If this was like any other season, we would currently be at the halfway mark in the 2020 high school football schedule.
The Hilltop Lancers, for instance, would be prepping for a home game this Friday against the Otay Ranch Mustangs in their Metro-Mesa League opener.
But this is not like any “normal” season as the start of the fall season has been pushed back to December due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic.
In fact, first regular season games are not scheduled until Jan. 8. It’s still a way off.
If the season had kicked off on schedule, the Lancers, for instance, would have started their season with a road game at Valhalla High School on Aug. 21, followed by a home game against El Capitan High School on Aug. 28.
Hilltop would have hosted this year’s Chula Vista Kiwanis Bowl on Sept. 4 against west side rival Chula Vista High School.
Following a bye week on Sept. 11, the Lancers were scheduled to play non-league road games at Morse on Sept. 18 and Escondido High School last Friday.
What would Hilltop’s record have been through its opening five games? 5-0? 4-1? 3-2? 2-3? 1-4? 0-5?
The answer is, of course, one of the above.
Homecoming on hold
The 2020 season was slated to be a special homecoming for new Lancer head coach Bryan Wagner, a Hilltop alumnus who went on to play in the Super Bowl with the San Diego Chargers.
Wagner played for the Lancers from 1978-79. He kicked a 53-yard field goal in a 1979 game against Castle Park to set a then San Diego Section record.
His Hilltop homecoming will have to wait but he’s hoping the upcoming season will still be a special one for his new team. Practices are set to start Dec. 12.
The Lancers move to the Metro-Mesa League after winning three consecutive Metro-South Bay League championships under former head coach Drew Westling. Besides Otay Ranch, Hilltop’s league slate this season also includes Eastlake, Olympian, Mater Dei Catholic and Bonita Vista.
Eastlake and Olympian are designated as home games (whenever the new schedule is issued) while Mater Deri Catholic and Bonita Vista are scheduled to be road matchups.
Football flashback
Statistical leaders for Hilltop from last season included quarterback Javin Deanda, senior running back Jeremiah Serrano, senior receiver Marko Aki, senior safety/defensive back Tony Candalaria, senior linebacker Gage Scruggs and senior defensive lineman Michael McShane.
Deanda passed for 2,323 yards with 19 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He also rushed for 142 yards and scored seven rushing touchdowns.
Serrano rushed for 1,612 yards and scored 22 rushing touchdowns while also catching 23 passes for 307 yards and two more scores. He led the team with 24 touchdowns.
Aki made 60 receptions for 969 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Other contributors on offense included senior Lai Zumstein (415 receiving yards, three touchdowns), junior Ian Ramirez (295 receiving yards, two touchdowns), senior Abraham Avila (288 rushing yards, four touchdowns).
Defensive leaders included Candalaria and Scruggs with 99 and 91 tackles, respectively. Scruggs and McShane led the team with eight sacks while Candalaria had four fumble recoveries and one interception.
Other defensive standouts included junior Rudy Lucero (seven sacks), senior Terran Pineda (six sacks, two fumble recoveries) and Issac Valdespino (six sacks, one fumble recovery).
Candalaria is now playing at Benedictine Catholic University in Lisle, Ill. He is in contention for the starting safety job as that position is open due to graduation.
The Eagles compete in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference at the NCAA Division III level.
Scruggs is now playing linebacker at Northwestern College in Orange City, Iowa. The Raiders compete at the NAIA level.
David Delgado is a freshman place-kicker for San Diego State University.
Go Green
Westling wrapped up an eventual four-year head coaching assignment with the Lancers with three consecutive league championships.
He also helped establish a new tradition at the school — the Molina Strong Turnover Belt in recognition of offensive line coach Jonathan Molina, who passed away in September 2018 after a battle with cancer.
Players get a chance to hold the belt on the sideline prior to the next series after making a defensive play resulting in a fumble recovery or interception.
“It’s a great feeling to hear the fans chanting your name while you hold it up,” Scruggs said.
Hilltop hosted the inaugural Molina Strong Lineman Challenge in 2017 as a fundraiser for Molina, a 2013 Lancer graduate. The event included five categories: a truck push, bench press, dumb bell carry, hang time and hot dog-eating contest.
Westling was originally set to coach at Eastlake this season before unexpectedly resigning.
