South County football fans had to feel a sense of fulfillment Friday when Bonita Vista High School senior Dean Klaser took the field. Klaser’s story is well known – the kid who beat cancer who vowed to come back and play again.
But there is a part of Klaser’s inspirational story of triumphing over cancer that isn’t as well known.
Klaser was declared cancer free last winter. Over the summerHe elected to transfer from Eastlake High School to finish his senior year at BVHS. But just prior to the start of the high school football season he was declared ineligible to compete for the Barons by San Diego Section officials.
Klaser’s parents appealed to the CIF state office and a decision was finally handed down earlier this week after a review. Klaser’s eligibility was reinstated and he was given the OK to play for his new school.
It would have been a disservice to Klaser not to play the game he loves after going through what he did to evade death’s door.
He took a lion’s share of hand-offs in Friday’s non-league game against the Point Loma Pointers at Southwestern College. He did not reach the end zone in the Barons’ 27-20 loss to the Pointers. But just being back on the gridiron was a victory.
“It was a big thing,” Klaser said after the game. “It was fun. I had a blast. To be back and healthy was the greatest thing. It was fun to be out there.”
As the Barons’ post-game huddle broke up, BVHS head coach Chris Thompson commended Klaser’s return to the team. Fellow senior Josh Godfrey, kneeling next to Klaser, put his hand on Klaser’s shoulder to acknowledge the team’s emotional support.
It’s been a long road back for No. 28. Klaser completed 10 months of chemotherapy treatments last December; he then started training to get back in playing shape in January. During his recovery while a student at Eastlake High School, both the school’s baseball and football teams dedicated seasons to him.
“That’s the most important thing – to be back healthy or not being here at all,” underscored Klaser, obviously touched by his teammates’ gestures.
During training camp, Klaser set goals of rushing for 1,000 yards and making 100 tackles. With three games lost to appeals, those numbers may not be reachable. But the incentive is certainly there.
Klaser (16 carries, 86 yards; one catch for four yards) had most of his big runs in the second half as the Barons bounced back from a 19-7 halftime deficit to out-score Point Loma 13-8 in the second half.
“The offensive line opened huge holes, I just tried to stay on my feet and go as far as I could,” he said.
The hosts appeared they might send the game into overtime of possibly even sneak off with a victory after holding the Pointers on downs and taking over possession of the ball at the Point Loma 38-yard line in the dying stages of the fourth quarter. But BV quarterback Anthony Posada was held to a one-yard gain on first down and later recovered his own fumble for no gain. Forced to go on fourth down at the 33-yard line, Posada tossed a screen pass to Klaser, who then bulled ahead but was stopped short of the first down at the 30-yard line.
The Pointers were able to run the clock out from there.
But winning or losing wasn’t all that mattered. Klaser and his team celebrated a different kind of victory.
“I’m grateful to be back healthy,” Klaser said. “The last year has been difficult. I’m looking forward to our next game.”
BV’s Thompson said he is glad the state CIF appeals panel overturned the San Diego Section CIF decision.
“As disappointed as we were in the outcome of the Point Loma loss, we will not let that overshadow the tremendous hurdles Dean has overcome to get back on the field,” Thompson said. “He is an outstanding athlete but, more importantly, he is a champion of a man.”
Gridiron warriors
Point Loma scored the game’s first three touchdowns. Antonio Quintanilla ripped off a 53-yard scoring run early in the opening quarter and teammate Josh Bell broke off a 28-yard scoring run in the second quarter to up the lead to 13-0 following a blocked extra-point attempt.
Quintanilla scored on a seven-yard run in the fading moments of the first half to push the Pointers ahead 19-0.
The Barons finally got on the scoreboard with 1:08 to play before halftime when Posada scored on a seven-yard run on fourth down. BV’s new female kicker, Brooklyn Hawkins, just promoted from the junior varsity squad, split the uprights on the extra-point attempt to trim the visitors’ lead to 19-7.
The hosts controlled most of the scoring opportunities in the second half. Posada threw a 17-yard scoring pass to Jacob Rozar to narrow the score to 19-14 with successful extra-point kick.
Ball scored on a nine-yard run, and Quintanilla added a two-point conversion run, to put Point Loma ahead 27-14 with 11:17 remaining in the fourth quarter. But Klaser and the Barons still had plenty of fight left in them.
