The Coronado Islanders were no match for the Chula Vista Spartans in Friday’s opening round of the San Diego Section Division IV playoffs. The Spartans won 37-0.
The outcome of the game was never in doubt.
Chula Vista, seeded fifth in the 12-team division draw, took a 14-0 halftime lead and expanded it with 23 second-half points to eliminate the 12th-seeded Islanders (3-8).
The Spartans (7-4) advance to play at fourth-seeded Monte Vista (5-5) next Friday, Nov. 17, in the division quarterfinals.
“We executed on plays tonight,” CVHS head coach Howard Bannister III explained. “We didn’t play too high and we didn’t play too low. We call that our business line.
“We feel we match up well against anybody in Division IV if we do what we do.”
That game plan appears to be ground it and pound it, which the hosts have excelled at all season.
Sophomore Kajahan Duncan led the victorious effort with three touchdown runs while Justin Cantwell and Giovanni Torres also scored on rushing plays. The Spartans added a safety when Coronado quarterback Kyle Alexander was tackled in the end zone while recovering an errant snap.
The playoff win was the first for Chula Vista since 2011. The shutout was the team’s first of the season.
Duncan scored the Spartans’ first three touchdowns of the game. He ran in his first from one yard out with 4:48 left in the first quarter, then scored on a six-yard run with 1:51 gone in the second quarter.
He helped increase the lead to 21-0 on a 12-yard scoring run with 8:18 remaining in the third quarter.
The CVHS scoring onslaught continued as Cantwell and Torres each scored on five-yard runs later in the quarter.
The fourth quarter was played with a running clock.
The Spartan defense was solid, holding Alexander to minimal completions (3-of-15 for 44 yards) while sacking the strapping Islander signal-caller at least twice in the contest. Alexander rushed nine times for negative four yards and finished the game with a 39.6 quarterback rating.
Duncan rushed 16 times for 110 yards to lead the hosts, who rushed for a combined 293 yards in the game.
Quarterback Darrion Hamilton, back in action since missing the last two-and-a-half games, rushed six times for 57 yards while Torres rushed 11 times for 55 yards.
Hamilton also completed six of nine passing attempts for 85 yards and finished his return to the active lineup with a 97.0 quarterback rating.
Chula Vista out-gained Cornado 378-110 in total yards.
Duncan has rushed for 734 yards and scored 10 touchdowns in 11 games. Hamilton has rushed for 397 yards and four touchdowns in nine games.
Ubaldo Nolasco has registered 13 sacks on defense while Duncan has two picks.
Nolasco had a 70-yard catch-and-carry touchdown odyssey called back in last Friday’s game due to a penalty.
Chula Vista will face a Monte Vista team that finished second in the Grossmont Valley League standings. The Monarchs ended regular season play with a 51-10 non-league loss to visiting Valley Center.
Sophomore running back Jahmon McClendon is the team’s scoring machine.
Of the six Metro Conference teams participating in Friday’s opening round of the playoffs, two won to advance to next Friday’s quarterfinals.
- R.T. Brown scored two touchdowns to help power eighth-seeded Olympian (6-5) past ninth-seeded Poway (3-8) by a 28-14 score in a Division I matchup. The Eagles advance to play at top-seeded El Camino (5-5).
- Newly crowned Metro-Pacific League champion Montgomery (7-4), seeded third in the Division V field, dropped a 52-14 quarterfinal contest to visiting Tri-City Christian (6-5), seeded sixth.
- Seventh-seeded La Jolla (6-5) eliminated 10th-seeded Mar Vista (5-6) by a score of 28-0 in a Division III contest.
- Eighth-seeded Southwest (4-7) lost 43-8 at top-seeded Vincent Memorial (9-2) in a Division V quarterfinal.
Of the 20 11-man football playoff games played Thursday-Friday, three visiting teams prevailed to record upsets.
- Ninth-seeded Westview (7-4) shocked eighth-seeded Christian (8-3) with a late goal-line stand to stand tall with a 21-14 win in a Division II first-round contest.
- Ninth-seeded Mt. Miguel (5-6) upset eighth-seeded Escondido (4-7) by a 28-17 score in a Division III contest.
San Diego Section Football Playoffs
OPEN DIVISION
Quarterfinals
Friday, Nov. 17
(8) Grossmont (7-3) at (1) Mission Hills (10-0), 7 p.m.
(5) Torrey Pines (6-4) at (4) La Costa Canyon (7-3), 7 p.m.
(6) St. Augustine (7-3) at (3) San Marcos (8-2), 7 p.m.
(7) Madison (8-2) at (2) Helix (9-1), 7 p.m.
Semifinals
Friday, Nov. 24
Grossmont-Mission Hills winner vs. Torrey Pines-La Costa Canyon winner, 7 p.m.
St. Augustine-San Marcos winner vs. Madison-Helix winner, 7 p.m.
Championship game
Saturday, Dec. 2
Southwestern College
Teams TBA, 7 p.m.
DIVISION I
First Round
Thursday, Nov. 9
(6) Cathedral Catholic 63, (11) Mt. Carmel 0
(7) Rancho Bernardo 23, (10) Valhalla 6
Friday, Nov. 10
(8) Olympian 28, (9) Poway 14
(5) Oceanside 35, (12) Bonita Vista 19
Byes: (1) El Camino (5-5), (2) Eastlake (8-2), (3) Carlsbad (5-5), (4) Point Loma (6-4)
Quarterfinals
Friday, Nov. 17
(8) Olympian (6-5) at (1) El Camino (5-5), 7 p.m.
