No. 14 Crusaders get company in Metro-Mesa League football race

The Metro-Mesa League football season is two weeks old and the defending league champion Mater Dei Catholic Crusaders have quickly established themselves as the team to beat once again with a dominating 2-0 start to league play.

The Crusaders, ranked 14th among section teams, defeated visiting Chula Vista, 27-0, in the league opener for both teams on Oct. 3 and topped host Otay Ranch, 35-9, last Friday.

But nothing is official yet.

Mater Dei Catholic (5-3 overall) has an early season challenger in a familiar foe as the Eastlake Titans defeated the visiting Sweetwater Red Devils, 21-19, last Friday to cap a homecoming victory.

The Titans (3-4 overall) carry a 1-0 league record and two-game winning streak into Friday’s league match-up at Otay Ranch (1-1, 3-5).

Eastlake is scheduled to host Mater Dei Catholic in the teams’ regular season finale on Oct. 31.

Freshman quarterback Jayden Blondin stepped in with 123 passing yards with one touchdown and one interception. Senior Jordan Dumaran rushed for 206 yards and three touchdowns while sophomore Xavier Vitela had three carries for 25 yards and one rushing score.

Senior Larell Parker had three catches for 117 yards and one touchdown. He also made an interception on defense.

Junior Diego Mendoza had three catches for 57 yards while sophomore Jasir Fontenot had two catches for 45 yards and gained an additional 25 yards on two carries.

Mendoza also had four unassisted tackles, one assist and one pass deflection on defense. Senior Noah Cook had five unassisted tackles and one tackle for a loss, senior Javon Jackson had six unassisted tackles, sophomore Kamari Alfred had three unassisted tackles, two assists and one pass deflected, while junior Reynan Siabara had three solo tackles, two assists and one tackle for a loss.

Sophomore Visi Nava had eight unassisted tackles, two assists, two tackles for a loss and one sack.

The MDC defense, which notched six tackles for a loss, held Otay Ranch senior signal-caller A.J. Lopez to 53 passing yards and the Mustang ground game to 145 yards as the Crusaders out-gained the hosts 477-198 in total yards.

Junior Jaidon Castillo (15 carries, 89 yards) scored the lone touchdown for Otay Ranch. Senior Christian Walker had 11 carries for 53 yards while senior David Smith had one catch for 21 yards.

On defense, junior Aaron Pena had eight tackles while senior Kurstin Mitchell had one interception.

Homecoming win

The Titans won despite completing just three passing attempts for 55 yards and one touchdown. Senior Tyler Balko (two-for-11) connected with junior Santi Aleta (two catches, 53 yards) for the team’s only receiving score.

The hosts had a bit more success on the ground as junior David Branco carried the ball eight times for 76 yards and Balko had nine carries for 37 yards.

Junior J.P Navarrete had two kickoff returns for 180 yards, including one 95-yarder for a touchdown and another for 85 yards.

Branco highlighted two-way play with a team-leading 18 tackles (12 unassisted) while senior Maximo Acosta had 14 tackles, including 10 first hits. Branco and junior Jeremiah White each had one sack. Junior Nicolas Alba had one interception.

Junior Abdul Osman (six carries, 93 yards) scored two receiving touchdowns to lead Sweetwater, which also benefited from 116 rushing yards on 20 carries by senior Chris Corpus.

Junior Manny Kramer completed three of four passing attempts for 132 yards and two scores.

Senior Sean Carlos had three carries for 33 yards.

The Red Devils turned in three sacks on defense: one each by seniors Juan Alvarez and Zane Willis and junior Bryan Horne.

Sweetwater out-gained Eastlake 310-196 in total yards.

Barons, Lancers, Eagles, Aztecs rock opponents as non-league play wraps up

Bonita Vista 55, Mar Vista 6

The host Barons scored six rushing touchdowns: one each by junior Anthony Lorenz (five carries, 34 yards), senior Kenneth Watson (six carries, 83 yards), sophomore Isaiah Jimenez (three carries, 49 yards), sophomore Lucas Cortes Raulli (two carries, 47 yards), junior Angel Cortres (six carries, 30 yards) and junior Ta’vyon Moore (five carries, 34 yards).

