The Granite Hills High School football team returned to the win column last Friday with a 49-16 non-league victory against the visiting Eastlake Titans. The host Eagles scored seven touchdowns — three rushing, three passing and one on a kick-off return.
Granite Hills improved to 3-1 on the season and maintained the No. 5 position in the CalPreps rankings behind No. 1 Lincoln (2-2), No. 2 La Costa Canyon (4-0), No. 3 Cathedral Catholic (3-1) and No. 4 Carlsbad (3-1).
Final regular season rankings will determine the San Diego Section’s four Open Division qualifiers, so the Eagles remain in the hunt to defend their CIF Open Division championship.
Sophomore Zac Benitez completed 15 of 23 passing attempts for 144 yards and three touchdowns — one each to junior De’vell Green (two catches, 39 yards), senior Lathan Fry (three catches, 32 yards) and junior Emilio Vera (one catch, six yards).
Benitez also had six carries for nine yards and one rushing TD to go with his three passing scores.
On the season, he has passed for 677 yards with eight touchdowns.
The Eagles produced a balanced offense with 144 passing yards and 186 rushing yards.
Sophomore Gage Spalding rushed 17 times for 92 yards and one touchdown while senior Max Turner rushed four times for 89 yards and one touchdown.
Turner’s longest carry from the line of scrimmage was for 75 yards.
Senior Brenden Lewis returned a kickoff 87 yards for a touchdown while junior Kyler Oberg returned two kickoffs for 53 yards. Sophomore Jason Nunez contributed six kicking points.
Overall, Benitez connected with seven different receivers in the win. Lewis had three catches for 22 yards while Oberg had two catches for 29 yards. Junior Tristan Diaz had two catches for 22 yards.
Eastlake was held to 41 passing yards but rushed 24 times for 87 yards and one touchdown by senior William Schmitz (15 carries, 73 yards). Junior Isaiah Rodriguez scored on a 96-yard kickoff return and also had a 53-yard interception return in the setback.
Senior Kingston Schaaf led the visitors with 11 tackles, including one sack.
Granite Hills has a bye this weekend but returns to the gridiron Sept. 27 for a non-league game at Madison.
EAST COUNTY PASSING LEADERS
•Thomas Donovan (Grossmont) 1,237 yards, 16 touchdowns
•Gavin Caha (Steele Canyon) 720 yards, 7 touchdowns
•Brandt Barker (El Capitan) 693 yards, 6 touchdowns
•Zac Benitez (Granite Hills) 677 yards, 8 touchdowns
•A.J. Stowers (Mt. Miguel) 601 yards, 6 touchdowns (3 games)
EAST COUNTY RUSHING LEADERS
•Max Turner (Granite Hills) 680 yards, 10 touchdowns
•Kaedyn Hallman (Santana) 556 yards, 8 touchdowns
•Isaiah Jackson (Helix) 524 yards, 3 touchdowns
•John Weaver IV (Steele Canyon) 456 yards, 7 touchdowns 1
RECEIVINGLEADERS
•Noah Walker(Grossmont) 536 yards, 7 touchdowns
•Parker Vanderburgh (Grossmont) 485 yards, 7 touchdowns
•A.J. Logan (Mt. Miguel) 305 yards, 3 touchdowns (3 games)
•Ayden Benegas (El Capitan) 243 yards, four touchdowns
