The Mountain Empire High School football team is 5-1 on the season … and 2-0 in league.
That is certainly something to cheer about, but the season isn’t over quite yet, especially with a possible playoff berth looming as the wins keep mounting.
The Redhawks scored their latest win in dramatic fashion with last Friday’s 36-35 squeaker over the visiting Victory Christian Knights from Chula Vista.
“We scored late and went for two points to put us up by one,” Mountain Empire coach Cameron Keller said. “Michael Noble (senior) made an interception late in the fourth quarter. We had to convert on third-and-short, got penalized, and had to punt. Victory missed a 40-yard field with three seconds left.”
The Knights’ misfortune proved to be the winning formula for the Redhawks.
Top performers included sophomore Elisha Lashone Robinson with 230 yards rushing and three touchdowns and junior Chance Ross with 106 rushing yards and two touchdowns.
The Redhawks out-gained the Knights 453-335 in total offensive yards.
Junior Mason Hotka had an interception on defense while junior Amar Mahasin and sophomore David Oden each recorded sacks. Senior Jason Landman led the team with nine tackles.
VCA (1-1 in league, 1-4 overall) led 21-12 at halftime before the hosts out-scored the visitors 28-14 in the second half.
Senior Chato Garcia passed for 115 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. He also rushed for 112 yards and scored once on the ground for the Knights.
Mountain Empire travels to the city to next take on the O’Farrell Charter Falcons (1-0, 2-3) Friday at 4 p.m.
