Four Metro Conference teams entered last Friday’s San Diego Section divisional semifinal playoffs with a bead on
advancing to this weekend’s finals at Southwestern College. Two South County teams will indeed be represented.
The top-seeded Mater Dei Catholic Crusaders (11-1) will meet the third-seeded Bishop’s Knights (8-4) in the Division IV championship game Friday, starting at 3:30 p.m.
The top-seeded Bonita Vista Barons and the second-seeded Mission Bay Buccaneers will square off for the Division III title in a match-up of 10-2 teams on Saturday, starting at noon.
The two contests are part of five games that will be played over two days at Devore Stadium.
Mater Dei Catholic, this year’s Metro-South Bay League champions, defeated the fourth-seeded Mar Vista Mariners, 48-14, in an all-Metro semifinal match-up last Friday that assured at least one South County team would advance to the championship game.
The contest started out close, with the Mariners (8-4) scoring the first touchdown to lead, 7-0, before the Crusaders began to steadily pull away.
Friday’s Division IV final is a rematch of last year’s title game won, 19-16, by Bishop’s in overtime. The teams have already met once this season, with the Crusaders topping the Knights, 42-21, in a non-league game on Oct. 2.
Mater Dei Catholic is hoping for a similar outcome in the division championship game.
“We were very happy with the way we played against a big and physical Mar Vista team,” explained Crusader head coach John Joyner, whose team brings a 10-game winning streak into Friday’s division final. “It is always tough to play a team twice and especially only a couple weeks apart but our boys were very focused all week and played well especially on the defensive side.
“It is going to be a great championship game versus Bishop’s. We have created a nice little rivalry with them the last few years and we are excited to be back in the championship two years in a row.”
The Mariners took the early lead on a trick play that had quarterback Michael Wilson playing the role of receiver before the hosts scored back-to-back touchdowns to lead, 14-0, at the end of the opening quarter.
Mater Dei Catholic duplicated that 14-7 edge in the second quarter to lead, 28-14, at halftime and put the game away with 20 more points in the third quarter.
A 24-yard interception return by Kyle Moses put the Crusaders up, 21-7, to start the second quarter.
MDCHS junior quarterback Chris Jones threw two touchdown passes and also ran the ball in for a score while junior C.J. Verdell (10 carries, 162 yards) scored rushing touchdowns of 40 and 50 yards to pace the victors. Senior Mario Williams (five carries, 25 yards) also scored one rushing touchdown while junior Jovan Bayless (three catches, 33 yards) caught two scoring passes.
Junior Ruben Duran led the Crusader defense with 10 tackles while senior Jayden Emberton-Gaines recovered one fumble. Moses also had a 38-yard kick-off return in the game.
Mater Dei Catholic previously defeated Mar Vista, 48-7, in the regular season finale for both teams on Nov. 6.
“Our kids played hard, but at the end of the day, they (the Crusaders) have some really good athletes who were tough for us to match up with,” conceded MVHS head coach Tyler Arciaga, whose team closed to within 21-14 on the scoreboard on a short scoring run by Jerry Hara. “It’s only the fifth time in school history that we have won eight or more games — Mar Vista has been playing football for more than 60 years — and we were able to practice on Thanksgiving.
“The kids were 5-1 at home, so it was great to perform well in front of the student-body/Imperial Beach community and start the school year off with good enthusiasm. I thought a lot of kids stepped up when we had some injuries that allowed up to keep momentum going during the season.”
Bishop’s eliminated Metro-Pacific League champion Castle Park, 44-7, in the quarterfinals and stopped second-seeded University City, 23-7, in last Friday’s semifinals.
Sophomore quarterback Mozes Mooney has guided the Knights in their two playoff wins, passing for 527 yards and completing four touchdown passes, while senior A.J. Britanico has rushed for 1,147 yards and scored 10 rushing touchdowns on the season.
Verdell paces Mater Dei Catholic with 1,744 yards and leads the team with 27 total touchdowns — 23 rushing touchdowns, three receiving touchdowns and one kick-off return for a score. Jones has passed for 1,548 yards and 18 touchdowns with one interception, while tacking on six rushing TDs.
Barons continue to make history, reach pigskin title game
The Bonita Vista High School football team continues to make history. The Barons landed in their first San Diego Section championship game by defeating the visiting Imperial Tigers, 49-7, in last Friday’s Division III semifinals at Southwestern College.
