No real favorite was declared in the Metro-Mesa League football ranks to start the 2016 season. It was pegged as a toss-up. The Olympian Eagles, however, have taken off the runway in a bid to soar over their opponents following last Friday’s narrow 10-7 win over the visiting Eastlake Titans.
Three points. It was enough.
Olympian head coach Paul Van Nostrand called the key victory a “big win for our team and a good start to league play.”
The Eagles (1-0 in league, 4-3 overall) scored all the points they would need in the first half, specifically the second quarter following a scoreless opening quarter between the teams.
Olympian took a 7-0 lead on a 25-yard touchdown pass from Nico Mendoza to Isaiah Williams. Ralphie Gomez tacked on the extra-point conversion and later booted a 36-yard field goal to increase the lead to 10-0.
Eastlake quarterback Alfredo Garcia scored on a 33-yard burst in the third quarter to trim the Eagles’ lead to 10-7.
But neither team scored in the fourth quarter as the hosts preserved their winning edge.
David Tirey made certain of that by intercepting a pass by Garcia when it looked like the Titans might be able to score.
The stingy Olympian defense held the visitors to 123 rushing yards and just 28 passing yards. Kaleb Dueitt led Eastlake on the ground with nine carries for 63 yards.
Mendoza completed five of nine passing attempts for 79 yards while Olympian rushed 48 times for 176 yards, led by Noah Lacsina with 22 carries for 119 yards. Williams had three catches for 38 yards.
Defensively, Eastlake’s Joshua McCurty made a team high 20 tackles. The Titans also recorded four sacks — one each by Donyal Thompson, Tyreque Bruton, McCurty and Richard Corpus.
The win by Olympian delighted its homecoming crowd as the school celebrated its 10th anniversary. There also were some tense moments when the halftime fireworks show caused a nearby hillside to burst into flame. But local firefighters managed to put it out before the start of the third quarter.
Metro Conference Standings
Metro-Mesa League
Mater Dei Catholic 1-0, 5-1
Olympian Eagles 1-0, 4-3
Bonita Vista 0-0, 1-5
Eastlake 0-1, 2-5
Otay Ranch 0-1, 2-5
Metro-South Bay League
Hilltop Lancers 0-0, 4-2
Mar Vista Mariners 0-0, 4-2
Chula Vista Spartans 0-0, 4-3
Sweetwater Red Devils 0-0, 1-5
Metro-Pacific League
Southwest Raiders 0-0, 2-4
San Ysidro Cougars 0-0, 2-5
Montgomery Aztecs 0-0, 1-6
Castle Park Trojans 0-0, 0-6
Metro Conference/
South County Playoff Tracker
Division I
Eastlake 2-5
Division II
Mater Dei Catholic 5-1
Olympian 4-3
Otay Ranch 2-5
Bonita Vista 1-5
Division III
Hilltop 4-2
Chula Vista 4-3
Sweetwater 1-5
Division IV
Mar Vista 4-2
Castle Park 0-6
Division V
Southwest 2-4
Lutheran 1-4
Montgomery 1-6
San Ysidro 2-5
Eight-Man
Chula Vista Calvary Christian Academy 2-5
Ocean View Christian Academy 0-4
