Mater Dei Catholic roared to its fourth consecutive win in following a familiar script from last season that saw the defending Metro-Mesa League champions win 11 consecutive games following a 0-4 start to capture its second consecutive state championship.
The Crusaders, with a largely different cast this season following a massive wave of graduated talent to the collegiate level, kicked off the 2023 pigskin campaign 0-3.
Now the record has suddenly flipped to 4-3 following Mater Dei Catholic’s 52-10 win at Bonita Vista on Thursday, Oct. 12, in the league opener for both teams.
Despite the Crusaders’ winning ways of late, they haven’t managed to significantly climb up the section’s Division I rankings. Mater Dei Catholic remains at No. 11 among the division’s 16 teams.
The top four teams in the division will advance to the Open Division playoffs – likely No. 1 Lincoln (9-0), No. 2 Carlsbad (8-0), No. 3 Helix (8-0) and No. 4 Granite Hills (8-0).
Granite Hills hosts Helix on Friday in a Grossmont Hills League showdown where the winner will almost assuredly clinch an Open Division playoff berth.
All 16 Division I teams qualify for postseason play, with the remaining 12 teams taking the field to play for the Division I championship title.
Paring off the top four teams, Mater Dei Catholic would stand as the No. 7 seed if the current rankings remain the same over the final two weeks of regular season play. The Crusaders do have some room to move up — or, gulp, down — in the rankings.
St. Augustine (4-4) enters this week ranked as the No. 10 team. However, Mater Dei Catholic defeated the Saints in a high-profile non-league encounter on Sept. 22 by a score of 23-14.
Should the teams finish the regular season ranked 10th and 11th, the Crusaders would flip to No. 10 based on the head-to-head win.
Such a scenario would place them at No. 6 in the Division I playoff seeding.
Regardless of where Mater Dei Catholic is seeded in the Division I playoffs, the Crusaders will be facing an uphill battle to claim the title.
The division may be its most balanced in recent years. Removing Lincoln, Carlsbad, Helix and Granite Hills from the mix does not diminish the talent level too much among the remaining teams.
No. 5 Mission Hills (4-3), No. 6 Torrey Pines (5-3), No. 7 Cathedral Catholic (3-6) and No. 8 El Camino (6-2) all appear to be vying for the top seeds in the Division I playoffs. Next up are No. 9 La Costa Canyon (5-3), No. 10 St. Augustine and No. 11 Mater Dei Catholic.
Rounding out the Division I rankings are No. 12 San Marcos (6-2), No. 13 Madison (3-5), No. 14 Poway (3-5), No. 15. Ramona (4-3) and No. 16 Mira Mesa (2-6).
Photos by Phillip Brents
Madison and Poway were both highly touted to start the season. Don’t be surprised if there are multiple upsets once the playoffs kick off.
Mater Dei Catholic built a 21-7 first quarter lead on Bonita Vista, then tacked on seven points in the second quarter for a 28-7 halftime lead. The Crusaders out-scored the Barons 14-3 in the third quarter to lead 42-10 and finished the game with 10 unanswered points in the fourth quarter.
Bonita Vista narrowed the game to 14-7 on a quarterback sneak by junior Isayah Luna but the visitors quickly got that back on a 95-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by junior Matthew Carr.
Junior quarterback Kartell Purvis passed for 145 yards and two touchdowns while senior Johnny Scott caught six passes for 103 yards and had two touchdowns. Senior Anthony McMillian rushed for 93 yards and two touchdowns.
Bonita Vista junior Richie Rojas booted a 35-yard field goal in the third quarter to trim the Mater Dei Catholic lead.
Luna completed six of 15 passing attempts for 83 yards with two interceptions. Luna did connect on a 46-yard bomb to senior Julian Ramirez to set up the team’s lone touchdown in the game.
The Crusaders host Eastlake for sole possession of first place in the league standings on Friday and close out regular season play on Thursday, Oct. 26, at Otay Ranch.
Bonita Vista (5-3) plays at Otay Ranch on Friday, then hosts Eastlake in the teams’ annual Battle for the Boot rivalry game on Oct. 27 at Southwestern College.