Junior Edward Armenta caught a 30-yard scoring pass from junior Marshall Romo (34 passing yards) while junior Cole Margetts had a 60-yard interception return for a touchdown.

Braylon Shumate (five catches, 89 yards) caught the Mariners’ lone touchdown of the game on a pass from quarterback Hayden Bell (174 passing yards).

Hilltop 42, Southwest 14

Junior Jujaun Johnson (14 carries, 138 yasrds) rushed for two touchdowns and passed for two more to lift the host Lancers to their second consecutive win. Senior Leo Mendoza (nine carries, 94 yards) rushed for one touchdown while junior Bryson Grant and sophomore Zach Humphrey each had one touchdown catch. Senior Damian Moreno had a 42-yard interception return for a score.

Junior Leo Holguin (147 passing yards) had touchown passes to sophomore Darrell Moss and junior Samuel Gonzales.

Olympian 55, Castle Park 13

Senior Jayden Fuentes (185 passing yards) fired three touchdowns passes — two to senior Jorgani Estrada (two catches, 59 yards) and one to senior Andie Deanda (55 yards). Estrada also scored on a 75-yard punt return.

Junior Jonah Zamora (four carries, 53 yards), sophomore Dillon Durruthy(onre carry, 47 yasrds) and sophmore Jayce Reimer each scored on touchdown runs.

Senior Dylan Loe had a 92-yard kick-off return for a touchdown

Montgomery 36, San Ysidro 0

Sophomore Qassim Williams (13 carries, 60 yards) scored two touchdowns and sophomore quarterback Issiah Mena-Malijan passed for one and rushed for another to key the Aztecs. Mena-Malijan passed for 241 yards and rushed for 42 yards. Junior Marquis Benton had a TD catch.

South County Football Log

Metro-Mesa League

Friday, Oct. 10

Mater Dei Catholic 35, Otay Ranch 9

Eastlake 21, Sweetwater 19

Friday, Oct. 17

Eastlake at Otay Ranch, 6:30 p.m.

Chula Vista at Sweetwater, 6:30 p.m.

Mater Dei Catholic, bye

League standings: Mater Dei Catholic 2-0, Eastlake 1-0, Otay Ranch 1-1, Chula Vista 0-1, Sweetwater 0-2

Non-League

Friday, Oct. 10

Olympian 55, Castle Park 13

Bonita Vista 55, Mar Vista 6

Hilltop 42, Southwest 14

Montgomery 36, San Ysidro 0

Metro-South Bay League

Friday, Oct. 17

Montgomery at Olympian, 6:30 p.m.

Bonita Vista at Hilltop, 6:30 p.m.

Metro-Pacific League

Friday, Oct. 17

Castle Park at San Ysidro, 6:30 p.m.

Southwest vs. Mar Vista at Mater Dei Catholic, 6:30 p.m.

Sunset League

Friday, Oct. 10

Maranatha Christian 56, Victory Christian Academy 14

Foothills Christian, bye

Mountain Empire, bye

Friday, Oct. 17

Foothills Christian at O’Farrell Charter, 4 p.m.

Tri-City Christian at Victory Christian Academy, 7 p.m.

Maranatha Christian at Mountain Empire, 7 p.m.

San Diego Section Rankings

San Diego Section Football Rankings

TACKLE FOOTBALL

(Through Oct. 11)

Top 25: 1. Lincoln 6-1, 2. Carlsbad 7-0, 3. Mission Hills 6-1, 4. Cathedral Catholic 6-1, 5. La Costa Canyon 6-1, 6. Granite Hills 4-3, 7. San Marcos 5-2, 8. Mt. Miguel 5-3, 9. Pt. Loma 7-0, 10. Rancho Bernardo 7-0, 11. Poway 3-4, 12. Torrey Pines 4-3, 13. Oceanside 3-4, 14. Mater Dei Catholic 5-3, 15. El Camino 2-5, 16. Del Norte 3-4, 17. Imperial 8-0, 18. La Jolla 4-3, 19. Steele Canyon 7-0, 20. Mission Bay 8-0, 21, Santa Fe Christian 9-0, 22. St. Augustine 2-5, 23. Helix 2-6, 24. San Diego 5-2, 25. Scripps Ranch 4-3.

