Open Division Champions
Cathedral Catholic Dons
Def. Carlsbad 20-16
Cathedral Catholic staged one of the most stunning rallies in San Diego Section playoff history, erasing a 16-0 deficit with a furious fourth-quarter surge to defeat Carlsbad 20-16 and claim their fourth Open Division championship. The Dons (10-2) looked finished after Carlsbad quarterback Eli MacNeal connected with Travis Jeffery on a 48-yard touchdown in the third quarter, building on his earlier 27-yard scoring strike to Ethan Meyerhoff and a 37-yard Beckham Filippini field goal that had the Lancers cruising with a 16-0 lead. But Cathedral Catholic's offense awakened in the final period, beginning with Honor Faalave-Johnson's five-yard rushing touchdown before quarterback Brady Palmer delivered the game's defining moment—a soaring 71-yard touchdown pass to Isaac Cook that made it 16-13. With under a minute remaining, the Dons completed their remarkable comeback with a four-yard rushing touchdown to take their first lead at 20-16, then held on through the final seconds to secure the crown. The devastating loss marked Carlsbad's (10-2) fourth defeat in an Open Division title game, as they were unable to protect their advantage despite dominating for three quarters behind MacNeal's strong performance and a defense that had completely bottled up the Dons until the fourth quarter explosion.
Division I Champions
Granite Hills Eagles
Def. Lincoln 41-29
Granite Hills claimed its fourth straight section championship by overcoming an early deficit in a physical, back-and-forth thriller that saw the lead change hands multiple times before the Eagles prevailed. After Rashad Robinson's explosive touchdown run put Lincoln up 14-0, junior quarterback Zachary Benitez sparked the comeback by connecting with Zhedan Smith to make it 14-7. Gage Spalding's rushing touchdown tied it 14-14, but Junior Curtis answered to restore the Hornets' lead at 21-14. Just before halftime, Benitez delivered a spectacular 65-yard strike to Noah Walker, though the missed extra point left Lincoln ahead 21-20 at the break. Granite Hills seized control in the third quarter when Benitez found Walker on an eight-yard touchdown pass for a 26-21 lead, but Robinson responded with another touchdown run and two-point conversion to put Lincoln back on top 29-26. The Eagles answered immediately as Benitez hit Walker for their third scoring connection, giving Granite Hills a 33-29 advantage entering the fourth quarter. After surviving a missed field goal attempt, Spalding delivered the knockout blow with a late touchdown run with 1:25 remaining to seal the victory. Benitez finished with a phenomenal 16-of-25 performance for 309 yards and four touchdowns while adding eight rushing yards, orchestrating an offense that accumulated 500 total yards. Walker was unstoppable with seven receptions for 189 yards and three touchdowns, while Smith contributed three catches for 71 yards and a score. Spalding powered the ground game with 101 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries, complemented by Anthony Mattar's 25 yards and Seth Rodriquez's 40 yards. The Eagles' defense dominated when it mattered most, led by Braydon Wells' 10 tackles, while Wyatt MacLeod wreaked havoc with 10 tackles, four tackles for loss, and 3.5 sacks. Parker Johnson added 13 tackles and a tackle for loss.
Photo Credit: Nicole Noel Photography
Division II Champions
Santa Fe Christian Eagles
Def. Steele Canyon 44-41
Santa Fe Christian survived a heart-stopping thriller to claim the Division II title, improving to 13-0 and remaining the only undefeated team in the San Diego Section. The Eagles, were led by quarterback Dax Labrum's five touchdown passes, three of which went to receiver Chase Woolley including a 51-yard strike in the third quarter. Woolley also delivered a crucial kickoff return deep into Steele Canyon territory in the fourth quarter that set up the game-winning score. Kicker Bradan Scott was flawless on the night, converting all six extra points, drilling three field goals (21, 37, and 43 yards), and even catching a 14-yard touchdown pass from Labrum. Steele Canyon refused to go quietly, with an 80-yard touchdown pass and a 98-yard kickoff return for a score giving them an early 14-10 lead, but Santa Fe Christian dominated the second quarter 17-0 to build a 30-14 halftime advantage. The Cougars mounted a furious second-half comeback, scoring 27 points including a late Sinan Khudur rushing touchdown that cut the deficit to just three points at 44-41, but the Eagles' ability to answer every challenge and control the clock in the final minutes secured the championship.
Division III Champions
Christian Patriots
Def. Central 28-14
Christian needed to defeat the top three seeds in the bracket to earn their 11th section title in program history. Junior quarterback Kaleb Runkle orchestrated the Patriots' offense masterfully, completing 18 of 23 passes for 280 yards and four touchdowns while adding 43 rushing yards on the ground. Runkle spread the wealth among his receivers, with Ronnie Scott hauling in four catches for 129 yards and two touchdowns including a spectacular 52-yard scoring strike, while Kai Rosier contributed six receptions for 70 yards and a touchdown. Julian Morones added a rushing touchdown to go with his two catches for seven yards, giving Christian multiple weapons on offense. The Patriots' rushing attack was effective as well, with J. Kirchhoefer gaining 120 yards on just three carries. On defense, Christian was led by Everick Randall's nine total tackles and Julian Morones' 12 tackles, while Kai Rosier came up with a crucial interception and also excelled in the return game with 70 yards on two kickoff returns. Steven Benson was perfect on all four extra point attempts to provide the steady kicking game.
