The 2015 high school football season kicks off this weekend with Saturday’s SDNFL Magazine Kickoff Classic at La Jolla Country Day School. The defending San Diego Section Division II champion El Capitan Vaqueros will help kick off the new season by participating in the showcase event.
The Vaqueros and Hilltop Lancers will meet in a 7:30 p.m. contest to close out the four-game event.
Though officially a scrimmage, the match-up between teams from the Grossmont Hills League and the Metro-South Bay League will be played under game-like conditions.
The event kicks off at noon with a game pitting La Jolla Country Day and Coronado. That game will be followed by a match-up between Palo Verde and San Ysidro at 2:30 p.m. Prior to the El Capitan-Hilltop game, teams from La Jolla and Imperial will take the field at 5 p.m.
Each scrimmage is scheduled to last two hours.
El Capitan turned in what may have been the Lakeside school’s finest season in 2014 when it completed a sterling 14-1 campaign under head coach Ron Burner en route to claiming both Grossmont Hills League and section Division II titles and a runner-up finish in the State Bowl Division III championship game.
The Vaqs came up just short by a 35-28 score in the Division III state final at the StubHub Center in Carson after previously defeating Paso Robles, 41-10, in a regional playoff game at home.
El Capitan took an undefeated 14-0 record into the State Bowl championship game and built a 28-7 lead before falling victim to Campolindo’s heroic comeback that included 28 unanswered points over the final 12 minutes, 45 seconds.
The Vaqueros defeated Rancho Bernardo, 14-7, to capture the school’s first San Diego CIF championship in a game played Dec. 6 at Southwestern College.
This year’s round of championship games will also be played at Southwestern College. Will El Capitan return to roost at the top of its division or will a new champion be crowned?
Fans get can a glimpse on Saturday.
The Vaqueros numbered 29 seniors on last year’s roster, including quarterback Brad Cagle, receiver Isaiah Capoocia and running back D.J. Smith.
Cagle threw for 2,650 yards and 29 touchdowns in 2014 while Capoocia caught 59 aerials for 941 yards and 15 touchdowns. Smith, another talented senior off that blockbuster squad, rushed for 1,195 yards and scored 19 touchdowns.
Capoocia, who amassed 2,052 all-purpose yards and scored 22 total touchdowns as a senior, signed a National Letter of Intent in March to play for Sacramento State. He scored two touchdowns — one rushing and one receiving — to help lead the South team to a 28-0 win over the North team in July’s 25th annual Alex Spanos All-Star Football Classic at Mesa College.
Cagle also competed in the Spanos All-Star Classic.
El Capitan kicks off 2015 regular season play with an Aug. 28 non-league contest against the Madison Warhawks at Cathedral Catholic High School. Game time is 5 p.m. The Vaqueros’ first home game of the season is Sept. 18 against Patrick Henry.
Hilltop is looking for renewed fortunes after finishing 2-8 last season. The Lancers will be rallying around junior quarterback Alejandro Tejeda, who competed 39 of 67 passing attempts for 548 yards and three touchdowns primarily during the latter half of last season following an injury to starter Danny Sanchez.
Hilltop also will look to build a foundation around three returning all-league players: senior receiver/kicker Luis Hernandez, senior offensive guard Matt Hanau and junior running back Angel Pineda.
Hernandez earned first team All-Metro South Bay League honors last season after making 15 receptions for 343 yards and scoring four touchdowns.
Hanau and Pineda were both second team all-league selections.
“It is a great opportunity to scrimmage in a game atmosphere,” HHS head coach Cody Roelof said in advance of Saturday’s match-up against the rebuilding Vaqueros.
Roelof also noted the kickoff showcase also will serve as a food drive.
“It’s a chance for the program to give back to San Diego,” Roelof said.
San Ysidro finshed 3-7 last season and kicks off this season under new head coach Bobby Hatchett.
“We haven’t played anyone yet, so we’re looking forward to Saturday’s scrimmage to actually play another team and show what we’ve learned over the last three months,” Hatchett said.
Clash of the Titans
Eastlake kicked off its season with a scrimmage contest Thursday at Grossmont High School. The competition proved hard-hitting, especially on defense as the Titans raced out to a multiple- touchdown lead before being challenged by the Hillers.
Eastlake senior quarterback Izzack Morales looked especially sharp running plays. Micah Pietila-Wiggs caught Morales’ initial passing touchdown of the game.
Senior running backs Traylon Reed and Nate Sweat, junior receiver Josh Olave and junior running back Kaleb Dueitt also turned in strong performances for the Titans.
“I liked the way our guys flew around and played hard,” Eastlake head coach Lee Price said. “After looking at the film, we still need a lot of work, but that is what practice is for.”
Chula Vista hosted Mar Vista in a scrimmage contest Friday. New CVHS head coach Daryl Butterfield said the two-team practice session went well. “We got in 80 percent of our kids, they played hard and with discipline,” Butterfield said. “The season starts next Friday.”
Water polo
The 10th annual Draz Classic is scheduled Friday (Aug. 21) and Saturday (Aug. 22) at Granite Hills High School. Eight games are scheduled for Friday, starting at 1:30 p.m. Twelve games are scheduled for Saturday, starting at 8:30 a.m.
Six Metro Conference teams will participate.
Hilltop and Point Loma will get the action underway Friday at 1:30 p.m. In following games, Mater Dei Catholic will engage Steele Canyon at 2:30 p.m. while defending South Bay League co-champion San Ysidro will test San Dieguito Academy in a 3:30 p.m. contest. Bonita Vista will be the fourth Metro team to hit the water on Friday with a 7:30 p.m. scheduled matchup against Classical Academy.
Two more South County squads will compete on Saturday, Eastlake will play Rancho Bernardo at 11:30 a.m. while defending Mesa League champion Mar Vista will play Mt. Carmel at 2:30 p.m.
In other games on Friday, Escondido and Mira Mesa face off at 4:30 p.m., while Helix will meet Clairemont at 5:30 p.m., Scripps Ranch and Coronado will pair up at 6:30 p.m. and West Hills will test Santa Fe Christian at 8:30 p.m.
Five Grossmont Conference teams will see action on Saturday. Monte Vista starts it off with the early 8:30 a.m. game against La Jolla Country Day. Valhalla meets San Marcos at 12:30 p.m., with Santana and Canyon Crest Academy following at 1:30 p.m. Grossmont plays University City at 4:30 p.m., followed by the Granite Hills-Serra match-up at 5:30 p.m.
Additionally on Saturday, Patrick Henry is scheduled to play Poway at 9:30 a.m., while Del Norte and Rancho Buena Vista meet at 10:30 a.m., La Jolla and La Costa Canyon play at 3:30 p.m., Bishop’s meets Vista at 6:30 p.m. and Cathedral Catholic closes out the event at 7:30 p.m. against Carlsbad.
Each contest will feature four six-minute quarters and games can end in ties.
