Four years ago was the last time Eastlake High School fans saw the man with the tan colored straw hat pace up and down the sidelines of the football field. He left them with two CIF championships and a .770 wining percentage as head coach of the Titans.
Last Friday night John McFadden and his straw hat were back for Eastlake when the Titans hosted Torrey Pines to open up regular season play. McFadden was quickly reminded of the many frustrations that come with being a head football coach when Jason Heine, the starting quarterback for Torrey Pines, marched his team downfield on its second drive of the game, the result of which was a 19-yard touchdown run from Heine.
Meanwhile, Eastlake only managed two first downs the entire first half. One of those was awarded by a penalty on the Torrey Pines defense.
Defense wins championships, and last Friday night the Titan defense is what kept this game within reach. Senior captain Joshua McCurty was flying to the ball at linebacker for Eastlake and, when on the field, he was a difference maker.
“I think he (McCurty) was the best player, when he was in there,” McFadden said.
McCurty had to to be checked out by their trainer a couple of times during the first half which forced him to miss plays on defense. Torrey Pines held a 6-0 lead over Eastlake as the clock hit double zeroes to conclude the first half. When both teams returned from intermission it was like one team forgot to come out. The Falcons dominated both lines of scrimmage and ran for 203 yards in the second half.
Senior running back Evan Galluzzi led the way with 99 yards and one touchdown that put Torrey Pines up 13-0 late in the fourth quarter.
Torrey Pines would end up winning 13-0 as they frustrated Eastlake’s offense all night long. The Titans managed just 25 yards of rushing and quarterback Richard Colmonero was limited to 115 yards.
“I missed coaching, but I didn’t miss this part,” McFadden said. “I hate losing, and I feel like we have to do a better job of coaching. I didn’t like our execution on offense; we have to get better.”
Photo gallery by Jon Bigornia
Prep Kick-off 2018
Friday Night Lights
Friday, Aug. 17
Non-League
Chula Vista 27, La Jolla Country Day 14
Castle Park 55, O’Farrell Charter 6
Montgomery 12, Hoover 6
Santa Fe Christian 28, Olympian 25 (OT)
Escondido 31, Hilltop 20
Southwest 57, Escondido Charter 26
St. Augustine 35, Bonita Vista 0
Torrey Pines 13, Eastlake 0
Monte Vista 44, Mar Vista 0
Mission Bay 38, San Ysidro 14
Ramona 28, Mater Dei Catholic 0
San Marcos 24, Otay Ranch 21
San Pasqual 48, Sweetwater 7
Friday, Aug. 24
Non-League
San Ysidro at Mountain Empire, 6:30 p.m.
Madison vs. Bonita Vista at Southwestern College, 7 p.m.
Hilltop at Eastlake, 7 p.m.
Valley Center at Otay Ranch, 7 p.m.
Castle Park at Mar Vista, 7 p.m.
Vincent Memorial at Southwest, 7 p.m.
Chula Vista at Mt. Miguel, 7 p.m.
Mater Dei Catholic at El Capitan, 7 p.m.
Olympian at Poway, 7 p.m.
Montgomery at Classical Academy, 7 p.m.
Sweetwater at Fallbrook, 7 p.m.
San Diego Section Football Rankings
MaxPreps/Top 10
Division I: 1. Helix (0-1), 2. Torrey Pines (1-0), 3. Madison (1-0), 4. Mission Hills (0-1), 5. La Costa Canyon (1-0), 6. San Marcos (1-0), 7. Carlsbad (1-0), 8. Eastlake (0-1), 9. Steele Canyon (0-1), 10. Grossmont (1-0). Others: 13. Otay Ranch (0-1)
Division II: 1. Ramona (1-0), 2. Valley Center (1-0), 3. Granite Hills (1-0), 4. Bishop’s (0-1), 5. Lincoln (1-0), 6. Mira Mesa (1-0), 7. Southwest El Centro (0-1), 8. Point Loma (0-1), 9. Westview (1-0), 10. Vista (1-0). Others: 11. Olympian (0-1), 14. Mater Dei Catholic (0-1), 15. Bonita Vista (0-1)
Division III: 1. Monte Vista (1-0), 2. Santa Fe Christian (1-0), 3. University City (1-0), 4. Christian (1-0), 5. West Hills (1-0), 6. Central Union (1-0), 7. Brawley (1-0), 8. El Capitan (0-1), 9. Escondido (1-0), 10. Morse (1-0). Others: 11. Hilltop (0-1)
Division IV: 1. San Diego (1-0), 2. Chula Vista (1-0), 3. Kearny (1-0), 4. Sweetwater (0-1), 5. La Jolla Country Day (0-1), 6. Classical Academy (0-1), 7. Santana (1-0), 8. Del Norte (1-0), 9. Serra (0-1), 10. Mar Vista (0-1). Others: 13. Montgomery (1-0)
Division V: 1. Vincent Memorial (1-0), 2. Francis Parker (1-0), 3. Tri-City Christian (1-0), 4. Palo Verde Valley (0-1), 5. Holtville (1-0), 6. Army-Navy Academy (0-0), 7. Mountain Empire (0-1), 8. Maranatha Christian (0-1), 9. Orange Glen (1-0), 10. Southwest (1-0). Others: 11. Castle Park (1-0), 15. San Ysiro (0-1)
