Mariners score royal flush in Las Vegas, down Durango 21-6

09/17/2015

Play football at Mar Vista High School in Imperial Beach; see the world.

For the third consecutive year, the Mariners traveled outside of the city limits to play a high school football game. Last Friday, the team traveled to Las Vegas, Nev. to play Durango High School and came home with a 21-6 non-league victory.

“The defense played well and only allowed six points during the game as they seemed unfazed by the 102 degree temperature at kickoff,” MVHS head coach Tyler Arciaga explained.

Michael Wilson threw two touchdown passes to Xavier Williams and Khalil Spruill rushed for a touchdown to round out the Mariners’ scoring.

Mar Vista improved to 3-0 on the season to join Mater Dei Catholic as the Metro Conference’s only two undefeated teams three weeks into the season.

Despite the perfect start, Arciaga said his team still needs to pick up the pace.

“We scored all of our points in the first half and we need to get better at finishing games,” Arciaga explained. “The last two games, we have scored zero points in the second half. We need to find a way find a killer instinct and put the games away.”

As part of the trip, the Mariners took a tour of the UNLV campus and athletic facilities and had an opportunity to watch the UNLV-UCLA game at Sam Boyd Stadium.

“It was the first (NCAA) Division I game for many of the student-athletes and it was in front of the biggest crowd for UNLV in the last seven years,” noted Arciaga, a UNLV alumnus. “It was also a great opportunity for the Mariners to learn the norms and expectations of business travel as well as see places that they have never seen.”

Mar Vista piled up just 184 total yards in besting Durango (0-3).

The Mariners rushed 23 times for 76 yards. Jacob Hinojosa had five carries for 46 yards while Spruill had six carries for 34 yards.

Wilson completed nine of 12 passing attempts for 108 yards. Williams had three catches for 61 yards while Paden Hazuga had four receptions for 37 yards.

Abe Sanchez kicked all three extra-point conversions.

On the season, Spruill has rushed for 397 yards and scored four rushing touchdowns while Wilson has completed 18 of 30 passing attempts for 208 yards with three touchdowns and one interception. Wilson has also rushed for two touchdowns and made an interception on defense.

Mar Vista puts its undefeated record on the line in Friday’s non-league game at Valhalla (7 p.m. kickoff). The Norsemen are 1-1 on the season following a 17-10 victory against Granite Hills and a 14-7 loss to Otay Ranch.

“It should be a tough one for us, but it’s good to have a tough game mixed in,” Arciaga noted.

2015 Prep Football

Week 3 Scoreboard

Friday, Sept. 11

Hilltop 35, Chula Vista 33

Castle Park 41, Santana 38

Olympian 26, Morse 6

Otay Ranch 28, Mt. Miguel 0

Mater Dei Catholic 49, Francis Parker 27

Madison 29, Bonita Vista 28

Helix 56, Eastlake 7

Clairemont 27, Montgomery 26 (OT)

Orange Glen 32, San Ysidro 13

Mission Bay 26, Sweetwater 13

Xochicalco (Tijuana) 14, Southwest 6

Chula Vista Calvary Christian Academy 46, San Pasqual Academy 28

Rock Academy 35, Ocean View Christian Academy 8

Week 4 Schedule

Friday, Sept. 18

Chula Vista Calvary Christian Academy at Ocean View Christian Academy, 3:30 p.m.

Bonita Vista at Scripps Ranch, 6:30 p.m.

San Ysidro at University City, 6:30 p.m.

Sweetwater at Chula Vista, 7 p.m.

Grossmont at Hilltop, 7 p.m.

Madison at Eastlake, 7 p.m.

St. Augustine at Otay Ranch, 7 p.m.

Vincent Memorial at Southwest, 7 p.m.

Olympian at Lincoln, 7 p.m.

Mar Vista at Valhalla, 7 p.m.

Montgomery at Santana, 7 p.m.

Castle Park at Capistrano Valley, 7 p.m.

Lutheran vs. Calipatria at Monte Vista High School, 7 p.m.

San Diego Section Football Rankings

SD Sportswriters/Sportscasters Poll

(Through Sept. 12)

Mission Hills Grizzlies (3-0)
Helix Highlanders (1-1)
St. Augustine Saints (2-1)
Rancho Bernardo Broncos (3-0)
Oceanside Pirates (2-1)
Madison Warhawks (2-1)
El Camino Wildcats (3-0)
Cathedral Catholic (1-2)
Christian Patriots (2-1)
La Costa Canyon (2-1)

Other teams: San Marcos Knights (2-1), Bonita Vista Barons (2-1), Eastlake Titans (1-2), Mater Dei Catholic Crusaders (3-0), Point Loma Pointers (2-1), Westview Wolverines (3-0), Bishop’s Knights (3-0), Grossmont Foothillers (3-0), Mission Bay Buccaneers (3-0), Poway (2-1)

South County Prep Football

2015 Playoff Ticker

Division I

Olympian 2-1

Eastlake 1-2

Division II

Otay Ranch 2-1

Division III

Bonita Vista 2-1

Hilltop 2-1

Chula Vista 0-3

Sweetwater 0-3