Three of the six Metro Conference teams that kicked off this year’s San Diego Section playoffs moved on to the division quarterfinals after posting wins in the opening round of play.
The three Metro first-round winners now join the three Metro teams that received first-round byes for a total of six local squads that will take the field in Friday’s quarterfinals.
It’s a pick six that promises to generate some genuine excitement on the gridiron.
First-round survivors include Bonita Vista, seeded 11th in the Division II field, Otay Ranch seeded seventh in the Division II field and Hilltop, seeded ninth in the Division III field.
Bonita Vista defeated sixth-seeded West Hills, 27-10, last Friday to advance to meet third-seeded El Capitan (4-6) in Friday’s quarterfinals. The Barons take a 4-7 record into the elimination game.
Otay Ranch defeated visiting Mt. Miguel, 43-12, to advance to meet Metro-Mesa League rival Mater Dei Catholic (9-1) in Friday’s quarterfinals. The Mustangs take a 4-7 record into the elimination game.
Hilltop defeated eighth-seeded Patrick Henry, 41-14, to draw top-seeded Christian (10-0) in Friday’s quarterfinals. The Lancers take a 7-4 record into the elimination game.
Olympian (6-4) and Mar Vista (8-2) also received byes to the quarterfinals and will be in action on Friday.
Fourth-seeded Olympian (Division II) will host Grossmont Valley League champion Granite Hills (7-4) while fourth-seeded Mar Vista (Division IV) will host fifth-seeded La Jolla Country Day (8-3).
Granite Hills, seeded fifth, has won its last six games, including its playoff opener on Nov. 10 by a score of 30-14 over 12th-seeded San Pasqual.
“Granite Hills is the No. 5 seed and playing well,” Olympian head coach Paul Van Nostrand said. “We have to play well to win and are working hard to see to it.”
LJCD blasted 12th-seeded Kearny, 60-14, behind three passing and three rushing touchdowns by Braxton Burmeister, the section’s all-time passing leader. Burmeister is a one-man wrecking crew with 3,096 passing yards, 38 aerial touchdowns, 962 rushing yards and 21 rushing touchdowns.
Mar Vista counters with Khalil Spruill’s 1,733 all-purpose yards and 25 touchdowns.
“We’ll go from here,” Mar Vista head coach Tyler Arciaga said. “It’s a good feeling.”
Four of the six teams will compete in the Division II field: Meter Dei will host Otay Ranch while El Capitan will host Bonita Vista. Fourth-seeded Olympian (6-4) will host fifth-seeded Granite Hills.
The Mater Dei Catholic-Otay Ranch winner will meet the Granite Hills-Olympian winner in the Division II semifinals on Nov. 25.
The Bonita Vista-El Capitan winner will meet the Westview-Poway winner also in the Division II semifinals.
The Hilltop-Christian winner will meet the Santa Fe Christian-Lincoln winner in the Division III semifinals on Nov. 25.
The Mar Vista-La Jolla Country Day winner will meet the University City-El Centro Southwest winner in the Division IV semifinals on Nov. 25.
There were numerous upsets in the opening round as nine lower-seeded teams came out on top.
Game highlights:
Bonita Vista 27, West Hills 10
Quarterback Anthony Posada threw three touchdown passes, including two to Keenan Ellis, and Dean Klaser scored on a two-yard run to lead the Barons to the upset win over the host Wolf Pack.
The win was the fourth for Bonita Vista in its last six games after opening the season 0-5.
The Barons led 13-0 at the end of the first quarter and 20-3 at halftime.
Posada completed 11 of 17 passing attempts for 207 yards with three touchdowns and one interception. Robert Cota led Baron running backs with eight carries for 165 yards while Josh Godfrey had four carries for 49 yards.
Klaser scored his touchdown on a one-yard run — the only time he handled the ball in the game.
Ellis had six catches for 149 yards to go with his two scores while Rozar had four catches for 50 yards,
Brooklyn Hawkins entered her name in the CIF history book by converting both extra-point conversions she attempted.
“We are starting to play together and look like the team I thought we would be,” BVHS head coach Chris Thompson said. “I guess it’s not how you start, right? On to El Capitan this week we have the same goal in mind … 11 down, one to go.”
Otay Ranch 43, Mt. Miguel 12
Gus Espiritu, Fanuki Kauvaka and Amari Riley each scored two touchdowns to lead the Mustangs to the lopsided win. Espiritu scored on a pair of three-yard runs while Kauvaka returned a punt 79 yards for a touchdown and also scored on a one-yard rushing play. Riley scored on runs of one and 55 yards.
Otay Ranch also added a two-point safety when a punt attempt by the Matadors (3-7) sailed out of the end zone.
The Mustangs led 22-0 after the opening quarter and 29-0 at halftime.
Espiritu rushed for 84 yards on 11 carries while Riley gained 52 yards on five carries. Faufano Autele rushed for 45 yards on seven carries.
Quarterback Kevin Bradley completed nine of 13 passing attempts for 79 yards. Devin Lloyd had two catches for 19 yards while Jacob Ramirez had two catches for 18 yards.
Lloyd and Manu Aseli-Save each recorded interceptions on defense. Bernardino Soto was successful on all five extra-point attempts.
