2015 Prep Football Rankings: Week Six

While Helix remains our top-ranked team in the county, 

all teams in the Top 4 make a legit case to be #1.

Helix Highlanders (2-1)

Key Wins: #10 Eastlake, #6 Cathedral

Key Upcoming Games: Bonita Vista (10/2), Grossmont (10/30)

Mission Hills Grizzlies (5-0)

Key Win: Torrey Pines

Key Upcoming Games: #4 Oceanside (10/9), San Marcos (11/6)

St. Augustine Saints (4-1)

Key Wins: Ramona, Madison, #10 Eastlake

Key Upcoming Game: #6 Cathedral (10/23)

Oceanside Pirates (4-1)

Key Win: San Marcos

Key Upcoming Games: #2 Mission Hills (10/9), #5 El Camino (11/6)

Toreros win PFL Opener at Valpo

VALPARIASO, IN (09/26/2015) Redshirt freshman quarterback Anthony Lawrence notched his second straight four touchdown performance as the University of San Diego Toreros (2-1) opened its Pioneer Football League schedule Saturday morning with a 38-6 win over the Valparaiso Crusaders (0-3).

Lawrence threw two interceptions in the first half, but finished strong with 21 of 28 completions for 214 yards. Brian Riley lead all receivers with five catches for 77 yards and two scores.

Valpo took a 3-0 late in the first quarter after a Lawrence interception set up a 30-yard field goal by Jacob Newman.

The Toreros broke out of their scoring drought when Lawrence found Riley for a 15-yard touchdown with 3:40 left in the first half. A 28-yard field goal by Jack Flatau extended USD's lead to 10-3 at halftime.

2015 Prep Football Rankings: Week Five

Games of the Week

#8 Eastlake Titans (2-2) at #3 St. Augustine Saints (3-1)

Series tied 2-2

Coming off a thrilling victory over Madison, the Titans hit the road this week hoping to break their loss-win-loss-win pattern. They face a St. Augustine team that appears to be in championship form after knocking off Otay Ranch. This will be the fifth meeting of an annual series that started in 2011. While St. Augustine was victorious in the first two meetings, the last two resulted in Eastlake pitching 23-0 shutouts. 

#9 Westview Wolverines (4-0) at San Marcos Knights (3-1)

Series tied 3-3

Off to its best start since 2011, Westview will face their biggest test of the season so far when they travel to San Marcos this Friday. A win would tie their 2008 squad for the best start in team history. Since dropping their season opener to Oceanside, the Knights won three straight games by a combined score of 135-7. San Marcos won the last two meetings between these teams; a third straight could land them back in the Top 10.

Aztecs stunned by South Alabama in overtime

QUALCOMM STADIUM (09/19/2015) After South Alabama kicker Aleem Sunanon forced overtime with a 46-yard field goal as time expired, the Jaguars (2-1) received the first possession and scored off a 2-yard touchdown run by Xavier Johnson.

The San Diego State Aztecs (1-2) failed to match the score as Maxwell Smith's fourth down pass to tight end Daniel Brunskill fell incomplete, giving South Alabama the 34-27 victory.

On a play worthy of the SportCenter Top 10, Smith caught a 7-yard touchdown pass from receiver Lloyd Mills, who tossed the ball in the air while being taken down in the backfield.

Smith found the end zone again with a 30-yard strike to Mikah Holder, giving SDSU a 17-3 lead with 7:28 left in the first half.

South Alabama answered back with a 46-yard touchdown pass from Cody Clements to Josh Magee, cutting the Aztec lead to 17-10 at halftime.

Tale of the Tape: Cathedral Catholic vs. Helix

#5 Cathedral Catholic Dons (1-2) at #1 Helix Highlanders (1-1)

Friday, September 18, 2015 @ 7:00 p.m. PT

Jim Arnaiz Field at Benton Hart Stadium (La Mesa, CA)

Series History

First Meeting: Sept. 18, 2009 - Cathedral 49, Helix 19

Previous Meeting: Nov. 28, 2014 - Helix 27, Cathedral 5

Helix lead the all-time series 5-2

Breakdown

The marquee matchup of this week will feature two teams coming off their first win of the season. Cathedral quarterback Tate Haynes threw three touchdown passes last week as the Dons cruised to a 28-14 victory over neighborhood rival Torrey Pines. During the Highlander's 56-7 onslaught over Eastlake, Nathan Stinson exploded for 168 yards and two scores on 11 carries. The last meeting between these teams took place in last year's Open Division semifinals, that resulted in Helix advancing with a 27-5 win.