Division IV Champions
Valley Center Jaguars
Def. Eastlake 21-14
Valley Center captured its first section title since 2011 using a strong first-half performance and stout second-half defense. The Jaguars built their winning margin early, scoring seven points in the first quarter and adding eight more in the second to take a 15-0 halftime lead before tacking on six points in the third quarter. Senior quarterback Braylon Mitchell orchestrated the Valley Center offense with efficiency, completing 14 of 23 passes for 208 yards and a touchdown while adding 18 rushing yards, accounting for all three of the Jaguars' scores. Wide receiver Jesse Morales was Mitchell's top target with nine receptions for 135 yards and a touchdown, while Joeisha Ryan Tirado contributed with two catches for eight yards and also found the end zone. Valley Center's defense was exceptional in the first three quarters, pitching a shutout before Eastlake mounted a furious fourth-quarter rally, scoring two touchdowns to make it 21-14. The Jaguars' defense held firm when it mattered most, with Mitch Stehly leading the way with nine total tackles and two tackles for loss, while Jesse Morales added an interception and Gauge Wright picked off a pass and returned it 17 yards.
Division V Champions
Morse Tigers
Def. Hoover 45-30
The Morse Tigers captured their first CIF section football championship since 2018 with a victory over Hoover, completing a remarkable turnaround just one year after finishing 1-9. Head coach Tracy McNair, who led the Tigers to their second title under his leadership, orchestrated an incredible transformation as running back Superior Garror accounted for four touchdowns including three rushing scores (42, 16, and 32 yards) and a spectacular 60-yard punt return for six. Quarterback Ethan Esmailian complemented the ground attack with two touchdown passes to Alex Smith and De'Vell Green, while kicker Christopher Felix Martinez was perfect on all extra point attempts. The game remained scoreless through the first quarter before Morse broke through and never looked back, outscoring Hoover 17-6 in the second quarter to seize control. Despite Hoover quarterback Hezekiah Manuel's valiant efforts throwing three touchdown passes to keep the Cardinals competitive, Morse's balanced offensive attack and opportunistic defense—featuring key tackles for loss from Gael Diaz, Edward Walker, and Mekhi Toliver, plus a crucial sack by Rochadd Laban—proved too much to overcome.
Division V-AA Champions
Maranatha Christian Eagles
Def. Palo Verde Valley 25-12
Maranatha Christian captured their first section title in school history with a victory over Palo Verde Valley, using a balanced offensive attack and a dominant defensive performance to secure the title. Senior quarterback Shane Piester led the Eagles' offense with an efficient 18-for-22 passing performance for 152 yards and two touchdowns while adding a rushing touchdown and 30 yards on the ground. Piester found his targets in H. Heinrichs and Sawyer Bryant for touchdown receptions, while sophomore Ryan Niguidula provided a spark on the ground with 77 rushing yards on just seven carries. Kicker Diego Esparza was perfect on the day, converting a 29-yard field goal and an extra point, while Bryant added two more PATs. The Eagles' defense was the story of the game, holding Palo Verde Valley to just 12 points despite the Yellow Jackets rushing for 220 yards led by C. Richards' 111 yards and two touchdowns on 11 carries. Maranatha Christian's defense registered 13 tackles for loss, with N. Niguidula leading the charge with five, while Aaron Tasin contributed 12 total tackles, three tackles for loss, and a fumble recovery. The Eagles built a 10-6 halftime lead and shut out Palo Verde Valley in the third quarter before sealing the championship with two fourth-quarter touchdowns.
8-Man Champions
St. Joseph Academy Crusaders
Def. Borrego Springs 68-13
St. Joseph Academy dominated from start to finish to capture their second straight 8-Man championship in commanding fashion. Despite Borrego Springs' Josef Rocha returning the opening kickoff for a touchdown to give the Rams an early 7-0 lead, the Crusaders responded with an overwhelming offensive onslaught. Running back Asher Larkin was unstoppable, rushing for five touchdowns to lead St. Joseph Academy's ground attack, while quarterback Paolo Puccico added a touchdown pass to Josh Clow. The Jesters' balanced rushing attack also featured scoring runs from Christian Clow, Sean Ambuul, and Josh Clow, with Blaise McMahon converting four two-point conversions on the ground. St. Joseph Academy seized control in the first quarter, scoring three touchdowns to take a 24-13 lead, then extended their advantage with a 32-0 second-quarter surge to build a dominant 46-13 halftime lead. The Jesters never let up, adding 22 more points in the second half while their defense held Borrego Springs scoreless after Christopher Alcaraz's first-quarter touchdown.
CIF STATE REGIONAL PLAYOFFS
DIVISION 1–AA
CATHEDRAL CATHOLIC (10-2) vs. Los Alamitos (12-2)
at Long Beach CC – Fri., Dec. 5 at 7:30 p.m.
DIVISION 1–A
Pacifica (Oxnard) (14-0) at GRANITE HILLS (10-3)
Saturday, Dec. 6 at 7:00 p.m.
DIVISION 2–A
Rio Hondo Prep (14-0) vs. SANTA FE CHRISTIAN (13-0)
at Carlsbad HS – Sat., Dec. 6 at 6:00 p.m.
DIVISION 5–AA
CHRISTIAN (7-7) at Valley Christian (Cerritos) (11-3)
Friday, Dec. 5 at 7:30 p.m.
DIVISION 6–AA
Valley View (Moreno Valley) (9-5) at VALLEY CENTER (7-6)
Friday, Dec. 5 at 7:30 p.m.
DIVISION 6–A
MORSE (9-4) vs. Grace (Simi Valley) (11-3)
at Moorpark College – Sat., Dec. 6 at 6:00 p.m.
No comments:
Post a Comment