Three games into the 2024 high school football season, the Mt. Miguel Matadors finally got the match-up they wanted … and the win they wanted.
In a spotlight pairing of two of last year’s San Diego Section champions — Division III (La Jolla Country Day) and Division IV (Mt. Miguel) — the Matadors prevailed by a score of 35-21 in a game full of highlights last Friday in La Jolla.
The Matadors, now with a perfect 3-0 record, stand as East County’s lone undefeated prep football team. Mt. Miguel continues to climb the CalPreps rankings, entering Week 3 at No. 12 among the section’s 87-ranked 11-man teams.
Matadors head coach Verlain Betofe believes his squad can climb even higher.
“We played a little sloppy again,” the second-year Mt. Miguel sideline boss said. “We had three bad turnovers and didn’t score on three trips in the red zone. We won 35-21 but it shouldn’t have even been that close. We just have to keep working out the kinks. We will be better this week just have to play with more attention to detail.”
The Matadors return to the gridiron this Friday against the 17th-ranked Bishop’s Knights (1-1) in La Jolla. Kick-off is 7 p.m.
Junior quarterback A.J. Stowers completed 17 of 23 passing attempts for 203 yards and two touchdowns and tacked on four carries for 45 yards and one rushing touchdown to help power last Friday’s win.
Junior Parris Vernon had two rushes for 40 yards and one touchdown and four catches for 96 yards while junior Brandon Arrington had one carry for a two-yard score.
Junior A.J. Logan had seven receptions for 68 yards and one touchdown while junior K.J. Shields had one touchdown catch for 19 yards.
Senior Clint Ettleman was successful on all five PAT attempts.
Stowers has thrown six touchdown passes in three games while Shields has scored six touchdowns — four rushing, one receiving and one on a kickoff return— to lead the Matadors in scoring.
Defensively, seniors Easton Sanchez and Dominic De Arcos each had sacks.
East County Football Log
NON-LEAGUE
Thursday, Sept. 6
Monte Vista 35, Castle Park 19
Friday, Sept. 7
Mt. Miguel 35, La Jolla Country Day 21
Helix 28, St. Augustine 13
Steele Canyon 49, Morse 13
Grossmont 32, Mira Mesa 28
Santana 37, Hilltop 14
Valhalla 21, San Ysidro 14
West Hills 31, Vista 16
Christian 48, Mission Bay 7
Foothills Christian 57, PAL Academy0
Chula Vista 35, El Capitan 21
Vincent Memorial 35, El Cajon Valley 0
Holtville 54, Mountain Empire 0
Saturday, Sept. 8
Perry (Gilbert, Ariz.) 39, Granite Hills 21
CalPreps Top 30 Rankings
SAN DIEGO SECTION WEEK 3
1. Lincoln (2-1), 2. Cathedral Catholic 3-0, 3. Carlsbad 2-1, 4. La Costa Canyon 3-0, 5. Granite Hills 2-1, 6. San Marcos 3-0, 7. Mission Hills 2-1, 8. La Jolla 3-0, 9. El Camino 2-1, 10. Helix 1-2, 11. Rancho Bernardo 3-0, 12. Mt. Miguel 3-0, 13. Del Norte 2-1, 14. Oceanside 1-2, 15. Central Union (3-0), 16. Poway (2-1), 17. Bishop’s (1-1), 18. Mater Dei Catholic (0-3), 19. Torrey Pines (1-2), 20. Madison (1-2), 21. St. Augustine (0-3), 22. La Jolla Country Day (2-1), 23. Scripps Ranch (3-0), 24. Santa Fe Christian (2-1), 25. Brawley (2-0), 26. University (3-0), 27. Steele Canyon (2-1), 28. Mt. Carmel (3-0), 29. Pt. Loma (1-2), 30. Imperial (3-0)
