The Olympian Eagles’ 34-6 Mesa League victory at Otay Ranch last Friday was a stunner. While it might not rank highest among the team’s most memorable victories in the school’s short five-year history, it has to rate near the top among wins collected against rival Metro Conference teams simply because of the Mustangs’ prestige power.
Olympian is classified as a Division III enrollment school this season while Otay Ranch competes at the Division I level.
A story of David slaying Goliath? The Eagles led, 34-0, until 2:36 left in the fourth quarter when Chris Martin broke the Mustangs’ goose egg on the scoreboard via a 51-yard touchdown reception.
The big plays in the game, however, clearly belonged to Olympian.
Receiver Sergio Bailey caught six passes for 118 yards and scored three consecutive touchdowns to lead the Eagles, who also received rushing scores from Asante Gibson and Aikeem Foxworth.
Bailey’s TDs — all courtesy of signal-caller Christopher Humphrey — came on catches good for 39, 54 and 17 yards.
“We felt we needed to get outside on them to have a chance at winning the game,” said OHS veteran coach Gil Warren of the teams’ first-ever match-up. “We felt we could run the ball but we weren’t sure how well we could pass the ball. Our quarterback was just coming back after being out two weeks. Our defense played well. I’m excited.”
That has to be an understatement. Olympian fans, obviously deliriously happy, chanted and broke into song on several occasions.
It was almost like attending a European soccer match.
The Eagles (1-0 in league play, 4-3 overall) essentially played flawless to silence any critics and, well, also the Mustangs (1-1, 5-3). Olympian collected 220 rushing yards while Humphrey tacked on six completions in nine passing attempts for 118 yards.
Gibson had nine carries for 93 yards while Ian Autman rushed 11 times for 63 yards and Foxworth had 11 carries for 42 yards.
Gibson’s fumble recovery while playing defense helped set up the visitors’ opening touchdown. Gibson scooped up the loose ball and advanced it 15 yards to the Otay Ranch five-yard line, and scored on a run on the next play.
Humphrey and Bailey hooked up through the airwaves for Olympian’s next three touchdowns before Foxworth scored on a seven-yard run in the fourth quarter.
The Eagles led 14-0 at halftime and 27-0 after the third quarter.
Gibson also finished the memorable night with one interception. Angel Garcia and Anthony Babida each booted two point-after conversions.
Sammy Perez hit Martin for the Mustangs’ lone score of the game.
Otay Ranch has a bye week before resuming league play at Chula Vista on Nov. 4.
Olympian hosts Chula Vista this Friday before traveling to Eastlake on Nov. 4.
The Mustangs host Eastlake on Nov. 10 to close out regular season play, while the Eagles entertain Bonita Vista.
Chula Vista defeated visiting Bonita Vista, 30-13, last Friday to even its league record at 1-1. The Spartans are 4-3 overall.
Otay Ranch had been picked to challenge reigning champion Eastlake for this year’s league title. So, does this now make the Eagles the chief challenger to the Titans?
“We’re not thinking about Eastlake yet,” Warren said. “We’re worried about Chula Vista next.”
Metro-Mesa League Football Previews
Friday, Oct. 28 (7 p.m. kick-off)
Eastlake(5-2) at Bonita vista (3-4-1)
At Southwestern College: Defending league champion Eastlake is coming off a bye week, giving the Titans an extra week to mend their walking wounded. Eastlake enters the week ranked sixth among San Diego Section teams and second among Division I schools (to undefeated 6-0-1 Poway) .
Quarterback Josh Palet has played in all seven games so far along with rusher Isiah Olave. Palet has thrown for 890 yards while Olave has rushed for 299 yards. Tavarus Green has helped take up the slack in the injury department by rushing for 435 yards in five games.
Blake Wilson leads Eastlake with four sacks while Nasser Ali has two sacks and two fumble recoveries. Olave leads the team with three interceptions. Keifer Graham is on top with 45 tackles.
After riding a four-game unbeaten streak into league play, Bonita Vista suddenly finds itself mired in a two-game losing streak. The Barons fell behind host Chula Vista, 23-0, last Friday en route to absorbing a 30-13 setback.
Jon Manjarrez passed for 223 yards with one touchdown and one interception but the BV rushing game was limited to just 70 yards. Chris Moore had nine catches for 85 yards. Brandon Yutsus and Emanual Vasquez scored touchdowns for the Barons.
Chula vista (4-3) at Olympian (4-3)
Four Spartans scored touchdowns in Chula Vista’s 30-13 victory against visiting Bonita Vista last week: Ray Holden, Javante Reed, Ernesto Jaimes and Rickey Estevez, while Omar Rebollo also accounted for six points with a 27-yard field goal and three PAT conversions.
Estevez rushed for one score and threw for three others, finishing the game with 158 passing yards. Donovan Mendez had 62 of the Spartans’ 98 rushing yards.
Defensive takeaways proved crucial to the CV victory: four sacks (two by Ray Clapper and one each by Alex Toilolo and Reed) and one interception (by Rodrick Dixie). Rudy Segobia led the way with 13 tackles.
Olympian will be out to prove last week’s 34-6 victory at Otay Ranch was not an upset. The Eagles are led by a veteran coaching staff, a dominant rushing game and an evolving big-play passing game that can do damage. And did we say Olympian can also play very good defense?
Metro Conference Playoff Tracker
Division I
•Eastlake (5-2), Otay Ranch (5-3), Chula Vista (4-3), Sweetwater (3-4), San Ysidro (2-5)
Division II
•Bonita Vista (3-4-1), Hilltop (3-4)
Division III
•Mar Vista (6-1), Montgomery (4-3), Olympian (4-3), Southwest (2-5)
Division IV
•Mater Dei Catholic (5-2), Castle Park (1-6)
