Hilltop High School head football coach Drew Westling had nothing but superlatives for his 2019 squad.
The Lancers captured their third consecutive Metro-South Bay League championship this season en route to earning the No. 2 seed in the San Diego Section Division III playoffs with a 9-1 regular season record.
He lauded the team in almost every department and praised the season-long effort put in by his gridiron warriors.
He did so even in the face of last Friday’s hugely disappointing 34-33 quarterfinal round loss to the visiting Brawley Wildcats.
“Football doesn’t build character, it reveals it,” Westling posted on his Facebook page after reflecting on the setback.
“Down 31-14 (we) battled back to take a 33-31 lead. This team made history by winning three straight undefeated league titles. They did so overcoming adversity at every turn. I’m so proud of these young men for the people they have become and the legacy they have built.
“As much as this hurts, we have much to celebrate … Everyone played a role.”
The Lancers zipped through league play with victories over Chula Vista (35-29), Sweetwater (43-14) and Mar Vista (44-7) to build momentum for the CIF playoffs.
But it was the Wildcats (9-3) who built the early momentum in last Friday’s game by taking a 17-point lead.
Freshman quarterback Ethan Gutierrez scored on a 40-yard option run to ignite scoring and, following a fourth-down incompletion on the Brawley 11-yard line, senior Blake Krigbaum ripped off an 89-yard sideline run to double the Wildcat lead to 14-0 with 31 seconds to play in the opening quarter.
Hilltop got back in the game on a 14-yard scoring run by senior Jeremiah Serrano and a two-point conversion by senior Andrew Velazquez with 10:37 left in the second quarter to trim the deficit to 14-8.
The teams traded touchdowns to keep them separated by seven points on the scoreboard. Krigbaum scored on a three-yard run midway through the second quarter to make the score 21-8 while Serrano scored on a two-yard run with 5:37 left in the first half to make the score 21-14 following an unsuccessful two-point conversion.
A 49-yard breakaway touchdown run by Gutierrez proved to be the major undoing for the hosts as the Wildcats went in front 28-14.
The actual turning point in the game took place when an apparent touchdown by Marko Aki at the back of the end zone was negated due to a penalty. Aki displayed NFL form by getting both feet inside the back line, but the scoring play was wiped out due to an infraction that occurred between the time the ball was released by quarterback Javin Deanda and the catch by Aki.
Unreal.
The loss of six points proved critical when Brawley ripped off a long kickoff return to open the second half that eventually led to a 32-yard field goal to extend the Wildcat lead to 31-14.
Serrano (21 carries, 140 yards) scored his third touchdown of the game with 8:50 left in the third quarter to bring the Lancers to within 10 points at 31-21.
The desire remained strong for the hosts after that as Christian Leyva (17 carries, 78 yards) scored on a two-yard run three minutes later to narrow the once imposing Brawley lead to 31-28.
Hilltop continued to roll the dice, converting on fourth-and-12, to eventually get itself in range for a 22-yard field goal by Alec Gonzalez to tie the game, 31-31, with 8:21 left in the fourth quarter.
The Lancers had driven the ball to the two-yard line but were thrown back on successive plays by the Brawley defense to opt to settle for three points.
Hilltop supporters erupted in a massive roar when the team’s defense produced its own statement by sacking Gutierrez in the end zone for a two-point safety with 6:30 to play in the game.
33-31 Lancers.
The hosts received the ensuing free kick at the Brawley 43-yard line and moved the ball to the 32 before turning over possession on downs with 4:41 left with no points to show on the drive.
The Wildcats made good use of the time remaining in the game as Krigbaum bolted through the Hilltop defense to the 17-yard line. Facing fourth down, the visitors settled for a successful 30-yard field goal by Xavier Pereyda with 1:36 remaining on the clock to take a 34-33 lead.
As impossible as it seemed, the Lancers managed to move the ball in fits and jerks to the Brawley 11-yard line with no timeouts.
However, with 2.5 seconds left, Hilltop’s place-kicker pulled a potential game-winning field goal attempt wide left to send the visitors home with a playoff victory and a trip back to San Diego County to face third-seeded La Jolla in the semifinals.
It was a heroic effort as written in tales of yore but it just wasn’t to be for the three-time Metro-South Bay League champions.
“Credit to Brawley for a strong start and credit to our team for coming back,” Westling said. “It spoke for our character and our seniors. It was one of those games that neither team deserves to lose. We just came up short.”
The Lancers rolled up 480 total offensive yards in the loss.
Deanda completed 20 of 30 passes for 231 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions.
Aki, a senior, made nine catches for 142 yards and collected 252 all-purpose yards in the game by adding 107 yards on kickoff returns and three rushing yards.
Senior Tony Candelaria led the hosts with 14 tackles while teammate Gage Scruggs turned in five tackles for a loss.
Defensively, the Lancers recorded 15 tackles for a loss, six sacks (two each by Scruggs and Terran Pineda) and one caused fumble — and lost.
Brawley made the most of its opportunities, ripping off five big plays in the game, to win.
Third-seeded La Jolla (7-4) enters Friday’s semifinal against the Wildcats after ending Mater Dei Catholic’s season with a 28-14 victory in last Friday’s quarterfinals.
The visiting Crusaders led 7-6 at halftime on a seven-yard touchdown run by Aiden Calvert before being overwhelmed by the Eastern champion Vikings in the second half.
Junior Max Smith scored three touchdowns — two rushing and one receiving — and registered 10 tackles on defense with a forced fumble and fumble recovery to spearhead the La Jolla win while teammate L.T. Shimp had two interceptions.