(5) Oceanside (5-6) at Point Loma (6-4), 7 p.m.
(6) Cathedral Catholic (5-6) at (3) Carlsbad (5-5), 7 p.m.
(7) Rancho Bernardo (6-5) at (2) Eastlake (8-2), 7 p.m.
Semifinals
Friday, Nov. 24
Olympian-El Camino winner vs. Oceanside-Point Loma winner, 7 p.m.
Cathedral Catholic-Carlsbad winner vs. Rancho Bernardo-Eastlake winner, 7 p.m.
Championship game
Friday, Dec. 1
Southwestern College
Teams TBA, 7 p.m.
DIVISION II
First Round
Friday, Nov. 10
(9) Westview 21, (8) Christian 14
(5) Lincoln 40, (12) Vista 21
(6) Granite Hills (8-2) 35, (11) West Hills 10
(7) Steele Canyon 36, (10) Mira Mesa 22
Byes: (1) Ramona (10-0) (2) Bishop’s (9-0), (3) Valley Center (9-1), (4) Otay Ranch (7-3)
Quarterfinals
Friday, Nov. 17
(9) Westview (7-4) at (1) Ramona (10-0), 7 p.m.
(5) Lincoln (9-2) at (4) Otay Ranch (7-3), 7 p.m.
(6) Granite Hills (9-2) at (3) Valley Center (9-1), 7 p.m.
(7) Steele Canyon (7-4) at (2) Bishop’s (9-0), 7 p.m.
Semifinals
Friday, Nov. 24
Westview-Ramona winner vs. Lincoln-Otay Ranch winner, 7 p.m.
Granite Hills-Valley Center winner vs. Steele Canyon-Bishop’s winner, 7 p.m.
Championship game
Southwestern College
Saturday, Dec. 2
Teams TBA, 3:30 p.m.
DIVISION III
First Round
Friday, Nov. 10
(9) Mt. Miguel 27, (8) Escondido 18
(5) Imperial 41, (12) Patrick Henry 0
(6) Rancho Buena Vista 62, (11) Santana 43
(7) La Jolla 28, (10) Mar Vista 0
Byes: (1) El Centro Southwest (10-0), (2) Santa Fe Christian (6-4), (3) San Pasqual (6-4), (4) Hilltop (6-4)
Quarterfinals
Friday, Nov. 17
(9) Mt. Miguel (5-6) at (1) Southwest El Centro (10-0), 7 p.m.
(5) Imperial (5-6) vs. (4) Hilltop (6-4) at Montgomery, 7 p.m.
(7) La Jolla (6-5) at (2) Santa Fe Christian (6-4), 7 p.m.
(6) Rancho Buena Vista (6-5) at (3) San Pasqual (6-4), 7 p.m.
Semifinals
Friday, Nov. 24
Mt. Miguel-Southwest El Centro winner vs. Hilltop-Imperial winner, 7 p.m.
La Jolla-Santa Fe Christian winner vs. Rancho Buena Vista-San Pasqual winner, 7 p.m.
Championship game
Saturday, Dec. 2
Southwestern College
Teams TBA, noon
DIVISION IV
First Round
Thursday, Nov. 9
(11) Calexico (2-8) at (6) Kearny (8-2), 7 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 10
(8) Serra 50, (9) El Cajon Valley 9
(5) Chula Vista 37, (12) Coronado 0
(7) La Jolla Country Day 52, (10) Clairemont 6
Byes: (1) University City (9-1), (2) San Diego (10-0), (3) Central Union (9-1), (4) Monte Vista (5-5)
Quarterfinals
Friday, Nov. 17
(8) Serra (6-5) at (1) University City (9-1), 7 p.m.
(5) Chula Vista (7-4) at (4) Monte Vista (5-5), 7 p.m.
(6) Kearny (9-2) at (3) Central Union (9-1), 7 p.m.
(7) La Jolla Country Day (5-5) at (2) San Diego (10-0), 7 p.m.
Semifinals
Friday, Nov. 24
Serra-University City winner vs. Chula Vista-Monte Vista winner, 7 p.m.
Kearny-Central Union winner vs. La Jolla Country Day-San Diego winner, 7 p.m.
Championship game
Friday, Dec. 1
Southwestern College
Teams TBA, 3:30 p.m.
DIVISION V
Quarterfinals
Friday, Nov. 10
(1) Vincent Memorial 43. (8) Southwest 8
(4) Classical Academy 13, (5) Maranatha Christian 7
(6) Tri-City Christian 52, (3) Montgomery 14
(2) Crawford 34, (7) Army-Navy Academy 16
Semifinals
Friday, Nov. 17
(4) Classical Academy (5-5) at (1) Vincent Memorial (9-2), 7 p.m.
(6) Tri-City Christian (6-5) at (2) Crawford (7-4), 7 p.m.
Championship game
Saturday, Nov. 25
Southwestern College
Classical Academy-Vincent Memorial winner vs. Tri-City Christian-Crawford winner, 7 p.m.