Top-seeded Bonita Vista will face second-seeded Mission Bay in Saturday’s title game, starting at noon at SWC. Both teams are 10-2.
To put things in perspective, BVHS is celebrating its 50th anniversary, This year’s Baron squad is going somewhere where no previous BV team had ever gone before.
While the Barons won big on the scoreboard against the fifth-seeded Tigers (7-6), the game lost a bit due to its ending. With 6:51 remaining in the third quarter, BV’s Atoa Fox was hit hard on the sideline while returning a punt. Before anyone could blink, a full-scale brawl had erupted, with players from the Imperial sideline rushing over to the BVHS sideline to take part.
There was pushing and shoving, and even a few punches thrown. The officials called the game and awarded a forfeit win to the Barons after the Tigers left their sideline – a CIF rule violation.
Reportedly, a few Bonita Vista players were sanctioned with game suspensions for their part in the melee. Baron head coach Chris Thompson said he is also sitting down a couple of players for their actions during the early end to last Friday’s game.
“Obviously we were excited to win the Imperial game and advance to the finals to play Mission Bay,” Thompson explained. “I, on the other hand am disappointed in the way the game ended. We certainly don’t condone the way we reacted and the result of that is CIF has suspended two of our players. After further investigation by our football staff I am benching two other starters for their involvement in the fight.”
Still, there is much pride on the BVHS sideline – that’s something that couldn’t be beat out of them.
“I’m excited for the kids who will look back and be ‘the team’ that set the standard,” Thompson said.
On the field, the Barons were pretty much unstoppable. Bonita Vista scored seven touchdowns in just two-and-a-half quarters, with senior running back Greg Bell setting a new school single-season rushing record by gaining 307 yards on 23 carries to push his season total to 2,015 yards.
Bell scored on runs of two, 87, 55 and nine yards. He enters Saturday’s division championship game with 25 rushing touchdowns to his credit while also catching a touchdown pass – and throwing a touchdown pass.
Thompson refers to Bell as the top running back in the section.
“Get out and spend the $13 to watch him run the ball,” the BVHS coach said. “It will the best Xmas gift you can give yourself. Greg is one special football player.”
The Barons led, 42-7, at halftime and scored on their one possession in the third quarter before bedlam broke out.
Bonita Vista piled up 466 total yards. Ethan Williams, Daniel Kemp and Quentin Harrison also scored touchdowns besides the four by Bell. Matt Michaud had seven PAT conversions.
Baron quarterback Anthony Posada completed seven of 10 passing attempts for 135 yards and two TDs – one each to Williams (three catches, 43 yards) and Harrison (three catches, 85 yards). Kemp had one carry for two yards that also resulted in a touchdown.
On the defensive side, Fox had one interception for 21 yards while Gabe Melhorn caused a fumble and Tristan Schultz recovered a fumble.
Josh Godfrey had one kick-off return for 22 yards.
Julian Davila scored the lone touchdown of the night for the Tigers on a 66-yard pass reception.
Imperial managed just 49 rushing yards and 116 passing yards.
The Barons had defeated the host Tigers, 54-6, in the second game of the season.
Posada has passed for 1,702 yards with 11 touchdowns and four interceptions in 12 games while Harrison has accumulated 610 yards on 21 catches and four touchdowns in seven games.
Mission Bay defeated third-seeded Valley Center, 31-28, in last Friday’s semifinal to reach the championship game. The Bucs last made an appearance in the 2013 Division II championship tilt.
Bonita Vista enters the final riding a seven-game winning streak.
In another CIF semifinal last Friday, sixth-seeded Otay Ranch ended its season at 7-6 following a 48-14 loss at second-seeded Rancho Bernardo (10-2).
San Diego Section Football Championship Games
Southwestern Community College
DIVISION IV: (1) Mater Dei Catholic (11-1) vs. (3) Bishop’s (8-4), 3:30 p.m. Friday
DIVISION I: (1) Oceanside (8-4) vs. (3) El Camino (7-5), 7 p.m. Friday
DIVISION III: (1) Bonita Vista (10-2) vs. (2) Mission Bay (10-2), noon Saturday
DIVISION II: (2) Rancho Bernardo (10-2) vs. (4) Mt. Carmel (9-3), 3:30 p.m. Saturday
OPEN DIVISION: (1) Helix (11-1) vs. (2) St. Augustine (10-2), 7 p.m. Saturday