The Barons, buoyed by three wins in a five-game stretch, have improved their fortunes in the Division IV rankings to move up to No. 5 in the 16-team division. Twelve teams make the playoffs.
Crawford (4-3) enters the week ranked sixth in the division, followed by No. 7 Olympian (4-4), No. 8 Calexico (5-3), No. 9 Escondido (2-6), No. 10 Escondido Charter 93-5), No. 11 Coronado (3-5) and No. 12 Hilltop (3-5).
Teams on the bubble include No. 13 Francis Parker (2-6), No. 14. Orange Glen (4-4), No. 15. Classical Academy (2-6) and No. 16 Canyon Hills (0-8).
Eastlake 17, Otay Ranch 14
The host Titans won for the third consecutive time following a 0-5 start to position themselves for at least a share of this year’s Metro-Mesa League championship entering Friday’s key game at two-time defending state champion Mater Dei Catholic.
Eastlake (1-0 in league, 3-5 overall) generated just enough offense — 90 rushing yards and 57 passing yards — to nudge past the visiting Otay Ranch Mustangs (0-1 in league, 2-6 overall) last Friday.
Sophomore signal-caller Tyler Balko completed four of 11 passing attempts for 49 passing yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. Senior Caleb Addleman caught a five-yard scoring pass while junior Kingston Schaaf rushed seven times for 25 yards and scored on a five-yard rush.
Senior Marco Gonzalez kicked a 32-yard field goal and tacked on two successful extra-point conversions to finish the game with five points in a three-point victory.
Junior William Schmitz led the hosts with 91 all-purpose yards (63 rushing, 28 kick returns).
Otay Ranch received touchdowns from senior Oluwatolani Osinfolarin (rushing) and junior Julian Millan (receiving).
Eastlake senior Blake Schweer (13 tackles), sophomore Isaiah Rodriguez (65-yard interception) and Schaaf (two sacks, fumble recovery) helped brace the defense, which tallied four sacks, three fumble recoveries and one interception.
The Titans sealed their victory with a sack to end the game.
Senior Ricardo Aguilar keyed Otay Ranch with 14 tackles while sophomore David Smith and junior Jason Haug each had picks.
Photos by Jon Bigornia
Metro Conference Football Standings
Metro-Mesa League
League/Overall
Mater Dei Catholic 1-0, 4-3
Eastlake 1-0, 3-5
Bonita Vista 0-1, 5-3
Otay Ranch 0-1, 2-6
Thursday, Oct. 12
Mater Dei Catholic 52, Bonita Vista 10
Friday, Oct. 13
Eastlake 17, Otay Ranch 14
Metro-South Bay League
League/Overall
OIympian 1-0, 4-4
Sweetwater 1-0, 3-5
Hilltop 0-1, 3-5
Montgomery 0-1, 3-5
Thursday, Oct. 12
Sweetwater 55, Montgomery 20
Friday, Oct. 13
Olympian 36, Hilltop 14
Metro-Pacific League
League/Overall
Chula Vista 1-0, 6-2
Castle Park 1-0, 4-4
Mar Vista 1-2, 2-6
Southwest 1-2, 5-4
San Ysidro 0-2, 1-7
Friday, Oct. 13
Castle Park 48, Mar Vista 28
Chula Vista 47, Southwest 0
SAN DIEGO SECTION FALL SPORTS RANKINGS
Prep Football
(Through Oct. 14)
