The National Football League is experiencing one of its most exciting seasons since its merger with the American Football League in 1970 as nearly 30 percent of games through the opening six weeks have been decided by a fourth-quarter comeback victory.
Play kicks off Friday between Metro Conference teams in both the Metro-South Bay League and Metro-Pacific League. The four teams in each league hope to provide exciting finishes for their fans as they battle for a league championship.
Here’s a look at where the teams stand entering league play.
Metro-South Bay League
Mater Dei Catholic and Mar Vista are both 6-1 on the season and are in a virtual dead heat with University City (also 6-1) for the No. 1 spot in the Division IV power rankings. The Crusaders and Mariners meet in league play on Nov. 6, with the winner likely contending with the Centurions for the top playoff seed in the division.
Hilltop is 3-4 and sits eighth overall in the Division III power rankings while Sweetwater, the defending Metro-South Bay League champion, is 13th among the 16 Division III teams with a 1-6 overall record.
Hilltop hosts Mater Dei Catholic this Friday. Both teams are coming off non-league victories: Hilltop defeated visiting Lincoln, 28-19, last Friday while the Crusaders blanked visiting Montgomery 45-0.
Mater Dei Catholic should not overlook the Lancers, who held up well in non-league losses to Grossmont (34-13 on Sept. 18) and Granite Hills (28-14 on Oct. 9) — a pair of teams from higher competition tiers.
Angel Pineda scored two rushing touchdowns to lead Hilltop over Lincoln while quarterback Alex Tejeda also rushed for a score while throwing for 106 passing yards. Cristian Llanes also returned an intercepted pass for a touchdown.
On the season, Tejeda has thrown for 815 yards with three touchdowns and eight picks for a 53.8 quarterback rating. Dylan Trenga has rushed for a team leading 328 yards and three touchdowns while Tejeda leads the team with four rushing TDs.
Luis Hernandez has 22 catches for 371 yards and one touchdown while Trenga has 19 catches for 249 yards and two scores. Trenga leads the Lancers with 577 all-purpose yards and five touchdowns.
Domonic Esparza (36), Andrew Rivera (35) and David Corona (31) top the Hilltop defense in total tackles. Rivera has a team leading seven sacks.
Mater Dei Catholic finished runner-up in last year’s Division IV finals with an overtime loss to Bishop’s. The Crusaders look even stronger this season.
Mario Williams (three carries, 41 yards) and C.J. Verdell (five carries, 46 yards) each scored two rushing touchdowns in last Friday’s Mater Dei Catholic victory while Chris Jones threw a 29-yard scoring pass to Eli Shelton. Williams also scored a defensive touchdown on a 36-yard interception return while Alex Golembiewski picked up nine kicking points in the win.
Jarrod Rieta and Ruben Duran also had picks in the game while Kyle Moses recovered an Aztec fumble.
On the season, Jones has passes for 879 yards with 10 touchdowns and no interceptions for a superb 134.1 quarterback rating. He has also scored three rushing touchdowns.
Verdell has been just as explosive, if not more so, by rushing for 942 yards and 12 rushing touchdowns. He leads the Crusaders with 1,301 all-purpose yards and 15 total touchdowns. Shelton remains the team’s deep threat with four touchdowns on five catches and a 38.6 average per catch.
Defensive leaders include Duran with 72 total tackles, Williams with six sacks and Jovan Bayless with four picks.
Mar Vista hosts Sweetwater on Friday riding a three-game winning streak.
The Mariners are coming off a 55-8 non-league win over visiting Southwest in the schools’ annual Battle for the Bell rivalry game. Khalil Spruill gained 124 yards on just four carries and scored two touchdowns. Mar Vista scored five touchdowns in the opening quarter, with Spruill busting loose on scoring runs of 73 and 38 yards, Jacob Hinojosa scoring on a five-yard run and Michael Wilson (15 yards to Diego Gonzalez) and Jerry Hara (28 yards to Alejandro Sosa) both throwing touchdown passes.
Spruill is averaging 108.6 rushing yards per game to go with seven rushing touchdowns in five games. Wilson has passed for 328 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions and has also rushed for 233 yards and four TDs.
Hugh Anthony leads Mar Vista with three sacks.
Sweetwater picked up its only win on Oct. 2 by defeating visiting Calexico, 48-18, in a non-league encounter.
Francisco Velazquez rushed for 222 yards on 15 carries and scored two touchdowns to lead the Red Devils past the Bulldogs. Alfredo Ulloa had eight carries for 157 yards and scored one rushing touchdown while making two catches for 65 yards and two receiving touchdowns.
Sweetwater totaled 598 yards in the win.
Metro-Pacific League
Defending league champion Castle Park is 3-4 while the other three teams — Montgomery, San Ysidro and Southwest — are all still looking for their first wins of the season.
Castle Park hosts San Ysidro (0-6) while Montgomery (0-7) hosts Southwest (0-7) in league openers this Friday. Next Friday will feature two 1-0 teams in league play, which should make things more interesting.
Castle Park is led by quarterback Angelo Trujillo, who has thrown for 1,311 yards with 11 touchdowns and three interceptions for a 103.8 quarterback rating. Miguel Flores has rushed for 240 yards and two touchdowns while Luq Barcoo has 55 catches for 781 yards and eight TDs.
Barcoo tops the Trojans with 1,055 all-purpose yards and 10 touchdowns. Trujillo also has three interceptions on defense.
