Play kicked off last Friday in the Metro-South Bay League. Highlighting the action was Chula Vista Kiwanis Bowl XVI between the Hilltop Lancers and host Chula Vista Spartans.
Hilltop won the game, which doubled as Chula Vista’s homecoming, by a score of 29-6 to capture its third consecutive Kiwanis Bowl victory. The Spartans continue to lead the series 10-6, however.
“I thought our guys did a really nice job with our tempo,” Hilltop head coach Drew Westling said. “You could tell they were really getting tired up front. Our conditioning and our work from the offseason, our work up front, especially, with the big boys was fantastic.
“It was a complete team win. Greg Marshall had two interceptions; our defensive line was big. (But) the score is not indicative of how close the game was. What a great job Howard (CV head coach Howard Bannister) and that entire staff is doing over there.”
Jeremiah Rivera scored on a 10-yard run to ignite the scoring for the Lancers in the second quarter. Daniel McPherren followed with a 40-yard touchdown strike to Gus Ferreira to stake the visitors to a 14-0 halftime lead.
Noe Sanchez caught a 30-yard touchdown pass and Marshall returned an intercepted pass 20 yards to account for the Lancers’ last two touchdowns in the game.
It was an emotional night for McPherren, a transfer from Chula Vista, as he returned to play against his former team. He finished the game with two touchdown passes and was handed the team trophy after the game.
Chula Vista narrowed the score to 14-6 on a 25-yard touchdown catch by Ubaldo Nolasco in the third quarter. But the Lancers finished the game with two unanswered touchdowns, adding a two-point conversion to cap scoring in the game.
As the winning team, Hilltop received a $1,500 check from the Chula Vista Kiwanis Club. Chula Vista received $1,000 as the runner-up team.
Rivera earned Hilltop’s offensive MVP award while Sanchez received the team’s defensive MVP award.
Justin Cantwell was named offensive MVP for the Spartans while teammate Kajahan Duncan was named defensive MVP.
Westling was complimentary of the Spartans’ performance. “I told them what a great job they’re doing and to go on and win Division IV,” he said.
Both teams are now 4-4 on the season.
The Lancers, who are vying for a berth in this year’s Division III playoffs, are 1-0 in league play; the Spartans are 0-1 in league play.
Bannister was equally congratulatory in regard to the Lancers.
“Congratulations to Hilltop players and staff,” he said. “They played/coached a heck of a game. My hope is that all Metro-South Bay games begin to get the same attention and support that we witnessed at the Kiwanis Bowl.
“There is good football being played on this side of the 805 and it’s worth watching for years to come with the staffs that are in place at Hilltop, Mar Vista, Sweetwater and Chula Vista.”
Hilltop will play Sweetwater this Friday in a game at Chula Vista High School. The game pits league unbeteans after the Red Devils (1-0, 1-7) upset visiting Mar Vista, 13-0, last Friday.
Chula Vista will travel to Mar Vista (0-1, 5-3) on Friday as both teams will try to stay in the race for a potential co-championship.
