On paper, last Friday’s non-league match-up between the seventh-ranked St. Augustine Saints and 11th-ranked Mater Dei Catholic Crusaders wasn’t supposed to end the way it did. But the Crusaders have to feel their 23-14 win wasn’t an upset.
It played out with the better team coming out victorious. This week’s poll supports that with Mater Dei Catholic moving up to No. 9 in the section rankings ahead of No. 10 St. Augustine.
For the Crusaders it was simply back to work after posting 11 consecutive wins after a 0-4 start in 2022 to claim the team’s second consecutive state championship.
An 0-3 start this year already seems well in the past after two consecutive victories have restored confidence that head coach John Joyner’s troops can do it all over again.
The Crusaders have a bye week before hosting the Montgomery Aztecs on Oct. 6. Mater Dei Catholic’s final four regular season games are against Metro Confidence competition, including three Metro-Mesa League games.
An undefeated run through the rest of the regular season would place the Crusaders at 6-3 entering the playoffs. A high seed in the Division I field is not unattainable, and Joyner’s group could be thrusting their helmets high into the air once again when the season is finally over.
That is, if Mater Dei Catholic can continue the recent momentum that has seen it out-score its latest two foes 53-27.
The Crusaders made a statement early on in last Friday’s showdown, and so did the Saints.
Senior Jordan Jackson scored on a 59-yard run just 15 seconds into the game to put the hosts up 7-0 but sophomore Parker Johnson scored on a short run to tie the score for the visitors.
The hosts regained the lead, 13-7, on a double-reverse play that found junior quarterback Kartell Purvis connect with senior Parker Pet on a 69-yard bomb.
But St. Augustine marched back after blocking the extra-point try as sophomore Brady Palmer hit senior Isaiah Hasten on a nine-yard scoring pass. The Saints did not miss the extra point to lead 14-13.
But that was the last lead they would have in the game.
Mater Dei Catholic went ahead, 16-14, on a 28-yard field goal by senior Ricky Osuna late in the third quarter. Crusader junior Isaiah Cook recorded a strip fumble and returned the ball to the 12-yard line to set up senior teammate Anthony McMillian’s three-yard TD run.
23-14.
The Mater Dei Catholic defense reared its head late in the game when senior Johnny Scott tackled St. Augustine freshman William Flores (16 carries, 46 yards) for a one-yard loss on fourth down to finally shut the door.
Purvis led the Crusaders offensively with 198 passing yards and one touchdown.
Palmer passed for 191 yards with one touchdown and one interception to power the Saints behind center. Johnson (three carries, three yards) scored one rushing touchdown while Hasten (three catches, 74 yards) scored on a pass reception.
The Crusaders, with one interception and one fumble recovery on defense, held the Saints to 94 rushing yards and 290 total yards.
St. Augustine countered with two sacks and one pick (Johnson).
The youth-powered Saints next host so far winless University City on Oct. 6 as City Western League play kicks off.
Through six weeks, five section teams remain undefeated: Lincoln (6-0), Carlsbad (5-0), Helix (5-0) and Granite Hills (5-0) in Division I and Brawley (5-0) in Division II.
Titanic win
The Eastlake Titans had to travel to Hammond, Ind., to pick up their first win of the season, and what a return trip it was from the Midwest after the Chula Vista team spirited away a 27-21 non-league win from the host Huskies.
Sophomore quarterback Tyler Balko passed for 252 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Southern California visitors while junior Barron Cardona had another big game with four catches for 154 yards and two touchdown receptions.
Junior William Schmitz had two catches for 45 yards and one touchdown while leading the team with 71 rushing yards on 19 carries. Junior Kingston Schaaf had 10 carries for 48 yards.
Senior Marco Gonzalez racked up nine kicking points on three PAT conversions and two successful field goals.
Senior Blake Schweer keyed Eastlake (1-5) defensively with nine tackles and one sack while sophomores Isaiah Rodriguez and Rasheree “Rocket” Demery Jr. each made one interception.
San Diego Section Football Rankings
Division I
1. Carlsbad 5-0, 2. Lincoln 6-0, 3. Helix 5-0, 4. Granite Hills 5-0, 5. Mission Hills 3-1, 6. El Camino 4-1, 7. Cathedral Catholic 1-5, 8. La Costa Canyon 4-1, 9. Mater Dei Catholic 2-3, 10. St. Augustine (3-3), 11. Madison (2-3), 12. Torrey Pines 3-2, 13. Poway 3-2, 14. San Marcos 3-2, 15. Ramona 2-2, 16. Mira Mesa 2-3
Division II
1. Del Norte (4-1), 2. Rancho Bernardo (3-2), 3. Oceanside (3-3), 4. La Jolla (3-2), 5. Scripps Ranch (3-2), 6. Eastlake (1-5), 7. Pt. Loma (3-3), 8. Central Union (4-2), 9. Mt. Carmel (3-2), 10. Brawley (5-0), 11. Christian (4-2), 12. Steele Canyon (3-2), 13. Bishop’s (2-3), 14. University City (0-5), 15. San Pasqual (2-3), 16. Rancho Buena Vista (0-5)
Division III
1. La Jolla Country Day (5-1), 2. Mission Bay (5-1), 3. Fallbrook (3-2), 4. Patrick Henry (3-2), 5. West Hills (4-1), 6. Imperial (5-1), 7. Santa Fe Christian (2-4), 8. El Capitan (3-3), 9. Montgomery (3-3), 10. Morse (2-3), 11. Grossmont (3-2), 12. Otay Ranch (1-5), 13. Valley Center (1-5), 14. Palo Verde Valley (2-4), 15. Vista (0-6), 16. San Diego (0-5)
Division IV
1. Mt. Miguel (5-1), 2. Santana (4-1), 3. Chula Vista (4-2), 4. Westview (3-2), 5. Crawford (3-2), 6. Escondido Charter (3-2), 7. Coronado (3-3), 8. Escondido (2-4), 9. Calexico (4-1), 10. Olympian (3-3), 11. Bonita Vista (4-2), 12. Hilltop (3-3), 13. Classical Academy (2-4), 14. Canyon Hills (0-6), 15. Francis Parker (0-6), 16. Orange Glen (1-4)
Division V
1. El Cajon Valley (4-1), 2. Vincent Memorial (4-2), 3. Sweetwater (2-4), 4. Valhalla (2-4), 5. Hoover (3-2), 6. Kearny (4-1), 7. Southwest El Centro (2-3), 8. Clairemont (3-3), 9. Monte Vista (1-5), 10. Castle Park (2-3), 11. Southwest (4-2), 12. Mar Vista (1-4), 13. San Ysidro (1-5)
Division V-AA
1. Army-Navy Academy (4-1), 2. Holtville (3-2), 3. Rock Academy (2-2), 4. Maranatha Christian (2-3), 5. Tri-City Christian (4-1), 6. Calipatria (3-3), 7. Mountain Empire (0-6), 8. O’Farrell Charter (0-5)
Eight-Man
1. St. Joseph Academy (3-1), 2. Foothills Christian (4-1), 3. Calvin Christian (3-2), 4. Coastal Academy (2-2), 5. Victory Christian Academy (1-3), 6. San Pasqual Academy (3-3), 7. Borrego Springs (1-3), 8. Horizon Prep (1-3), 9. West Shores (1-3), 10. Warner Springs (0-3)
METRO CONFERENCE RANKINGS
1. Mater Dei Catholic
2. Eastlake
3. Chula Vista
4. Montgomery
5. Sweetwater
6. Otay Ranch
7. Olympian
8. Bonita Vista
9. Hilltop
10. Castle Park
