. Junior Major Givens gained 89 yards on 22 carries but was otherwise bottled up by Eastlake defenders.
Titan senior Jayden Kendricks led all players on the field with 17 tackles, including 14 solo hits. Senior Christian Aguilar followed with 12 tackles.
Aguilar and senior teammate Marco Gonzales each recorded one sack while junior Kaipo Mauga recovered one fumble, advancing the ball five yards.
The Titans forced eight punts by Steele Canyon in the game.
Eastlake totaled 204 yards in offense, including 135 rushing yards.
Steele Canyon will bid to collect its first win of the new season when it hosts the Madison Warhawks (0-1) this Friday at 7 p.m.
Red Hawks soar to 51-0 win
Senior Larry Clark had 10 carries for 116 yards and two touchdowns while classmate Cody Whitehead rushed 14 times for 132 yards and two touchdowns to lead Mountain Empire to a commanding 51-0 season opening non-league victory at Maranatha Christian last Friday.
Sophomore Corey Vann completed three touchdown passes — two to sophomore Mannix Gonzalez (four catches, 66 yards) and one to Clark (team high 18 tackles on defense).
Senior Chaz Enni had two sacks while Nakai Lindolm had one interception.
San Diego Section Rankings
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