The high school football season is divided into three segments: non-league play, league play and the playoffs.
The Metro Conference’s Pacific League teams entered the second phase of that schedule last Friday as four of the league’s five teams faced off against one another.
Southwest took its 4-2 non-league record into its league opener at Castle Park and proceeded to take a 14-12 halftime lead. But the host Trojans rallied with three second-half touchdowns to prevail 33-14.
Chula Vista defeated San Ysidro, 54-19, to run its midseason winning streak to three games following a 0-4 start.
Mar Vista engaged visiting Bonita Vista in a non-league game, posting a 49-14 blowout win to claim its second consecutive win following a 0-4 start.
Mar Vista will visit Chula Vista this Friday in what is shaping up as the key matchup in the embryonic stages of league play. The host Spartans also will be celebrating homecoming, so it should be an affair filled with fireworks — on the field as well as above it.
Chula Vista 54, San Ysidro 14
Players of the game for the Spartans (1-0 in league, 3-4 overall) included sophomore Izaac Baca (291 passing yards, four passing touchdowns, one rushing touchdown) and senior Gio Aguirre (two interceptions on defense, 72-yard touchdown catch on offense).
“It’s important that you get that first one (in league play),” CVHS head coach Howard Bannister III said. “It was a team effort. Credit the coaches at San Ysidro — they’re doing a great job over there. We’re really looking forward to playing Mar Vista next.”
The Spartans scored 20 points in each of the opening two quarters to take a 40-12 halftime lead.
Baca led the offense with 352 total yards, including 61 rushing yards. Chula Vista amassed 508 total yards in offense in the matchup, 304 passing yards and 204 rushing yards.
The hosts scored four rushing touchdowns in the game. Besides Baca, also crossing the end zone marker were senior Octavio Ramirez (three carries, 27 yards), junior Nathan Houck (one carry, three yards) and sophomore DayDay Perkins (one carry, two yards).
Senior Arbahl Saucedo (four catches, 96 yards) led the Spartans with two receiving touchdowns while sophomore Elijah Gillespie (five catches, 100 yards) and Aguirre each had one.
Defensively, Chula Vista recorded three sacks – one each by junior Franky Olmedo and Mathew Robertson and a shared stop between senior Demetrios Ferreira and senior Nick Gillespie. Senior Jeremy Wood also had a fumble recovery.
Overall, a whopping nine players scored points in the victory — touchdowns each by Saucedo, Ramirez, Baca, Aguirre, Gillespie, Perkins and Houck, two-point conversions by Ramirez and sophomore John Paul Zapata and two kicking points by senior David Rendon.
Junior Johnny Castro passed for one touchdown and rushed for another to put the Cougars on the scoreboard. Castro finished nine-for-12 with 176 yards in the passing department and tacked on eight carries for 76 yards to lead the visitors with 260 total offensive yards.
Castro completed his trifecta by catching an eight-yard scoring pass from freshman teammate A.J. Logan, who caught six passes for 143 yards from Castro in the game. Logan also led the team with 14 tackles on defense. He averaged 34.5 yards on four kick-off returns, including a 61-yard return, and also returned a punt 50 yards.
Senior Erick Padilla had one sack for San Ysidro, which lost for the third consecutive time.
The Cougars (0-1 in league, 2-5 overall) next play at Southwest (0-1, 4-3) this Friday.
Castle Park 33, Southwest 14
Senior Jeremiah Simler got the scoring going on a 79-yard catch and carry from sophomore quarterback Dylan Villrreal to stake the host Trojans (1-0 in league, 2-4 overall) to an early 6-0 lead.
The Raiders (0-1 in league, 4-3 overall) responded as senior quarterback Sebastian Plascencia scored on a 10-yard running play to take a 7-6 lead with a successful extra-point conversion.
Castle Park went back on top via a 12-yard touchdown run by sophomore Ladell Hampton with 5:03 remaining in the first half. The two-point conversion attempt failed, leaving the Trojans ahead by five points, 12-7.
It was Southwest’s turn to take a 14-12 halftime lead on sophomore Jaylen Garcia’s 75-yard interception return and a successful PAT conversion with 29.5 seconds to play in the second quarter.
The second half was filled with three Castle Park touchdowns, though the score still remained close — 20-14 — through three quarters.
Hampton (seven carries, 53 yards) finished the game with two rushing touchdowns while senior Jalen Hopkins (12 carries, 84 yards) and Simler (eight carries, 66 yards) each scored a touchdown.
Simler totaled 171 in total offense (26 passing, 66 rushing, 79 receiving).
Villarreal passed for 137 yards with one touchdown and one interception. He racked up 163 yards in total offense by tacking on 26 rushing yards.
Junior Sebastian Lozano led the Trojans with 11 tackles and one sack. Sophomore Theanni Saulo also had one sack. Junior Nicholas Lopez had one interception while Hopkins had a fumble recovery.
Mar Vista 49, Bonita Vista 14
Senior quarterback Aleks Wojcik accounted for five touchdowns — three passing and two rushing — in leading the host Mariners (Division V) past the Barons (Division III).
Wojcik completed 16 of 23 passes for 263 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions to rule the airwaves while rushing 10 times for 102 yards and two touchdowns.
Wojcik finished the game with 370 yards in total offense.
