The 2025 high school football season has kicked off with nine East County squads claiming season-opening wins.
There were a couple clff-hangers: Mt. Miguel over San Marcos 28-27 and Mountain Empire over Anza Hamilton 28-25.
But comfortable wins otherwise seemed the norm out of the chute.
Flying high
The Granite Hills football team appears to have picked up right from where it left off after defeating the host Oceanside Pirates, 45-29, last Friday to kick off the 2025 season in style.
The Eagles defeated the San Marcos Knights, 42-25, to claim last year’s San Diego Section Division I championship banner as part of an ongoing three-peat. The East County kingpins rolled over another strong North County opponent on the road to a potential championship four-peat.
Junior quarterback Zachary Benitez turned in a spectacular season debut by passing for 451 yards and four touchdowns as part of a 652-yard total offensive assault by the East County visitors.
Benitez threw one scoring pass each to junior Zhedan Smith (six catches, 94 yards), junior Elijah Arzu (one catch, 10 yards), senior S.J. Wilkins (six catches, 55 yards) and senior Emilio Vera (two catches, 21 yards).
Junior Eurijah Schutza (three carries, 14 yards) tacked on two rushing touchdowns.
Benitez accounted for 472 yards in total office by adding 15 rushing yards and one catch for six yards.
“Our passing game was really clicking and Zac had some great timing and hit seven different receivers throughout the game,” said Granite Hills head coach Kellen Cobbs, whose team led 31-7 at halftime.
“Pass protection was excellent against one of the top rushers in the county. We didn’t give up one sack in 50 drop-back plays,” Cobbs said.
Senior Noah Walker had two receptions for 92 yards, including a long catch-and-run that measured 72 yards, to key the Eagles’ receiving corps while senior Rocket Demery had 83 yards on seven catches. Senior Tristan Diaz had eight catches for 75 yards.
Junior Davion Williams led the Granite ground game with 70 yards on 15 carries while senior Kylan Vicars was next with 62 yards.
Senior Jacob Nunez contributed nine kicking points.
Oceanside scored four touchdowns — one each by sophomore S.J. Puomele (four catches, 115 yards), senior Mykah Faletoi (six catches, 82 yards), sophomore Neke Letuli (eight carries, 41 yards) and senior Kymani Nua (five carries, 112 yards).
Anthony Barquinero passed for 275 yards and two TDs and one interception (by senior Kali Young) to lead the Pirates through the air.
Oceanside racked up 360 total yards in the setback.
The Eagles’ schedule doesn’t get any easier by hosting Division II section runner-up Mater Dei Catholic on Friday, Aug. 29. The Crusaders opened the season with a 52-7 non-league setback at Cathedral Catholic last Friday.
Cathedral Catholic enters this week ranked No. 2 in the section behind No. 1 Lincoln while Granite Hills is ranked No. 5 and Mater Dei Catholic is ranked No. 8.
“Next game we take on an athletic Mater Dei team at home.,” Cobbs said. “We are looking to continue to build our defensive packages and continue to create turnovers. On offense we will continue to spread the ball around.”
Cougar country
Steele Canyon kicked off its season with a 23-13 non-league win over visiting Ramona last Friday.
Junior quarterback Gavin Caha completed 16 of 26 passes for 130 yards and two touchdowns. Senior Nico Jara scored two touchdowns — one on a 29-yard pass reception and another on an 85-yard kickoff return.
Jara accumulated 204 total yards in the game — 165 yards on kick returns, 29 receiving yards and 10 yards on punt returns.
Junior Abel Lopez also had a short touchdown grab coming out of the backfield to help seal the victory.
Senior Ace Woolf split the uprights on a 35-yard field goal in the first half while the hosts parlayed stingy defense, including a goal-line stand, and employed field position and time management in the second half to secure the season-opening victory.
Senior Noah Ramirez and junior Luke Rode keyed the Steele Canyon defense with nine tackles apiece while junior Gunner Minich logged six defensive stops.
The Cougars next host the Madison Warhawks (0-1) Friday, Aug. 29, at 7 p.m. Madison is coming off a 30-20 non-league loss in its season opener last Friday at Santa Fe Christian.
Matador pride
Visiting Mt. Miguel, playing with a shorthanded roster, thwarted a two-point conversion try and then recovered an onside kick attempt to outlast the host San Marcos Knights with some late dramatics in nothing short of a thrilling 28-27 non-league victory.
Junior quarterback Jeremiah Loper made his varsity debut behind center with a bang as he connected with freshman Tamarrion Williams on a 61-yard opening score and then flipped a pass to sophomore Khalonie Jordan for a 62-yard sideline touchdown.