2015 Prep Football Rankings: Week Four

Once again, Jim Arnaiz Field at Benton Hart Stadium will host the marquee matchup of the week.

Games of the Week

#5 Cathedral Catholic Dons (1-2) at #1 Helix Highlanders (1-1)

Helix lead the all-time series 5-2

The Dons head to La Mesa with redemption on their minds after the Scotties ended their 2014 season with a 27-5 defeat in the Open Division semifinals. The previous regular season meeting ended with Cathedral edging their way to a 9-7 victory. Helix earned its first win of 2015 by routing Eastlake 56-7. A similar result this week could legitimize their argument as the top ranked team in the county.

#10 Madison Warhawks (2-1) at #9 Eastlake Titans (1-2)

Eastlake lead the all-time series 3-1

After suffering a lopsided loss at Helix last week, the Titans return home to face another tough competitor in Madison. The Warhawks survived a close battle against Bonita Vista and will aim to make it 2-0 against the South Bay.

Chargers rally to defeat Detroit 33-28 in season opener

QUALCOMM STADIUM (09/13/2015) The San Diego Chargers (1-0) opened the 2015 regular season with their largest comeback win at Qualcomm Stadium.

Trailing 21-3 midway through the second quarter, the Bolts put up 30 unanswered points, including a 13-yard go-ahead touchdown pass from Phillip Rivers to Ladarius Green with 11:49 left to play, sparking a 33-28 come-from-behind victory over the Detroit Lions (0-1).

It also tied Hall of Famer Dan Fouts' franchise record of 254 career touchdowns.

Rivers completed 35 of 42 passes for 404 yards and two touchdowns, but was picked off twice in the second half. The first pick bounced off Keenan Allen and was caught by Glover Quinn who returned it 31-yards for a touchdown, giving the Lions a 14-3 lead early in the second quarter.

Allen was the top target in the passing game with 166 yards and 15 catches that tied the franchise single-game record set by Hall of Fame tight end Kellen Winslow back in 1984. It was also the most catches by a player in a season opener since the 1970 NFL-AFL merger.

Lawrence's 4 TD passes lead Toreros past Western New Mexico

TORERO STADIUM (09/12/2015) In his first collegiate start, redshirt freshman Anthony Lawrence threw for 254 yards and four touchdown passes to help the San Diego Toreros (1-1) defeat the Western New Mexico Mustangs (1-1) 45-21 in their home opener Saturday night.

Tale of the Tape: Eastlake vs. Helix

#5 Eastlake Titans (1-1) at #1 Helix Highlanders (0-1)

Friday, September 11, 2015 @ 7:00 p.m. PT

Jim Arnaiz Field at Benton Hart Stadium (La Mesa, CA)

Series History

First Meeting: Sept. 16, 2005 -  Eastlake 24, Helix 14

Previous Meeting: Aug. 31, 2012 - Helix 28, Eastlake 6

Helix lead the all-time series 3-2

Breakdown

This matchup should feature an exciting rushing duel between two of the most explosive running backs in the county (Eastlake's Traylon Reed & Helix's Nate Stinson). While the Highlanders had two weeks to prepare for this contest, the Titans are fresh off a hard-fought victory at El Toro. Helix will try to avoid its first 0-2 start since 1976.

Toreros & new starting QB Lawrence prep for home opener vs. Western New Mexico

Junior CB Devyn Bryant (#3) is a nominee for the 2015 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team®, the most esteemed off the field honor in college football.

Redshirt freshman Anthony Lawrence will be the starting quarterback for the University of San Diego Toreros (0-1) when they host the Western New Mexico Mustangs (1-0) in the home opener this Saturday.

Lawrence takes over for Trey Wheeler who injured his non-throwing shoulder during last week's 37-3 loss to San Diego State.