Junior Lah’darius Crawford (one catch, 27 yards), senior Demarco Wright (three catches, 53 yards) and senior Travon Smith (two catches, 32 yards) all made touchdown receptions.
Junior Elijah Clark led all receivers with three catches for 101 yards. Wright had 12 carries for 119 yards.
Smith also scored on a 99-yard kick-off return.
Mar Vista, which chalked up 511 yards in total offense, led 20-0 at halftime.
Bonita Vista senior quarterback Juan Gomez passed for 204 yards with two touchdowns — one each to sophomore Marcos Pena (three catches, 97 yards) and senior Dante Scott (three catches, 63 yards).
Battle of the O’s
Otay Ranch 28, Olympian 2
Junior running back Tolani Osinfolarin (17 carries, 220 yards) scored four touchdowns to lead the Mustangs (2-3 overall) to their second consecutive win in non-league play. The Otay Ranch defense was led by senior outside linebacker Kaleb Bowler, who recorded two sacks, and senior cornerback Malachi Hamilton, who had two interceptions.
The Eagles (2-4) recorded five sacks, an interception and a safety on defense.
Mater Dei Catholic 35, Central Union 0
The Crusaders (2-4) won for the second week by a lop-sided shutout score.
San Diego Section Football Rankings
Top 30 Teams
(MaxPreps through Oct. 4)
1. Lincoln (6-1)
2. Carlsbad (5-1)
3. Madison (6-0)
4. Cathedral Catholic (3-4)
5. Helix Charter (5-1)
6. Poway (6-0)
7. Mater Dei Catholic (2-4)
8. Granite Hills (4-2)
9. El Camino (4-2)
10. Mira Mesa (4-2)
11. La Costa Canyon (3-3)
12. Mission Hills (3-3)
13. Point Loma (5-1)
14. Ramona (3-3)
15. Torrey Pines (2-4)
16. San Marcos (4-2)
17. Mt. Carmel (5-1)
18. St. Augustine (3-3)
19. Central Union (3-3)
20. University City (4-2)
21. Palo Verde Valley (6-1)
22.Fallbrook (4-2)
23. Rancho Buena Vista (5-2)
24. Imperial (5-1)
25. Santa Fe Christian (6-1)
26. Christian (3-3)
27. Otay Ranch (2-3)
28. Valley Center (3-3)
29. Del Norte (3-3)
30. Morse (5-2)
Division 1
1. Lincoln (6-1), 2. Carlsbad (5-1), 3. Madison (6-0), 4. Cathedral Catholic (3-4), 5. Helix Charter (5-1), 6. Poway (6-0), 7. Mater Dei Catholic (2-4), 8. El Camino (4-2), 9. La Costa Canyon (3-3), 10. Mission Hills (3-3), 11. Torrey Pines (2-4), 12. St. Augustine (3-3), 13. Steele Canyon (1-6), 14. Rancho Bernardo (3-3), 15. Scripps Ranch (2-5), 16. Eastlake (0-6)
Division II
1. Granite Hills (4-2), 2. Mira Mesa (4-2), 3. Ramona (3-3), 4. San Marcos (4-2), 5. Mt. Carmel (5-1), 6. Central Union (3-3), 7. Santa Fe Christian (6-1), 8. Christian (3-3), 9. Otay Ranch (2-3), 10. Valley Center (3-3), 11. Brawley (4-2), 12. La Jolla (4-3), 13. Oceanside (0-6), 14. Grossmont (0-6), 15. San Diego (3-4), 16. Vista (0-6)
Division III
1. Point Loma (5-1), 2. University City (4-2), 3. Rancho Buena Vista (5-2), 4. Imperial (5-1), 5. Del Norte (3-3), 6. Morse (5-2), 7. Bishop’s (4-2), 8. Patrick Henry (2-3), 9. West Hills (4-2), 10. El Capitann (4-2), 11. San Pasqual (3-3), 12. Santana (2-5), 13. Escondido (3-4), 14. Bonita Vista (2-4), 15. Canyon Hills (1-4), 16. Olympian (2-4), 17. Orange Glen (0-6)
Division IV
1. Palo Verde Valley (6-1), 2. Fallbrook (4-2), 3. La Jolla Country Day (5-1), 4. Montgomery (5-1), 5. Mission Bay (5-2), 6. Calexico (5-1), 7. Coronado (4-2), 8. Mt. Miguel (3-4), 9. Francis Parker (2-4), 10. Sweetwater (3-3), 11. Chula Vista (3-4), 12. Hilltop (3-3), 13. Holtville (3-3), 14. Kearny (4-2), 15. Westview (0-6), 16. Valhalla (0-7), 17. Monte Vista (1-5)
Division V
1. Escondido Charter (5-1), 2. Crawford (5-1), 3. Vincent Memorial (4-2), 4. Classical Academy (5-1), 5. Mar Vista (2-40, 6. Army-Navy Academy (5-1), 7. El Cajon Valley (3-4), 8. Castle Park (2-4), 9. San Ysidro (2-5), 10. Hoover (3-3), 11. Clairemont (3-4), 12. Mountain Empire (2-4), 13. Southwest El Centro (1-5), 14. Southwest (4-3), 15. Maranatha Christian (2-4), 16. Tri-City Christian (0-7), 17. O’Farrell Charter (0-7), 18. Calipatria (0-5)
