The Sweetwater Red Devils currently have the longest active unbeaten streak among San Diego Section football teams, and it doesn’t look to end any time soon by the way the 2013 Division IV CIF champions are playing.
Sweetwater extended its unbeaten record to 8-0 this season — 16-0 over the past two seasons — after trouncing the host Hilltop Lancers, 62-7, in the match-up of reigning league champions last Friday.
The Red Devils, 2013 Metro-Pacific League champs, made their debut in the Metro-South Bay League a success as Raven Middleton scored five touchdowns to lead the visitors. SuHi led 35-7 at halftime and 49-7 entering the fourth quarter.
The Lancers, last year’s Metro-South Bay League champions, dropped to 2-6 on the season, 0-1 in league play.
The Red Devils were up to their usual tricks in this pre-Halloween contest by rushing for 487 yards. Middleton rushed for 272 yards on 15 carries. His longest sprint from scrimmage was 65 yards.
Antonio Garcia rushed for 113 yards on nine carries while Jose Sandoval accumulated 40 yards on five carries and scored two touchdowns. C.C. Portillo had 37 yards on five carries and scored one TD.
Overall, the Devils rolled up eight rushing touchdowns in the game.
Sweetwater is averaging 376 rushing yards per game and 9.2 yards per carry.
Angel Ulloa led SuHi defensively with 11 tackles, followed by Portillo with 10. Portillo had nine unassisted tackles while Ulloa had seven solo stops.
The Devils racked up four sacks in the game — one each by Ulloa, Portillo, Kevin Mendoza and James Zarate. Zarate also had one caused fumble while Jakari Lowe, Ricardo Flores and Mendoza were each credited with one pass deflection.
Oscar Gutierrez was perfect on all eight point-after-touchdown conversions.
On the season, Middleton has rushed for 722 yards on 72 carries while Garcia leads the team with 997 rushing yards on 84 carries. Middleton has scored 16 total touchdowns, including 13 rushing TDs; Garcia has scored 10 touchdowns, including nine rushing scores.
Defensively, the Devils have recorded 23 sacks, five interceptions and six fumble recoveries. Miguel Triana is the team leader with 47 tackles, followed by Portillo (45) and Ulloa (41). Zarate leads the team with two interceptions.
Sweetwater hosts Mar Vista on Friday as Metro-South Bay League play continues. The Mariners are coming off a 31-14 loss to visiting Mater Dei Catholic in last Friday’s league opener for both teams.
Fresh start
The Crusaders took advantage of turnovers to unfurl the Mariners’ sails. C.J. Verdell got the visitors rolling on a scoring run to tie the game after Khalil Spruill gave Mar Vista the early lead.
Mater Dei Catholic held a 28-7 lead after the first quarter after a subsequent touchdown by Michael Pimentel and two more scores by Verdell. Rodrigo Garcia added a 27-yard field goal in the third quarter for the victors while Verdell scored his fourth touchdown of the game in the fourth quarter to close out scoring in the contest.
Mar Vista’s other touchdown came on a 25-yard interception return by Josh Cooper in the second quarter.
The Crusaders (1-0 in league) evened their seasonal record at 4-4 while the Mariners saw their record dip to 5-3, 0-1 in league play.
In another Halloween gridiron clash, Mater Dei Catholic will host Hilltop. Should both the Devils and Crusaders emerge victorious, Mater Dei Catholic would host the 2014 Metro-South Bay League championship game on Nov. 7.
Players to watch
Spruill remains the danger man for Mar Vista. He has rushed for 894 yards and nine touchdowns. Quarterback Ben Munoz has passed for 819 yards and eight TDs, including four to Nijal Collins (14 catches, 223 yards) and three to Josh Cooper (16 receptions, 278 yards).
For the Crusaders, quarterback Jarrod Rieta has passed for 1,110 yards with eight touchdowns. Top receivers include Quentin Frazier (19 catches, 418 yards) and Pimentel (16 catches, 307 yards).
Conner Finnestad leads the MDC defense with 93 tackles, followed by Pimentel with 54. Mario Williams and Donovan Williams each have four sacks to their credit while Donovan Williams and Roberto Marcos each have snagged two interceptions.
Hilltop has been outscored 125-14 in its last two games, both losses, and has lost its last three games since losing starting QB Daniel Sanchez to injury.