The visitors, who finished runner-up in this year’s Metro-Mesa League standings, fumbled on the goal line to negate a potential touchdown.
Mater Dei Catholic ended its season 7-5.
Open Division final set between No. 1 Helix, No. 3 Carlsbad
Top-seeded Helix (10-1) will meet third-seeded Carlsbad (10-1) in Saturday’s San Diego Section Open Division championship game at Southwestern College. Kickoff is 7 p.m.
Helix survived to meet the upstart Lancers after rallying from a 7-0 deficit with two late touchdowns in last Friday’s semifinal against fourth-seeded St. Augustine.
Former Eastlake standout Richard Colmenero (24 touchdowns and 2,111 passing yards with the Titans in 2018) connected with Jalil Tucker on a 36-yard touchdown pass with 22 seconds remaining in the third quarter to score the first points of the game in an otherwise defensive battle.
However, the Saints’ undoing in the game came when Jerry Riggins blocked a punt from the end zone. Teammate Jaiden Brown recovered the ball and Keionte Scott later scored on a 10-yard sweep with 2:22 left in regulation.
The Scotties missed the extra point conversion to trail 7-6, but they weren’t finished.
Samuel Stewart intercepted a pass and returned the ball 28 yards for what proved to be the game-winning touchdown with just 2:01 to play.
Helix out-gained St. Augustine 227-115 in offensive yards. The Saints (8-3) were held to minus-2 rushing yards and missed two field goal attempts in the game.
The Highlanders, who are playing in their sixth consecutive division championship game, advanced despite surrendering seven turnovers in the game, including four interceptions and two lost fumbles.
Last Friday’s dramatic win was payback for last year’s 21-20 loss to St. Augustine in the Division I championship game.
“Obviously, it was a really good competitive football game,” Helix head coach Robbie Owens said in regard to last Friday’s thrilling victory. “Defensively, we played lights out. We overcame penalties and seven turnovers. Jerry Riggins helped out with the blocked punt.
That first touchdown was huge.
“It was an intense game. At the end of the day we didn’t deserve to win based on what we did offensively. But we’re here in (another championship game). We feel very fortunate to be where we’re at.”
Carlsbad upset second-seeded Cathedral Catholic, 21-20, in last Friday’s other semifinal to complete the championship pairing. The Dons (8-3) fell short after missing a two-point conversion in a bid to win the game.
The remaining five division championships will be played next weekend — all at South County venues.
The Division IV championship is scheduled Friday, Nov. 29, at Southwestern at 1 p.m., followed by the Division II final at 7 p.m.
The Division III championship is scheduled Saturday, Nov. 30, at 1 p.m. at SWC, followed by the Division I game at 7 p.m.
The Division V final is scheduled Friday, Nov. 29, at 7 p.m. at Otay Ranch High School.
Tickets are available through the website at www.cifsds.org or at the gate prior to the games.
San Diego Section commissioner Jerry Schniepp called the two weekends of football finals “the biggest stage for San Diego high school sports.”
“It’s as exciting as it gets,” Schniepp said.
All six section divisional champions advance to CIF state regional playoff games.
San Diego Section Semifinals
Division I: (9) Oceanside (8-4) at (4) Madison (7-4); (3) Mission Hills (9-2) at (2) Lincoln (8-3)
Division II: (4) Santa Fe Christian (7-4) at (I) Bishop’s (11-0); (7) El Camino (6-6) at (3) Vista (9-2)
Division III: (5) Central Union (10-2) at (1) Scripps Ranch (11-0); (7) Brawley (9-3) at (3) La Jolla (7-4)
Division IV: (4) Orange Glen (7-2) at (1) Santana (10-1); (3) La Jolla Country Day (9-3) at (2) Serra (9-2)
Division V: (4) Francis Parker (6-5) at (1) Vincent Memorial (10-1); (6) Mission Bay (6-6) at (2) Castle Park (10-1)
LJCD passing attack dooms third-seeded Montgomery Aztecs in 48-29 Division IV playoff quarterfinal loss
The third-seeded Metro-Pacific League champion Aztecs were unable to keep up with the prolific passing attack generated by the sixth-seeded Torreys in bowing out of this year’s Division IV playoff field.
LJCD quarterback E.J. Kreutzmann set a new single-season passing record with 4,677 yards and 52 passing touchdowns with at least one game remaining in the season after passing for 419 yards and six touchdowns to defeat host Montgomery, which suffered four turnovers.
Daniel Rosenberg (six catches, 158 yards) caught three touchdowns while Nick Albert (four catches, 142 yards) caught two touchdowns. Brandon Kim (seven catches, 98 yards) caught one touchdown.
LJCD (9-3) advances to meet second-seeded Serra (9-2) — 45-0 winners over 10th-seeded Coronado. The Aztecs finished the season 9-2.
Foothills Christian wins eight-man championship
Top-seeded Foothills Christian defeated second-seeded San Diego Jewish Academy, 62-0, to win the San Diego Section Commissioner’s Cup, emblematic of the eight-man championship, Nov. 9 at Mission Bay High School.
The Knights (11-0) rushed for 311 yards and six touchdowns, including two by senior Tony Mroz and one each by seniors Kevin Helfers and Karson Norton, and juniors Jason Oliveira and Daniel Harvey.
Foothills also scored two touchdowns on interception returns (Mroz and Tanner Corey) and one on a kickoff return (Oliveira).