Division I: 1. Lincoln (9-0), 2. Carlsbad (8-0), 3. Helix (8-0), 4. Granite Hills (8-0), 5. Mission Hills (4-3), 6. Torrey Pines (5-3), 7. Cathedral Catholic (3-6), 8. El Camino (6-2), 9. La Costa Canyon (5-3), 10. St. Augustine (4-4), 11. Mater Dei Catholic (4-3), 12. San Marcos (6-2), 13. Madison (3-5), 14. Poway (3-5), 15. Ramona (4-3), 16. Mira Mesa (2-6)
Division II: 1. Del Norte (7-1), 2. La Jolla (6-2), 3. Rancho Bernardo (4-4), 4. Oceanside (6-3), 5. Scripps Ranch (5-3), 6. Point Loma (5-4), 7. Central Union (6-2), 8. Brawley (7-1), 9. Bishop’s (5-3), 10. Eastlake (3-5), 11. Mt. Carmel (3-5), 12. Steele Canyon (4-4), 13. Christian (4-4), 14. University City (1-7), 15. San Pasqual (4-4), 16. Rancho Buena Vista (0-8)
Division III: 1. Mission Bay (7-1), 2. Fallbrook (3-5), 3. West Hills (5-3), 4. Santa Fe Christian (5-4), 5. Patrick Henry (4-4), 6. La Jolla Country Day (5-3), 7. Imperial (6-2), 8. El Capitan (5-4), 9. Morse (4-4), 10. Grossmont (4-4), 11. Valley Center (3-5), 12. Otay Ranch (2-6), 13. Palo Verde Valley (3-6), 14. San Diego (2-6), 15. Montgomery (3-5), 16. Vista (0-8)
Division IV: 1. Mt. Miguel (7-1), 2. Westview (5-3), 3. Santana (4-4), 4. Chula Vista (6-2), 5. Bonita Vista (5-3), 6. Crawford (4-3), 7. Olympian (4-4), 8. Calexico (5-3), 9. Escondido (2-6), 10. Escondido Charter (3-5), 11. Coronado (3-5), 12. Hilltop (3-5), 13. Francis Parker (2-6), 14. Orange Glen (4-4), 15. Classical Academy (2-6), 16. Canyon Hills (0-8)
Division V: 1. Sweetwater (3-5), 2. Vincent Memorial (6-2), 3. El Cajon Valley (5-3), 4. Hoover (5-3), 5. Valhalla (2-7), 6. Southwest El Centro (2-6), 7. Kearny (5-3), 8. Monte Vista (2-6), 9. Castle Park (4-3), 10. Clairemont (4-4), 11. Southwest (5-4), 12, Mar Vista (2-6), 13. San Ysidro (1-7)
Division V-AA: 1. Holtville (5-2), 2. Army-Navy Academy (5-3), 3. Tri-City Christian (7-1), 4. Rock Academy (3-4), 5. Caliptatria (3-5), 6. Maranatha Christian (3-5), 7. Mountain Empire (1-8), 8. O’Farrell Charter (0-8)
Girls Volleyball
(Through Oct. 14)
Division I:: 1. Cathedral Catholic (28-4), 2. Torrey Pines (20-5), 3. Bishop’s (27-7), 4. Westview (37-6), 5. Otay Ranch (37-6), 6. El Capitan (22-7), 7. San Marcos (25-10), 8. San Dieguito Academy (22-7), 9. Francis Parker (15-8), 10. Eastlake (23-12), 11. Del Norte (15-10), 12. Carlsbad (19-9), 13. Rancho Bernardo (16-16), 14. Poway (19-12), 15. Sage Creek (21-17), 16. La Jolla (11-13), 17. Santa Fe Christian (11-17), 18. La Jolla Country Day (13-18), 19. Bonita Vista (10-16), 20. Pt. Loma (6-14), 21. Granite Hills (10-17), 22. Canyon Crest Academy (10-19), 23. Classical Academy (6-22), 24. La Costa Canyon (5-25)
Division II: 1. Helix (19-8), 2. Our Lady of Peace (20-7), 3. Pacific Ridge (17-10), 4. Christian (23-7), 5. Mission Vista (20-14), 6. Scripps Ranch (21-14), 7. Vista (14-11), 8. Fallbrook (18-9), 9. Maranatha Christian (17-5), 10. University City (19-10), 11. Mater Dei Catholic (20-11), 12. Patrick Henry (15-17), 13. Coronado (17-14), 14. Mt. Carmel (17-14), 15. Valhalla (8-11), 16. Chula Vista Learning Community Charter (16-6), 17. Olympian (9-21), 18. Foothills Christian (13-11), 19. Holtville (16-16), 20. Escondido (6-18), 20. Ramona (2-20)