2015 Prep Football Rankings: Week Three

After opening the season with two intersectional losses, Cathedral Catholic hopes to earn its first win against rival Torrey Pines.

Games of the Week

#5 Eastlake Titans (1-1) at #1 Helix Highlanders (0-1)

Helix lead the all-time series 3-2

Eastlake's last victory over the Highlanders came in 2011 when Jude Isbell prevented a potential game-tying touchdown late in the fourth quarter with a monstrous hit on Kendell Keys in the end zone. The 21-14 season-opening setback was the only loss Helix suffered that year as they went on to win their first and only state championship. Four years later, the top-ranked Highlanders are coming off a bye week and aiming for their first win of the season. Meanwhile, the Titans bounced back from their week one loss and hopes to keep the momentum going with a marquee victory.

#6 Cathedral Catholic Dons (0-2) at #9 Torrey Pines Falcons (1-1)

Torrey Pines lead the all-time series 11-8

In search of their first win of 2015, the Dons will travel just two miles down Del Mar Heights Road to take on the neighborhood rival Falcons. Torrey Pines will be looking to bounce back from a shutout loss to Mission Hills by defeating Cathedral Catholic for the first time since 2012. Last season the Falcons suffered two losses to Cathedral, including a 27-0 outing in the first round of the Open Division Playoffs.

Torero defense puts up respectable effort during Aztecs' 37-3 rout

QUALCOMM STADIUM (09/05/2015) The San Diego State Aztecs (1-0) and University of San Diego Toreros (0-1) met on the gridiron for the first time since 1961, and as expected, the Aztecs came away with a blowout victory in both team's season opener Saturday night.

Linebacker Calvin Munson became the first player in SDSU history to finish a game with two interception returns for touchdowns. On just the second play from scrimmage, he returned Trey Wheeler's pass 19-yards for the first score of the game. In the fourth quarter he killed an Anthony Lawrence led drive with a 67-yard pick-six that sealed the win.

“First and foremost, glory to God,” Munson said during the post-game press conference. “He blessed me out there tonight. Big credit to the defensive line and all of the guys that blocked for me on the two picks.”

Damontae Kazee also had a big night on defense. The junior cornerback became the first Aztec to record three interceptions in a game since Ed Ricketts did it against the Marines in 1951.

Joe Early set for his 14th Season at Palomar College

By David A. Willauer - Contributing Writer

SAN MARCOS, CA - With a career record of 82-57, Palomar head coach Joe Early is ready to start his 14th season on the job.

During his playing days with the Comets, Early recorded the third longest kickoff return in school history (98 yards) during a 36-21 win over Orange Coast in the 1979 season opener. After his football career ended, he has been involved with the program and held different assistant coaching positions.

The Comets have a lot of questions to be answered as they open up their 2015 season at Citrus Community College this Saturday.

“I like the energy and atmosphere,” Early said about his team. “We’re very athletic and so is everyone else we have been playing. I'll know a little more about these guys on Sunday.

Tale of the Tape: Madison vs. St. Augustine

#8 Madison Warhawks (1-0) at #5 St. Augustine Saints (1-0)

Friday, September 4, 2015 @ 7:00 p.m. PT

San Diego Mesa College (Merrill Douglas Stadium)

Series History

First Meeting: 1968 - St. Augustine 26, Madison 0

Previous Meeting: Dec. 5, 2014 - St. Augustine 49, Madison 42 (D-I Championship)

St. Augustine leads the all-time series 8-6

Breakdown

The Saints and Warhawks played two exciting down-to-the-wire games last season, and this Division I championship rematch shouldn't be any different. Both teams are coming off blowout victories over previously-ranked opponents.

After being left out of the preseason rankings, Madison made a huge statement in last week's season opener by knocking off state finalist El Capitan. They hope to make an even bigger statement this Friday by defeating St. Augustine for the first time since the 2012 Division IV section title game. This will be their second straight contest against an opponent that beat them last year.

Meanwhile the defending D-I champion Saints are riding high after opening their season with a 41-3 thumping at Ramona. They will play in front of their home crowd for the first time this year looking to earn their third straight win over the Warhawks. No matter how this game pans out, you can expect another exciting match-up with both teams lighting up the scoreboard.