Seven East County high school football teams kicked off the 2024 season with timely victories. Two of them — the Granite Hills Eagles and Mt. Miguel Matadors — remain undefeated through the opening two weekends of non-league play.
Granite Hills posted a 56-28 win at Mater Dei Catholic while Mt. Miguel recorded a 54-12 win over visiting Rancho Buena Vista in games last Friday to both stay unbeaten on the season with 2-0 records.
For the second consecutive week, the Eagles put up big numbers on the road, tallying 579 yards in total offense in blowing past host Mater Dei Catholic. Sophomore quarterback Zac Benitez completed 16 of 19 passes for 258 yards and three touchdowns while senior Max Turner rushed 20 times for 189 yards and scored four rushing touchdowns.
On the receiving end of the ball, junior Tristan Diaz had four catches for 103 yards and one touchdown while senior Brendan Lewis had six catches for 72 yards and one touchdown. Senior Lathan Fry had five catches for 46 yards and one touchdown while also completing one pass for a 55-yard touchdown to junior Kyler Oberg.
Senior Parker Vance had one catch for 37 yards.
Benitez, who logged one interception, completed the game with a 142.0 passer rating.
As a team, the Eagles passed for 313 yards in the game and rushed for 266 yards.
Sophomore Gage Spalding followed Turner on the scoresheet with 50 yards on seven carries while senior Luis Huertas had 15 yards on seven attempts.
On defense, Vance had one interception for 22 yards. Senior Trent Whillock had seven kicking points while Lewis converted one extra-point conversion.
The Mater Dei Catholic defense gave up eight touchdowns.
Through two games, Turner has rushed for 392 yards and seven touchdowns while Benitez has passed for 492 yards and four touchdowns. Vance has two interceptions in as many games to his credit.
Crusader senior quarterback Kartell Purvis completed 20 of 31 attempts for 285 yards and three touchdowns, including a pair to senior Isaiah Cook (seven catches, 145 yards).
Purvis led the hosts with 332 total yards (285 passing, 67 rushing). As a team, Mater Dei Catholic racked up 452 total yards.
The two teams combined for 1,031 total offensive yards in the high impact non-league encounter.
Cook accounted for 18 points by adding an interception return for a score.
Granite Hills tees it up next against the Perry Pumas from Gilbert, Arizona, on Saturday, Sept. 7, at 4 p.m. (Honor Bowl at Cathedral Catholic).
Mater Dei Catholic will be looking to snare its first win of the season Friday, Sept. 6, at San Marcos (2-0) at 7 p.m.
Mt. Miguel 54, RBV 12
It was another all-around effort for the host Matadors, who racked up 354 yards in total offense and received touchdowns from four players.
Junior K.J. Shields (six carries, 147 yards) scored three rushing touchdowns while junior Zane Rottier (seven carries, 64 yards) scored two rushing touchdowns. Junior A.J. Logan tacked on a five-yard rushing score while senior Sha-hei Phillips scored on an interception return.
Mt. Miguel rolled up 246 rushing yards and 108 passing yards in the win. Junior quarterback A.J. Stowers recorded 130 total yards on 100 passing yards and 30 rushing yards while junior kicker Clint Ettleman was perfect on all six extra-point conversion attempts.
Phillips had two interceptions for 71 yards while junior Vince Pryor had one pick for 22 yards.
Senior Dominic De Arcos led the defense with 10 tackles, including two for losses.
The Matadors will grapple with likewise unbeaten La Jolla Country Day (2-0) this Friday in La Jolla.
Back on track
Two teams that dropped their season openers, got into the win column for the first time this season with victories in Week 2: Grossmont (56-16 at Olympian) and Valhalla (51-21 over host Mar Vista).
After allowing 77 points to Patrick Henry in Week 1, Grossmont (1-1) bounced back to hand host Olympian a 41-point setback. Senior signal-caller Thomas Donovan passed for 454 yards and six touchdowns to increase his output behind center to 12 TD in two games.
Senior Parker Vanderburgh (eight catches, 227 yards) finished the game with three touchdown receptions while junior Noah Walker (eight catches, 171 yards) caught two TD passes. Senior Amari Riley (three catches, 28 yards) had one receiving touchdown.
Senior Casey Cambell rushed four times for 64 yards and scored two touchdowns.
The Foothillers (three interceptions, two sacks, one fumble recovery on defense) amassed 619 total yards in offense and eight touchdowns (six passing, two rushing).
The Norsemen (1-1) opened scoring on the opening kickoff as sophomore Preston Marcos returned the ball 84 yards. Junior quarterback Jackson Newman (65 passing yards, 79 rushing yards) completed two touchdown passes, including one each to Marcos and freshman Pau l Sako.
Senior Marcus Mikhail (12 carries, 109 yards) scored three rushing touchdowns. Junior Zachary Haggar racked up three sacks while senior Vinny Coyle scored on a fumble return. Junior Anderson Turner recorded nine kicking points on six extra-point conversions and a 30-yard field goal.
Teams tasting their first defeats in 2024 included Steele Canyon (35-21 loss at Madison), El Capitan (20-6 loss to visiting Scripps Ranch), Santana (21-7 loss at Sweetwater), Christian (24-13 loss to visiting Bishop’s) and Mountain Empire (32-0 loss to visiting Southwest San Diego).
Sophomore Gavin Caha passed for 243 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another to pace Steele Canyon (1-1).
East County Football Log
NON-LEAGUE
Thursday, Aug. 29
Sweetwater 21, Santana 7
Southwest 32, Mountain Empire 0
Friday, Aug. 30
Granite Hills 56, Mater Dei Catholic 28
Mt. Miguel 54, Rancho Buena Vista 12
Grossmont 56, Olympian 15
Valhalla 51, Mar Vista 21
Madison 35, Steele Canyon 21
University City 49, West Hills 14
Scripps Ranch 20, El Capitan 6
Kearny 41, Monte Vista 35
California School for the Deaf-Riverside 68, Foothills Christian 28
Saturday, Aug. 31
Bishop’s 24, Christian 13
Classical Academy 50, El Cajon Valley 0
CAL PREPS WEEK 2 RANKINGS
TOP 30 SAN DIEGO SECTION
1. Lincoln (1-1), 2. Granite Hills (2-0), 3. Cathedral Catholic (2-0), 4. Mission Hills (1-1), 5. Carlsbad (1-1), 6. La Costa Canyon (2-0), 7. San Marcos (2-0), 8. La Jolla (2-0), 9. Helix (0-2), 10. El Camino (1-1), 11. Mater Dei Catholic (0-2), 12. Rancho Bernardo (2-0), 13. Mt. Miguel (2-0), 14. Del Norte (1-1), 15. Torrey Pines (0-2), 16. Bishop’s (1-1), 17. Oceanside (1-1), 18. Madison (1-1), 19. Poway (1-1), 20. Central Union (2-0), 21. La Jolla Country Day (2-0), 22. St. Augustine (0-2), 23. Santa Fe Christian (1-1), 24. Brawley (1-0), 25. Scripps Ranch (2-0), 26. Steele Canyon (1-1), 27. Pt. Loma (1-1), 28. University City (2-0), 29. Mira Mesa (0-1), 30. Mt. Carmel (2-0)