Godfrey scored on a 28-yard run with 9:17 left in the fourth quarter to narrow the score to 27-20. But the extra-point attempt went way wide to keep the hosts behind by seven points.
The BVHS defense played valiantly at points in the second half but could not contain the Pointers’ powerful running game at other key points.
The Barons had one promising scoring drive end in the first half when Posada was intercepted inside the red zone. Too many self-inflicted wounds have kept the defending Metro-Mesa League champions in the loss column to kick off this season.
All the pieces just haven’t fit together yet, but they could by the time league play rolls around.
It doesn’t get any easier from here: Bonita Vista faces top 10-ranked Helix in its next game on Sept. 30.
Point Loma improved to 2-2. The Pointers will next challenge the Olympian Eagles (3-1) in Chula Vista next Friday. The Eagles are coming off a 49-14 non-league victory against visiting Rio Mesa (Oxnard) on Friday.
Hawkins made two of three PAT attempts in her varsity debut.
“She did a great job and we expect her to only get better,” Thompson explained. “She has hit 40yd field goals in practice. Brooklyn has earned her opportunity.”
Olympian Eagles soar past Rio Mesa, 49-14; improve early season record to 3-1
The Olympian High School football team has emerged in the early going of the 2016 season as one of the Metro Conference’s top performing teams. The Eagles improved to 3-1 in non-league play after defeating visiting Oxnard Rio Mesa on Friday.
Olympian’s lone loss this year has been 17-10 to eighth-ranked Poway High School.
The Eagles appear to be flying high as they face another top challenger this coming Friday in the Point Loma Pointers, who defeated Metro-Mesa League rival Bonita Vista by a score of 27-20 on Friday.
Olympian currently has the best record among the five Metro-Mesa League schools. Defending state champion Mater Dei Catholic is 2-1 while Eastlake is 1-3 and Bonita Vista and Otay Ranch are both 0-4.
League play kicks off Oct. 7.
Battle tested
The Eagles flew out to a 14-0 lead, were tied 14-14 by the visitors, went up 28-14 at halftime, then cruised to the final 49-14 victory.
Olympian scored the final 35 points in the non-league contest.
“We played quite well after making adjustments,” head coach Paul Van Nostrand explained.
Quarterback Nico Mendoza turned in a sensational performance by completing nine of 10 passing attempts for 148 yards and two touchdowns. He finished with a 168.8 quarterback rating in the game.
The Eagles also excelled in the ground game by rushing 48 times for 294 yards and five touchdowns. Rashaun Brown led the hosts with 13 carries for 107 yards and two touchdowns while Noah Lacsina rushed 13 times for 87 yards. David Tirey (12 carries, 50 yards), Trey Curry (five carries, 30 yards) and Isaiah Williams all scored rushing touchdowns.
Curry (two receptions, 25 yards) also caught one scoring pass, as did Mikael Tyler.
Ralphie Gomez was successful on all seven PAT attempts.
Olympian out-gained Rio Mesa 442-264 in total yards.
On the season, Mendoza has thrown for 475 yards with seven touchdowns and three interceptions while Lacsina has rushed 50 times for 261 yards and one touchdown. Brown has rushed 27 times for 177 yards and three TDs.
Top receivers include Isaiah Williams with 13 catches for 166 yards and one touchdown, Brown with four catches for 135 yards and one touchdown and Tyler with six catches for 112 yards and one touchdown.
Defensive leaders include Andrew Whyte with 38 tackles and Rock Gonzalez with six sacks.
Gomez leads the team with 26 kicking points. He’s converted 14 of 15 extra-point attempts and made all four field goal attempts.
Brown leads the team with four touchdowns – three rushing and one receiving.
Road show
Point Loma is 2-2 after playing a challenging schedule of its own. The Pointers opened the season with a 21-8 setback at El Camino, edged host Ramona the next week by a score of 27-21, suffered a 40-27 loss at Lincoln following that before topping the Barons last week.
Point Loma has played all its games on the road thus far due to a new turf field being installed on campus.
Olympian is 2-0 at home this season.
“We have a big test against Point Loma this week,” Van Nostrand noted. “They are always one of the top teams in the county.”
In other games on Friday:
Chula Vista 41, Castle Park 6
The visiting Spartans (3-1) rushed for 220 yards and scored two touchdowns and added three passing scores to rout the west side rival Trojans (0-4). Chula Vista scored six touchdowns, including one on a fumble return by Elijah Bell.
