There are five weeks left in regular season play for the 2010 high school football season. The number of undefeated teams in the San Diego Section continues to dwindle each week.
Three weeks ago, there were 25 unbeaten teams in the section. That number dropped to 18 teams the following week and 11 last week. Entering this weekend’s action, an elite cadre of eight teams remains undefeated.
Two are from South County: the defending Division I champion Eastlake Titans and the renamed Ocean View Christian Academy Patriots, the Division V team without a league.
They join the Grossmont Foothillers (5-0), Vista Panthers (5-0), Torrey Pines Falcons (5-0), all in Division I, Helix Highlanders (5-0) in Division II, Valley Center Jaguars (6-0) in Division IV and the Bishop’s Knights (5-0) in Division V in the section’s midseason roll call of unbeaten teams.
The Titans defeated the host Montgomery Aztecs, 49-27, last Friday to improve to 6-0. The Patriots routed host Vista Calvary Christian Academy, 45-0, in a game called in the third quarter because of the mercy rule to hike their record to 5-0.
The previous week, Ocean View walloped Pacific Lutheran of Torrance, 52-6, in a game also shortened by the mercy rule.
Eastlake kicks off Mesa League play Friday against the visiting Otay Ranch Mustangs, who are coming off a 38-0 non-league victory against visiting Sweetwater. A win by the Titans would extend their season record to 7-0 and also extend their overall unbeaten streak over two seasons to 20 games (18-0-2).
The Mustangs’ strength is defense, and Eastlake likely will be in for a challenge.
Ocean View’s season has been a challenge simply because the small private school tucked away on Otay Mesa does not have a league in which to play this season. The Patriots have been members of the Southern League since its formation four years ago but withdrew this season in anticipation of a restructuring of the league. However, officials instead decided to restructure the entire league framework within the Division V playoff level, leaving Ocean View unable to formulate an appropriate league schedule.
Instead, the Patriots will push for an at-large playoff berth this season. Ocean View’s five remaining games are against former Southern League foes, so that should help determine the post-season worthiness of all teams concerned.
Next season, the Patriots will be part of the restructured Citrus League along with Southern League holdovers Chula Vista Calvary Christian Academy, Julian, St. Joseph Academy and San Pasqual Academy. That’s a great lineup, with any team capable of winning the league title in any given year.
Extra points
Ocean View romped to its latest win by rushing for 211 yards against Vista CCA, with Josh Smith leading the visitors with 108 yards on 11 carries and Raul Rodriguez chipping in with 47 yards on 11 carries. Smith also had one catch for 10 yards, scored on a pair of two-point conversions, led his team with six tackles and made one interception on defense.
Smith and Rodriguez led the Patriots with two touchdowns each while Zack Balich and Jesse Johnson each scored one touchdown
The Ocean View defense held the Lions to 16 passing yards and minus-nine rushing yards. Smith led the team with six tackles while Matt Ollier and Joseph Alexander each recorded sacks, Andres Perez and Smith both had picks and Nathan Boshen had one fumble recovery.
In the win the previous week against Pacific Lutheran, Balich racked up 200 return yards on four kick-offs, including one 45-yard jaunt. Smith had three TDs in that game while Balich scored twice.
National City’s Kuyper Prep improved to 2-0 in eight-man Citrus League play by toppling previously undefeated Warner Springs 22-16. Kuyper Prep is 3-1 overall..
The NC school kicked off Citrus League play with a commanding 62-16 victory over Maranatha Christian on Oct. 1.
Chula Vista Calvary Christian Academy, which opened the season 3-0, has now lost its first two games in Southern League play after falling 34-12 to Foothills Christian (which won for the first time after starting the season with a pair of losses). Spencer George scored on runs of 44 and 31 yards and quarterback Zach Cummings threw a 40-yard scoring pass to Ian Mathiesen while also scoring on a one-yard sneak to lead Foothills.
By the numbers
•Nine South County teams continue to have winning records, with a 10th team owning a .500 mark. Impressive at this point of the season.
•Eight Division I teams have winning records, nine teams have won at least three games and 13 teams have won at least two games.
•Twelve Division II teams have winning records and 14 teams have won at least two games.
•Nine Division III teams have winning records and 13 teams have won at least two games.
•Nine Division IV teams have winning records and 10 teams have won at least two games.
•Eleven Division V teams have winning records and 14 teams have won at least two games.
San Diego Section
2010 Playoff Ticker
Division I
Eastlake Titans 6-0
Otay Ranch Mustangs 3-3
Sweetwater Red Devils 0-5
Division II
Hilltop Lancers 3-2
San Ysidro Cougars 1-4
Bonita Vista Barons 1-5
Division III
Castle Park Trojans 5-1
Montgomery Aztecs 3-2
Southwest Raiders 3-2
Mar Vista Mariners 2-3
Division IV
Olympian Eagles 4-1
Mater Dei Catholic Crusaders 1-5
Division V
Ocean View Christian Academy 5-0
Chula Vista Calvary Christian 3-2
Eight-Man
Kuyper Prep (National City) 3-1