Division III: 1. Rancho Buena Vista (18-150, 2. San Pasqual (24-8), 3. Imperial (26-9), 4. Brawley (22-11), 5. Mission Bay (22-11), 6. Mission Hills (17-19), 7. Mira Mesa (17-12), 8. Steele Canyon (20-8), 9. Central Union (10-11), 10. Santana (10-11), 11. West Hills (12-16), 12. High Tech High San Diego (12-10), 13. Horizon Prep (12-12), 14. Del Lago Academy (15-13), 15. Calexico (12-16), 16. Canyon Hills (9-15), 17. Escondido Charter (7-12), 18. El Camino (12-25), 19. Clairemont (10-22), 20. Montgomery (11-18), 21. St. Joseph Academy (4-18)
Division IV: 1. Oceanside (16-9), 2. Ocean View Christian Academy (14-0), 3. Valley Center (16-12), 4. Victory Christian Academy (17-7), 5. Hilltop (15-13), 6. Tri-City Christian (13-7), 7. Grossmont (16-11), 8. High Tech High Mesa (15-19), 9. Coastal Academy (17-8), 10. Cambridge School (14-11), 11. San Diego Jewish Academy (5-9), 12. San Diego (20-12), 13. Mar Vista (9-17), 14. Southwest (9-21), 15. Hoover (5-9), 16. High Tech High Chula Vista (5-6), 17. Mountain Empire (4-19), 18. Liberty Charter (11-11), 19. Monarch Academy (5-14), 20. El Cajon Valley (10-17), 21. Monte Vista (2-21)
Division V: 1. Lincoln (24-4), 2. Southwest El Centro (21-10), 3. Sweetwater (16-14), 4. Gompers Prep (12-2), 5. Madison (11-12), 6. San Ysidro (11-14), 7. Palo Verde Valley (7-18), 8. Orange Glen (14-14), 9. Kearny (12-140, 10. O’Farrell Charter (12-11), 11. Bayfront Charter (8-7), 12. Chula Vista (6-14), 13. Mt. Miguel (6-13), 14. Morse (3-18), 15. Castle Park (2-17), 16. Guajome Park Academy (1-16), 17. Crawford (4-17). 18. Health Sciences (5-5)
Girls Field Hockey
(Through Oct. 14)
Division I: 1. La Costa Canyon (17-1), 2. Canyon Hills (17-2-1), 3. Torrey Pines (11-5-1), 4. Poway (13-3), 5. La Jolla (12-5-1), 6. Scripps Ranch (11-6-2), 7. Bishop’s (13-7), 8. Canyon Crest Academy (12-7), 9. Cathedral Catholic (11-7), 10. San Marcos (6-8-2), 11. Valley Center (13-4), 12. Mission Vista (8-8), 13. University City (8-8-1), 14. Rancho Bernardo (10-9-2), 15. San Pasqual (4-10-1), 16. Mt. Carmel (10-7), 17. Fallbrook (6-10-1), 18. Rancho Buena Vista (5-10), 19. Del Norte (4-9), 20. Helix (3-8)
Division II: 1. Clairemont (14-1), 2. La Jolla Country Day (10-5), 3. Mission Bay (11-4), 4. Sage Creek (12-7-1), 5. San Dieguito Academy (7-8), 6. Eastlake (10-5), 7. Westview (8-5), 8. Otay Ranch (9-9-1), 9. Hilltop (10-4), 10. Mira Mesa (6-8), 11. Olympian (5-8), 12. Mission Hills (3-9), 13. Santana (4-5), 14. Patrick Henry (7-9), 15. Pt. Loma (4-8), 16. Escondido (3-15), 17. Bonita Vista (2-13), 18. Sweetwater (1-2), 19. Castle Park (5-11), 20. Vista (1-15), 21. Granite Hills (2-11), 22. El Capitan (0-10), 23. Southwest (1-5), 24. Mar Vista (0-3), 25. Chula Vista NA
Boys Water Polo
(Through Oct. 14)
Division I: 1. Santana (15-3), 2. La Jolla (11-3), 3. Rancho Bernardo (18-5), 4. Helix (13-6), 5. Cathedral Catholic (11-6), 6. Carlsbad (15-6), 7. Mt. Carmel (14-7), 8. Torrey Pines (13-6), 9. Poway (9-6), 10. Bishop’s (10-10), 11. Vista (11-9), 12. Coronado (7-8), 13. Valhalla (6-9), 14. Canyon Crest Academy (9-10), 15. Francis Parker (10-9), 16. Clairemont (12-10), 17. San Dieguito Academy (7-7), 18. Westview (10-12), 19. Grossmont (6-14), 20. Mar Vista (12-8)