Sergio Figueroa led the Spartans with eight carries for 83 yards while Bell (two carries, 38 yards) and Victor Agraz each scored rushing touchdowns. Cameron O’Neal (two catches, 30 yards) had two touchdown receptions while Ubaldo Nolasco (one catch, 22 yards) also had one touchdown reception.
Chula Vista out-gained Castle Park 289-93 in total yards. The Spartans held the Trojans to just 28 rushing yards. Austin Aguirre led the hosts with seven carries for 19 yards.
Castle Park fared better through the air with 65 passing yards. Eleazar Cruz passed to Isaac Zavala (four catches, 42 yards) for the team’s lone touchdown in the fourth quarter. Cruz was also intercepted twice in the non-league game.
Chula Vista led, 28-0, at halftime and 34-0 through three quarters.
The win made amends for a 37-21 non-league loss at Morse the previous week. Paul Escobar passed for 117 yards but was intercepted twice by the Tigers. The Spartans rushed for 159 yards. Figueroa led the visitors with six carries for 58 yards and one touchdown. Hamilton rushed three times for 36 yards and scored two touchdowns.
Morse rolled up 461 rushing yards to control the game on the ground.
Chula Vista amassed 417 total yards in crushing visiting Hoover on Sept. 2. The Spartans collected 301 rushing yards and four TDs. Figueroa rushed four times for 87 yards and scored two touchdowns. Paul Escobar passed for 116 yards and three TDs.
Chula Vista plays its third consecutive road game this Friday at El Capitan (1-2). Kick-off is 7 p.m.
Extra points
State bowl champion Mater Dei Catholic fell from the ranks of the undefeated following last Friday’s 51-42 non-league loss to host Los Angeles Hawkins. C.J. Verdell rushed for 279 yards and scored five rushing touchdowns in the setback for the Crusaders (2-1).
Mater Dei Catholic rushed for 311 yards but Hawkins (4-0) rushed for 401 yards and piled up 634 total yards in subduing the visitors.
Verdell totaled 416 all-purpose yards — 279 rushing, five receiving and 132 on kick returns. Verdell broke one kick-off return for a touchdown to finish with six TDs in the game.
Prep Football Scoreboard
Friday, Sept. 16
Non-League
Madison 41, Eastlake 7
Lincoln 46, Hilltop 0
Valhalla 45, Mar Vista 0
Tri-City Christian 60, Southwest 45
Grossmont 41, Sweetwater 8
Santana 59, Montgomery 8
St. Augustine 44, Otay Ranch 14
Chula Vista 41, Castle Park 6
Point Loma 27, Bonita Vista 20
Vincent Memorial 33, San Ysidro 13
Hawkins (Los Angeles) 51, Mater Dei Catholic 42
Olympian 49, Rio Mesa (Oxnard) 14
EIGHT MAN
San Pasqual Academy 48, Chula Vista Calvary Christian Academy 42
Foothills Christian 60, Ocean View Christian Academy 0
Non-League
Saturday, Sept. 23
Sweetwater at Scripps Ranch, 6:30 p.m.
Mater Dei Catholic at La Jolla, 6:30 p.m.
Montgomery at Clairemont, 6:30 p.m.
Point Loma at Olympian, 7 p.m.
St. Augustine at Eastlake, 7 p.m.
San Pasqual at Castle Park, 7 p.m.
San Ysidro vs. Lutheran at Hilltop High School, 7 p.m.
Mountain Empire at Southwest, 7 p.m.
Otay Ranch at Steele Canyon, 7 p.m.
Chula Vista at El Capitan, 7 p.m.
Mar Vista at Santana, 7 p.m.
Hilltop at El Toro (Lake Forest), 7 p.m.
EIGHT MAN
Chula Vista Calvary Christian Acadcemy at Julian, 3:30 p.m.
