Legacy of Pride: SuHi be-Devils Spartans in 17-7 win

Last Friday’s annual Legacy of Pride gridiron match-up between longtime rivals Chula Vista and Sweetwater high schools had all the intensity of a playoff game. But nothing less would be expected from the county’s longest continuous prep football rivalry game.

Host Sweetwater defeated Chula Vista, 17-7, to improve to 4-0 on the season and, in the process, erase a decade of frustration against the Spartans, who had posted 10 wins and one tie in the teams’ last 11 meetings.

The Red Devils, who had last tasted victory against Chula Vista in 2002, continue to lead the series 37-28-3, now in its 68th year.

“All the community came out to support us, being undefeated,” said SuHi senior Raven Middleton, whose reverse-field touchdown run erased a 7-3 Chula Vista lead late in the fourth quarter. “We hadn’t beat them in 10 years, maybe it was 12 years. It felt great to bring a win back. My line, the whole team pushed me.”

“It took everything we had,” Devils coach Brian Hay explained. “They came with everything they had and have nothing to feel ashamed about the way they played — they played excellent. For most of the game, they were more aggressive than we were.

“But our guys dug deep and we finally started to move the ball. They did enough to confuse us but everything worked out. It feels good to get this monkey off our back.”

The game, played before a full house with a lively atmosphere usually reserved for high-profile college games, was in doubt until Sweetwater senior Antonio Garcia scored on a one-yard run with just 1:45 to play.

The Devils had taken control of the football after stopping Chula Vista on fourth-and-20 when quarterback Mario Cabada’s pass was ruled incomplete.

Previously, Sweetwater players thought they had sacked Cabada in the end zone for a safety.

The high-powered Red Devil running game was held in check by a determined CV defense for most of the game (156 yards on 37 attempts — about half the team’s previous average). Sweetwater led just 3-0 at halftime on a 24-yard field goal by Ricardo Perez. That came with only 15 seconds to play before intermission as the teams had battled their way through a scoreless tie.

The turning point came on an interception by the Devils’ James Zarate after the Spartans had gone ahead on a 16-yard touchdown pass from Cabada to Demetrius Gibbs midway through the third quarter.

After Zarate’s pick, the momentum remained with Sweetwater the rest of the game.

Middleton scored on an eight-yard run with 3:30 left in the fourth quarter to help push the hosts ahead 10-7.

The SuHi defense then made its stand to score an insurance touchdown. After Garcia plunged into the endzone on first and goal, he ran across the field to the home stands with his hand raised in triumph.

“Going into halftime we had to keep thinking it was 0-0,” explained Garcia, who recorded a first-half pick on defense and rushed for 89 yards and 17 carries. “We knew it was a tough rivalry, we knew they came to play. We took it to them, stayed aggressive, we went out there and performed again.”

CV head coach Drew Westling said it was a shame for either team to lose such a game.

“Both teams really fought hard in a great atmosphere,” said the rookie Spartan coach, whose team dropped to 1-3 on the season. “Both teams played with class.”

PREP FOOTBALL SCOREBOARD
Non-League/ Friday, Sept. 19
•Sweetwater 17, Chula Vista 7
•Eastlake 32, Madison 20
•Bonita Vista 30, Scripps Ranch 29 (OT)
•Castle Park 31, Clairemont 17
•Mar Vista 28, Gabrielino (San Gabriel) 18
•Southwest 36, Mountain Empire 14
•Ocean View Christian Academy 46, San Jacinto Valley Academy 6
•Calvary Christian Academy 46, Foothills Christian 6
•St. Augustine 41, Otay Ranch 7
•Grossmont 75, Hilltop 22
•Lincoln 32, Olympian 9
•University City 47, San Ysidro 12
•Calexico 35, Montgomery 0