Sophomore Jeremiah Holliday scored on a three-run run following a defensive takeaway to extend the Matador lead to 21-7.
The Knights rallied to tie the score, 21-21, in the second half before Loper added to his dazzling debut with a 10-yard touchdown run late in the contest. Loper finished the game with 219 passing yards while junior Jayden Hunter paced the running attack with 81 yards on 20 carries.
Mt. Miguel coach Verlain Betofe called the win a “total team effort.”
“Proud of our guys,” he wrote on social media.
The Matadors host No. 3 La Costa Canyon (1-0) to kick off their home schedule Friday (Aug. 29) in Spring Valley. The Mavericks are coming off a 43-14 non-league win over defending Division III champion St. Augustine last weekend.
Defense prevails
Grossmont Foothillers coach Anthony Lawrence said his team would have to play “hard” if it is going to find success this season. He also noted defense would be the team’s strength.
Both elements were on prime display in the Foothillers’ 42-14 win over neighboring Patrick Henry last Friday.
“The defense played hard and violent all night,” Lawrence said.
Senior Ryder Robinson had three sacks. Senior Colton Burke had a tackle for a loss, forced fumble, fumble recovery and an 86-yard touchdown on defense while junior Nate Clark reeled in an interception.
Grossmont’s offense also played hard … and put up points.
Junior quarterback Tyler Holmes passed for 179 yards and four touchdowns while also rushing for 143 yards and one touchdown.
Senior Randy Ballard had 12 catches for 91 yards and three touchdowns while junior Jonah Martinez had one receiving TD.
The Hillers host the Westview Wolverines (0-1) this Friday in another non-league outing. Westview is coming off a 43-21 loss to Mt. Carmel in Week 1.
Monarch territory
What senior quarterback Derrick Taylor and junior Deon Hunter started with first-half touchdowns, sophomore Desean Jenkins finished with two second-half touchdowns on defense to lead Monte Vista to a 36-13 non-league win over the visiting Crawford Colts to start a new era under coach Paige Culver.
Taylor completed five of six passing attempts for 48 yards but the Monarchs’ rushing numbers were more impressive with 135 yards, led by 92 yards on 13 carries by Hunter. Senior Rashawn Florence made three receptions for 29 yards, including the game-opening 11-yard scoring pass.
Crawford out-gained Mont Vista 207-183 in total yards. But Jenkins’ two interception returns made up the difference.
Monte Vista hosts the Kearny Komets (0-1) on Friday, Aug. 29, at 7 p.m. The Komets are coming off a 55-0 blowout loss at Mission Bay last week.
Sultans sting
Santana stung the visiting Canyon Hills Rattlers by a 30-0 shutout last Friday to kick off the season on a strong note. The Sultans racked up 406 all-purpose yards on offense and tacked on one interception, two fumble recoveries and a safety on defense.
“Good first game we got the win and a shutout,” Sultans head coach Tim Estes said. “The guys played hard. We had nine guys with a catch.”
Junior quarterback Ethan Miller passed for 203 yard and two touchdowns — one each to senior Maddox Essi (one catch, 16 yards) and senior Xander Bennett (three catches, 19 yards). Sophomore Julian Mayers (nine carries, 55 yards) and senior Caleb Carnes (five carries, two yards) each scored on touchdown runs.
Junior Denton Goar had a big night on the receiving end with five catches for 88 yards while senior Sean Gardinera had five catches for 41 yards.
Senior Jordyn Gillissie helped key the defensive effort with seven tackles, including the safety, and 3.5 sacks. Junior Kolten Thornton was credited with a 30-yard interception return while returning one kickoff 32 yards. He logged a total of 94 return yards in the game.
Sophomore Tatum Morehouse unleashed a 46-yard punt while senior Liam McGhen was successful on four extra-point attempts.
The Sultans take to the road this Friday at Crawford (0-1).
Norse saga
The visiting Valhalla Norsemen deployed an eight-touchdown attack to sink San Jacinto Valley Academy, 51-27, last Friday. Senior Ahmed Husaini (14 carries, 56 yards) scored three of Valhalla’s six rushing touchdowns while senior quarterback Jackson Newman rushed for 118 yards and two scores while also passing for 70 yards and two touchdowns.
Newman finished the non-league game with 188 total yards.
Junior Jaime Pimentel (two catches, 49 yards) and sophomore Paul Sako (two catches, 22 yards) each caught scoring passes.