Division II: 1. Patrick Henry (16-4), 2. Classical Academy (14-5), 3. Oceanside (15-5), 4. Pt. Loma (12-3), 5. Eastlake (13-6), 6. La Costa Canyon (14-4), 7. Steele Canyon (10-3), 8. San Marcos (12-9), 9. Granite Hills (12-11), 10. Ramona (6-8), 11. Mission Bay (7-6), 12. El Capitan (15-6), 13. University City (7-10), 14. San Pasqual (4-15), 15. Del Norte (5-13), 16. Hilltop (8-8), 17. Fallbrook (4-14), 18. West Hills (11-11), 19. Mission Hills (4-14), 20. Santa Fe Christian (3-15)
Division III: 1. La Jolla Country Day (19-3), 2. Bonita Vista (10-7), 3. Castle Park (8-3), 4. El Camino (12-9), 5. High Tech High San Diego (11-7), 6. Scripps Ranch (4-6), 7. Rancho Buena Vista (10-11), 8. Pacific Ridge (5-6), 9. Olympian (9-7) 10. Mater Dei Catholic (9-11), 11. Valley Center (7-6), 12. Mira Mesa (4-10), 13. Otay Ranch (4-11), 14. Southwest (5-7), 15. Monte Vista (7-12), 16. Canyon Hills (0-4), 17. Chula Vista Learning Community Chatter (3-7), 18. Escondido (3-17), 19. Montgomery (2-5), 20. Mt. Miguel (1-10), 21. San Ysidro (2-6), 22. Army-Navy Academy (0-3), 23. Chula Vista 0-6, 24.
Girls Flag Football
MaxPreps: 1. Bonita Vista (11-1),2.TorreyPines (10-0), 3. Classical Academy (13-2), 4. Our Lady of Peace (8-0), 5. San Dieguito Academy (5-1), 6. Cathedral Catholic (8-1), 7. Grossmont(9-2), 8. Olympian (7-2), 9. La Costa Canyon (5-2), 10. Calexico (12-2), 11. Morse(8-2), 12. Brawley (13-3), 13. Mira Mesa(9-7), 14. Mission Bay(5-2), 15. Santa Fe Christian (3-4), 16. Mater Dei Catholic (4-6), 17. Scripps Ranch (8-7), 18. CVLCC (5-3), 19. Vincent Memorial (7-6), 20. Central Union (9-7)
College Football
SDSU’s Browning earns fourth career MW Special Teams Player of the Week award
Lakeside native Jack Browning (West Hills/Grossmont College) received his second Mountain West Special Teams Player of the Week this season and the fourth of his career in the wake of the Aztecs’ 41-34 win at Hawaii last Saturday.
Browning excelled in all three phases of the kicking game. He punted four times for a 56.0-yard average, 54.2-yard net average, both career highs. The 56.0 average is the highest in the nation for a FBS player. He also made two field goals and all five extra-point conversions to account for 11 points in a seven-point victory. He also kicked off eight times with a 64.9-yard average.
On the season, Browning is averaging 45.44 yards per punt (ninth in the nation in net punting, 43.13) and ranks second in the conference with a 63.20 kickoff average. He has made 10 of 15 field goals attempts and has converted all his extra-point attempts to lead the FBS in PAT percentage.
He ranks first at SDSU in career punt average (45.9), fourth in field goal percentage (0.750) and eighth in field goals made (30).
The Aztecs snapped a four-game losing streak with the victory.