Metro Conference Standings
Metro-Mesa League
Olympian Eagles 0-0, 3-1
Mater Dei Catholic 0-0, 2-1
Eastlake 0-0, 1-3
Bonita Vista 0-0, 0-4
Otay Ranch 0-0, 0-4
Metro-South Bay League
Hilltop Lancers 0-0, 3-1
Mar Vista Mariners 0-0, 3-1
Chula Vista Spartans 0-0, 3-1
Sweetwater Red Devils 0-0, 0-3
Metro-Pacific League
Montgomery Aztecs 0-0, 1-3
Southwest Raiders 0-0, 1-3
Castle Park Trojans 0-0, 0-4
San Ysidro Cougars 0-0, 0-4
Manzinita League Standings
Holtville 0-0, 2-2
Calipatria 0-0, 2-2
Vincent Memorial 0-0, 2-2
Lutheran 0-0, 1-2
Mountain Empire 0-0, 1-2
Ocean League Standings
Calvin Christian 1-0, 3-0
Rock Academy 0-0, 3-0
SD Jewish Academy 0-0, 2-0
CV Calvary Christian 0-0, 1-3
Foothills Christian 0-1, 3-1
Citrus League Standings
Borrego Springs Rams 0-0, 2-0
St. Joseph Academy 0-0, 1-1
San Pasqual Academy 0-0, 1-1
Julian 0-0, 1-3
Ocean View Christian 0-0, 1-3
Metro Conference/
South County Playoff Tracker
Division I
Eastlake 1-3
Division II
Olympian 3-1
Mater Dei Catholic 2-1
Bonita Vista 0-4
Otay Ranch 0-4
Division III
Hilltop 3-1
Chula Vista 3-1
Sweetwater 0-3
Division IV
Mar Vista 3-1
Castle Park 0-4
Division V
Montgomery 1-3
Southwest 1-3
Lutheran 1-2
San Ysidro 0-4
Eight-Man
Chula Vista Calvary Christian Academy 1-3
Ocean View Christian Academy 0-3
Helix earns place among San Diego Section’s top 10 football teams
Four weeks into the 2016 high school football season, San Diego County’s top 10 rankings have begun to solidify. The Helix Highlanders are squarely in the mix while the Grossmont Foothillers and Valhalla Norsemen are both knocking on the door.
Helix, last year’s San Diego Section Open Division champion, kicked off the 2016 season at the top in the weekly San Diego Sportswriters/Sportscasters poll. But the Highlanders dropped to No. 2 following a season opening 28-21 loss to Utah’s Timpview.
Wins over Clayton Valley Charter (13-0) in the Honor Bowl in Mission Viejo and Eastlake (42-7) in ensuing weeks kept the Scotties at No. 2. But last Friday’s 35-28 non-league loss at third-ranked Cathedral Catholic moved the victorious Dons up to the No. 2 slot and bumped Helix to No. 5.
The now fifth-ranked Highlanders will host the unranked Bonita Vista Barons (0-4) in their next home game on Sept. 30.
Helix kicks off Grossmont Hills League play Oct. 7 against visiting Steele Canyon High School.
St. Augustine (4-0) remains the section’s top-ranked team following last Friday’s 44-14 non-league win over Otay Ranch at Mesa College. The Saints play at Eastlake (1-3) this Friday.
The Oceanside Pirates (4-0) entered this week ranked No. 3, followed by the defending state bowl champion Rancho Bernardo Broncos (4-0) at No. 4. The Madison Warhawks (3-1) followed Helix in the weekly rankings at No. 6.
The seventh-ranked Mission Hills Grizzlies (3-0), eighth-ranked Poway Titans (4-0), ninth-ranked Mater Dei Catholic Crusaders (2-1) and 10th-ranked Mt. Carmel Sundevils (4-0) round out this week’s rankings.
The undefeated Foothillers (3-0) and Norsemen (4-0) just missed the top 10 cut along with the San Marcos Knights (3-1), Bishop’s Knights (3-0) and Carlsbad Lancers (1-3, including forfeits).
There are seven undefeated teams in the current top 10 poll, including six with 4-0 records.
San Diego Section
2016 Football Rankings
SD Sportswriters/Sportscasters Poll
- St. Augustine Saints (4-0)
- Cathedral Catholic Dons (4-0)
- Oceanside Pirates (4-0)
- Rancho Bernardo Broncos (4-0)
- Helix Highlanders (2-2)
- Madison Warhawks (3-1)
- Mission Hills Grizzlies (3-0)
- Poway Titans (4-0)
- Mater Dei Catholic Crusaders (2-1)
- Mt. Carmel Sundevils (4-0)
Others: Grossmont Foothillers (3-0), Valhalla Norsemen (3-0), San Marcos Knights (3-1), Bishop’s Knights (3-0), Carlsbad Lancers (1-3, including forfeits)
