Over so soon?!
The 2020-21 high school football season came to a premature end last weekend but that the season happened at all might be construed as a minor miracle.
While no CIF playoffs will be held in this shortened spring season, Metro Conference teams did have the opportunity to wrap up league championships to give the final games some meaning.
The Eastlake Titans rallied around their third coach in as many seasons to successfully defend their Metro-Mesa League championship with a gritty 20-14 victory against the Otay Ranch Mustangs last Friday.
The Titans finished the season undefeated at 4-0 (3-0 in league play) while the Mustangs finished 3-1 (2-1 in league play).
On the other side of town, the Montgomery Aztecs won their second league championship in as many years after moving up from the Metro-Pacific League to claim this year’s Metro-South Bay League title with a 56-0 rout of visiting Hilltop.
The Aztecs finished 4-1 overall, 3-0 in league play. Of note, Montgomery piled up a commanding 195-0 scoring edge in recording its four victories — all by shutout margin.
Aztec head coach Freddy Dunkle was left wondering what his team — ranked second among the section’s Division IV teams — could have done in a full season.
Eastlake scored touchdowns in each of the opening three quarters. The game was tied 7-7 through the first quarter.
However, Otay Ranch would not score again until the dying minutes of the high-profile game.
Junior Wil Smith gave the 10th-ranked Titans a 7-0 lead on a five-yard TD run while the Mustangs countered with a 62-yard fumble return by Noah Concepcion.
Eastlake, the designated “visitors” for the game due to stadium unavailability, scored the next two touchdowns — a 35-yard run by junior Trey White in the second quarter and a 24-yard touchdown pass from freshman Johnny Limon to junior Jordan Blondin in the third quarter.
OR sophomore quarterback Brian Rudden scored on a one-yard plunge with 2:12 left to play. But the Titans recovered the ensuing onside kick to run out the clock.
The Mustangs, who entered the game riding a three-game winning streak, stayed close aided by their defense that recorded five sacks and recovered three fumbles.
Eastlake limited Otay Ranch to 157 total offensive yards.
Rudden passed for 101 yards with one interception while Carl Addy (14 carries, 30 yards) and D.J. Meno (five carries, 22 yards) combined for 52 of the Mustangs’ 56 total rushing yards. Meno had two catches for 56 yards while Jayhalin Sanders had three catches for 36 yards.
Senior Aidan Arguilla led Otay Ranch with 21 tackles, including 12 unassisted stops, and one sack.
Senior Dylan Baldoni led the “hosts” with three sacks. Junior Dominic Yancey also had a sack.
Addy and senior William Dawson both had fumble recoveries to buttress the Mustang defense.
Aztec territory
Senior Jaheem Williams (14 carries, 280 yards) scored three rushing touchdowns to pace Montgomery while junior Christian Venegas scored twice, once on an eight-yard run and another on a 26-yard fumble return.
Sophomore Jordan Benton (one carry, two yards) and seniors Isiah King (two catches, 33 yards) and Xander Dixie (55-yard interception return) also scored touchdowns.
Williams finished the game with 335 all-purpose yards.
The Aztec defense held Hilltop (0-4) to 52 total offensive yards.
Montgomery racked up 421 total offensive yards, including 312 rushing yards.