Top 25: 1. Lincoln 6-1, 2. Carlsbad 7-0, 3. Mission Hills 6-1, 4. Cathedral Catholic 6-1, 5. La Costa Canyon 6-1, 6. Granite Hills 4-3, 7. San Marcos 5-2, 8. Mt. Miguel 5-3, 9. Pt. Loma 7-0, 10. Rancho Bernardo 7-0, 11. Poway 3-4, 12. Torrey Pines 4-3, 13. Oceanside 3-4, 14. Mater Dei Catholic 5-3, 15. El Camino 2-5, 16. Del Norte 3-4, 17. Imperial 8-0, 18. La Jolla 4-3, 19. Steele Canyon 7-0, 20. Mission Bay 8-0, 21, Santa Fe Christian 9-0, 22. St. Augustine 2-5, 23. Helix 2-6, 24. San Diego 5-2, 25. Scripps Ranch 4-3.

Others: 37. Otay Ranch 3-5, 38. Montgomery 5-2, 39. Olympian 6-1, 46. Eastlake 3-4, 53. Sweetwater 3-5, 55. Chula Vista 1-6, 56. Bonita Vista 3-4, 60. hilltop 4-3, 71. San Ysidro 4-3, 74. Mar Vista 3-4, 75. Southwest 3-4, 82. Castle Park 1-6, 83. Victory Christian Academy 2-5
Legend: 64 teams make playoffs.

Others: 37. Otay Ranch 3-5, 38. Montgomery 5-2, 39. Olympian 6-1, 46. Eastlake 3-4, 53. Sweetwater 3-5, 55. Chula Vista 1-6, 56. Bonita Vista 3-4, 60. hilltop 4-3, 71. San Ysidro 4-3, 74. Mar Vista 3-4, 75. Southwest 3-4, 82. Castle Park 1-6, 83. Victory Christian Academy 2-5

Legend: 64 teams make playoffs.

GIRLS FLAG FOOTBALL

(Through Oct. 11)

Top 25: 1. Bonita Vista 14-0, 2. Carlsbad 18-4, 3. Westview 13-2, 4. Torrey Pines 15-9, 5. Grossmont 15-3, 6. Mission Hills 14-4, 7. Classical Academy 14-8, 8. Cathedra Catholic 12-4, 9. Steele Canyon 14-4, 10. Imperial 18-3-2, 11. Poway 10-6, 12. Vincent Memorial 15-5, 13. Granite Hills 10-3, 14. Escondido Charter 12-2, 15. San Marcos 8-8, 16. Mater Dei Catholic 11-2, 17. Del Norte 11-4, 18. Clairemont 12-4, 19. Calexico 10-4, 20. O’Farrell Charter 13-2, 21. La Costa Canyon 6-5, 22. Helix 8-7, 23. Scripps Ranch 9-6, 24. Ramona 8-8, 25. San Ysdiro 10-4.

Others: 37. Castle Park 11-3, 39. Otay Ranch 5-8, 40. Hilltop 7-4, 53. Olympian 3-10, 55. Eastlake 4-10, 59. CVLCC 3-6, 60. Montgomery 3-4, 66. Southwest 5-8, 73. Chula Vista 1-8, 76. Sweetwater 3-10, 81. Mar Vista 0-11

Legend: 56 teams make playoffs.

Girls Field Hockey:
Eastlake 2, Helix 0
Eastlake 4, Granite Hills 0
Eastlake 4, Bonita Vista 0
Otay Ranch 2, Granite Hills 0
Olympian 2, Otay Ranch 0

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL:
Eastlake def. Bonita Vista 3-0 (25-18, 25-21, 25-10)
Mater Dei Catholic def. Eastlake 3-1 (24-26,25-20, 25-18, 25-23 )
Records: MDC 21-10, EL 17-19