The Olympian High School football team enters its bye week with a 4-1 record and a four-game winning streak since opening the season with a one-point loss. It’s likely an understatement to say the Eagles are flying high.
Olympian may have scored its most impressive victory last Friday by defeating host Point Loma, 21-14, in a key non-league encounter. The Eagles rolled out to a 21-0 lead in the afternoon game.
“We started off well obviously,” OHS head coach Paul Van Nostrand explained. “We got an early turnover for a touchdown and scored two more touchdowns. Noah Lacsina scored on a fumble recovery and our quarter back Garry Cannon had a play for a touchdown and then threw a touchdown pass.
“They scored before halftime and shut us down in the second half. Our defense had to make stop after stop. We blocked a field goal. We played good defense and special teams in the second half.”
Antonio Riggens caused the fumble that Lacsina returned 41 yards for a touchdown. The Eagles made it 14-0 in the first quarter on a 23-yard run to the pylon by Cannon, who threw a 46-yard touchdown pass to receiver Paul Thompson Jr. in the second quarter to up the visitors’ lead to three touchdowns.
The Pointers (3-2) scored the final two touchdowns of the game – one each in the second and third quarters – but could not get closer on the scoreboard.
Olympian collected just 186 yards in total offense in recording the win. Cannon passed for 80 yards and rushed for 36 yards on seven carries while Michael Kipling rushed eight times for 49 yards and Lacsina had eight carries for 19 yards.
Defensively, Andrew Whyte led the Eagles with 15 tackles while Lacsina had 14 stops. Isreal De Leon also had 12 tackles while David Morgan had one sack. Thompson also had one interception on defense.
For the season, Cannon has passed for 222 yard with one touchdown and no interceptions and rushed 42 times for 283 yards and scored four rushing touchdowns. He has a quarterback rating of 88.6.
Lacsina leads the team with 383 rushing yards on 58 carries and has scored four rushing touchdowns. Kipling has rushed 41 times for 332 yards with six rushing touchdowns.
Thompson has 10 catches for 187 yards and two touchdowns.
Whyte leads the team with 46 total tackles while Riggens has 39 tackles and Lacsina has 36 tackles. De Leon and Jorge Lazo each had made 29 stops on defense.
Sacks leaders include Riggens with four and Morgan with three while Lazo and Jerome Hoover each have two sacks.
Olympian has four interceptions and five fumble recoveries to its credit in five games.
Kicker Ralphie Gomez has successfully converted 17 of 20 extra-point attempts and made two of three field goals for 23 kicking points.
The Eagles return to action with a home game against the Chula Vista Spartans (1-4) on Oct. 9 in the Metro-Mesa League opener for both teams.
“We feel real good where we’re at,” Van Nostrand said in regard to his team’s play at midseason. “We need to continue to step it up. It’s league play from now on until our final game of the season (a non-league encounter against Santa Fe Christian).”
Prep Football Scoreboard
Friday, Sept. 25
Non-League
Olympian 21. Point Loma 14
Castle Park 12, Chula Vista 6
Mater Dei Catholic 52, San Ysidro 0
St. Augustine 46, Eastlake 9
Steele Canyon 17, Otay Ranch 6
Bishop’s 19, Hilltop 17
Ramona 41, Sweetwater 6
La Jolla Country Day 51, Montgomery 0
El Cajon Valley 35, Southwest 8
Eight-Man
Ocean View Christian Academy 34, San Pasqual Academy 32
Calvary Christian Academy 14, Academy of Careers and Exploration 9
San Diego Section Rankings
SD Sportswriters/Sportscasters Poll
(Through Sept. 26)
1. Mission Hills Grizzlies 5-0
2. Helix Highlanders 2-1
3. St. Augustine Saints 4-1
4. Oceanside Pirates 4-1
5. El Camino Wildcats 4-0
6. La Costa Canyon Mavericks 4-1
7. Rancho Bernardo Broncos 4-1
8. Westview Wolverines 5-0
9. Christian Patriots 3-1
10. Cathedral Catholic Dons 2-3
Others: Grossmont Foothillers 4-0, Madison Warhawks 2-2, Bonita Vista Barons 3-1, Mater Dei Catholic Crusaders 4-0, Mission Bay Bucs 5-0, Eastlake Titans 2-3, San Marcos Knights 3-2, Poway Titans 3-2, Mt. Carmel Sundevils 4-1, Olympian Eagles 4-1, Valhalla Norsemen 3-1
Prep Playoff Ticker
(Through Sept. 26)
Division I
Olympian Eagles 4-1
Eastlake Titans 2-3
Division II
Otay Ranch Mustangs 2-3
Division III
Bonita Vista Barons 3-1
Hilltop Lancers 2-3
Chula Vista Spartans 1-4
Sweetwater Red Devils 0-5
Division IV
Mater Dei Catholic Crusaders 4-0
Mar Vista Mariners 3-1
Castle Park Trojans 2-2
Montgomery Aztecs 0-5
San Ysidro Cougars 0-5
Southwest Raiders 0-5
Division V
Lutheran Knights 1-3
Eight Man
Calvary Christian Academy 5-0
Ocean View Christian Academy 2-2
