At 1-4 the season wasn’t necessarily over for the El Capitan High School football team. Far from it with the start of Grossmont Valley League play.
The league champion earns automatic entry into the San Diego Section divisional playoffs. The Vaqueros hope to take that path after defeating the host Santana Sultans, 19-7, last Friday.
El Capitan improved to 1-0 in league along with the Valhalla Norsemen and West Hills Wolf Pack while Santana dropped to 0-1 in league alongside the Monte Vista Monarchs and El Cajon Valley Braves.
The Vaqueros next play at Monte Vista this Friday.
“We have had our struggles this year with major injuries — not making excuses,” El Capitan head coach Ron Burner said. “But take out Steele Canyon (35-0 loss) and we lost our other games by one score (28-21 to Pearl City, 27-21 to Ramona, 14-7 to Bonita Vista) and we did that with both quarterbacks out and using a running back as a wildcat quarterback.
“Against Santana, we ended up losing seven starters to various injuries, including cramps, but our defense played absolutely fantastic with a Shayne Whitmore 94-yard pick six to move the momentum to us. Michael Castillo rushed 22 times for 157 yards with one touchdown and had two others called back that were both 50-yard touchdowns.
“The team just kept working hard and never gave up on a super-hot Friday night. Both teams played very well.”
The Vaqs built a 9-0 halftime lead on a first quarter safety and second quarter touchdown.
The Sultans scored their lone touchdown in the game in the third quarter but the visitors countered with a field goal to take a 12-7 lead into the final quarter.
A clutch fourth quarter TD secured the win.
Junior Hayden Passanisi completed five of 11 passing attempts for 50 yards with one interception. Valencia had two catches for 28 yards.
Senior Ryder Powers added a 27-yard field goal for El Capitan along with two extra-point conversions. He also made an interception on defense.
Whitmore also had two kick returns for 47 yards. Junior Colton Kidd averaged 32.0 yards on four punts.
Sophomore Robinson Silva had two sacks for 16 yards.
Senior Dillon Timanus (two catches, 15 yards) scored Santana’s lone touchdown in the game on a pass from senior quarterback Ethan Miller (171 passing yards, two interceptions).
Junior Julian Mayers led the Sultans with 55 rushing yards on 16 carries (long of 11 yards) while senior Kolton Thornton paced the hosts in the air with 11 catches for 104 yards (long of 28 yards).
Thornton led Santana with 195 all-purpose yards (minus-5 rushing, 104 receiving, 53 on kick returns and 38 on punt returns).
Junior Tatum Morehouse keyed the Sultans with nine tackles. Timanus and senior Brayton Knight each had fumble recoveries.
Santana will attempt to snap a sudden two-game losing streak when it hosts crosstown rival West Hills this Friday in the teams’ annual Mayors Cup rivalry contest.
Valhalla 57, Monte Vista 7
Junior Adrian Wilson passed for 349 yards and six touchdowns to lead the Norsemen to their fourth consecutive win (following two forfeit losses). Sophomore T’Marrion Williams caught 11 passes for 137 yards and three scores while freshman Tyrell Brown had two catches for 35 yards and two touchdowns. Sophomore Camryn Conley had five catches for 63 yards and one TD.
Freshman A.J. Wright had four catches for 104 yards, including one measuring 48 yards. Williams had a 40-yard catch.
Senior Jayden Hunter (12 carries, 84 yards) and Conley (four carries, 24 yards) each scored one rushing touchdown.
Valhalla racked up 508 yards in total offense — 390 by Wilson, who tacked on 41 rushing yards.
Williams made one interception on defense while sophomore Kaleb Osoimato had two sacks.Freshman Jordan Codere led the team with eight tackles.
The Noraemen next take their win streak into Friday’s league game at El Cajon Valley.
West Hills 48, El Cajon Valley 12
The Wolf Pack (1-0, 5-1) bounced back from their first loss of the season (40-33 against Grossmont on Sept. 25) to win their league opener over the Braves (0-1, 2-4).
“We’re happy to get off to a winning start,” West Hills coach Casey Ash said. “We got to get everyone in the game which is important. (Sophomore) Xavier Moffatt came up from JV and did a great job (48-yard touchdown catch, 60-yard interception return). We’ve got a big three weeks. We’re excited about the Sultans on Friday. Looks like one of the better teams they’ve had.”
Senior Evin Dill passed for 97 yards with one touchdown to Moffatt while junior Rene Varela Ugalde (54 rushing yards, 27 passing yards) scored twice on rushing plays. Junior Marcus Leath (two carries, 48 yards) and junior Braylon Connell each scored one rushing touchdown.
Senior Mike Ware recorded 125 yards on two interception returns, including one for a touchdown.
Moffatt chalked up 108 all-purpose yards with the passing yards and interception return.The Wolf Pack amassed 204 yards on four interception returns — two by Ware and one each by Moffatt and Connell.
Senior Zach Waters registered three of the Wolf pack’s seven sacks in the game.
Desert League opener
The Mountain Empire Redhawks dropped their Desert League opener, 50-28, to the visiting Vincent Memorial Scots last Friday to fall to 0-1 in league, 4-3 overall.
Vincent Memorial improved to 1-0 in league, 6-1 overall.
“It was a tough opening loss,” Mountain Empire head coach Cameron Keller said. “We had some crucial calls not go our way and felt like guys gave up after the first half. It was 22-0 to start the second half. We fumbled off the first play and they scored. We did play till the end and it was 28-28 in the second half. I’m proud of them for fighting while down. Turnovers were a big part of our loss as well — five fumbles, we lost three.”
Senior Chance Ross passed for 178 yards with two touchdowns and one two-point conversion.
Senior Amar Mahasin had six catches on 13 targets with 81 receiving yards with two touchdowns and one two-point conversion.
Junior Elisha Robinson gained 119 yards on 23 carries with one touchdown. He had three fumbles, losing two. Ross logged 28 rushing yards and one touchdown but had two fumbles, losing one.
The Redhawks next play at Calipatria (0-0, 3-3) on Friday.