Otay Ranch will be gearing up for its next playoff game against Mater Dei Catholic after falling to the Crusaders, 21-20, in a Metro-Mesa League game on Oct. 7.
The Crusaders are led by running back C.J Verdell (1,923 all-purpose yards, 28 touchdowns) and quarterback Chris Jones (1,617 passing yards, 21 touchdowns).
“I was very happy with how we played in all three phases of the game against a physical Mt. Miguel team,” ORHS head coach Lance Christensen said. “We are now in our preparation for Mater Dei. Our last game against them was hard fought and extremely close. Our kids are very excited for the rematch.”
Hilltop 41, Patrick Henry 14
The Lancers poured on the offense to eliminate the Patriots. Hilltop built a 31-0 lead on a pair of touchdown passes from Alex Tejeda to Gus Ferreira, a 35-yard field goal by Max Ugarte, a five-yard touchdown run by Domonic Esparza and a 19-yard interception return for a touchdown by Angel Pineda.
The Lancers weren’t done as Esparza scored on an 11-yard run in the third quarter and the visitors added a 22-yard field goal in the fourth quarter.
Ferreira caught scoring passes of 36 and 48 yards.
The Hilltop defense played a major role in the playoff win. A pick by Noe Sanchez set up the Lancers’ first touchdown. Pineda had two interceptions in the game, including one run-back for a TD.
Esparza rushed for 174 yards on 22 carries while Tejeda passed for 281 yards by completing 17 of 23 passes. Ferreira enjoyed one of his most productive games this season with nine catches for 212 yards.
As a team, Hilltop racked up 523 total yards, rushing for 242 yards.
The Lancers led 16-0 at halftime and added 22 points in an explosive third quarter to lead 38-6.
Missed it by that much
Eastlake (Division I), Chula Vista (Division III) and San Ysidro (Division V) all ended their seasons with losses in the opening round.
Eastlake, seeded 11th, dropped a 22-20 heartbreaker to sixth-seeded Mt. Carmel on Nov. 10 to end its season at 2-9.
Chula Vista, seeded 12th, lost by a score of 55-0 to fifth-seeded Santa Fe Christian last Friday to end its season at 5-6.
Metro-Pacific League champion San Ysidro, seeded sixth, lost, 34-14, to third-seeded Tri-City Christian last Friday to end its season at 5-6.
Barons thump host Vaqueros, 41-6, advance to CIF semifinals
Four Metro-Mesa League football teams began the day in contetion for the San Diego Section Division II championship: three remain in contention following Friday’s quarterfinal-round games.
Bonita Vista, seeded 11th but playing its best football of the season, routed host El Capitan, seeded third, by a score of 41-6 to become the first Sweetwater district team to advance to the third round of the section playoffs.
In other games, second-seeded Mater Dei Catholic posted a 34-7 win over seventh-seeded Otay Ranch while fourth-seeded Olympian defested fifth-seeded Granite Hills, 40-26, in its game.
In a Division III quarterfinal match-up, ninth-seeded Hilltop lost top-seeded Christian, 50-28, lwhile fourth-seeded Mar Vista lostfifth-seeded La Jolla Country Day, 62-33, in a shootout
Bonita Vista (5-7) will face Mater Dei Catholic (9-1) while Olympian (7-4) will draw a rematch against top-seeded Poway (10-1).
San Diego Section Playoff Scoreboard
Division I
First Round
Thursday, Nov. 10
(6) Mt. Carmel 22, (11) Eastlake (2-9) 20
(7) Point Loma 42, (10) El Camino 35
Friday, Nov. 11
(9) Carlsbad 27, (8) Steele Canyon 14
(12) Vista 23, (5) Ramona 11
Byes: (1) Madison, (2) St. Augustine, (3) La Costa Canyon, (4) San Marcos
Quarterfinals
Friday, Nov. 18
(9) Carlsbad at (1) Madison, 7 p.m.
(12) Vista at (4) San Marcos, 7 p.m.
(6) Mt. Carmel at (3) La Costa Canyon, 7 p.m.
(7) Point Loma at (2) St. Augustine, 7 p.m.
Division II
First Round
Thursday, Nov, 10
(5) Granite Hills 30, (12) San Pasqual 14
Friday, Nov., 11
(9) Westview 35, (8) Brawley 7
(11) Bonita Vista (4-7) 27, (6) West Hills (5-6) 10
(7) Otay Ranch (4-7) 43, (10) Mt. Miguel (3-8) 12
Byes: (1) Poway, (2) Mater Dei Catholic, (3) El Capitan, (4) Olympian
Quarterfinals
Friday, Nov. 18
(9) Westview at (1) Poway, 7 p.m.
(11) Bonita Vista (4-7) at (3) El Capitan (4-6), 7 p.m.
(5) Granite Hills (7-4) at (4) Olympian (6-4), 7 p.m.
(7) Otay Ranch (4-7) at (2) Mater Dei Catholic (9-1), 7 p.m.
Division III
First Round
Thursday, Nov. 10
(6) Morse 36, (11) Rancho Buena Vista 22
Friday, Nov, 11
(9) Hilltop (7-4) 41, (8) Patrick Henry (6-5) 14
(5) Santa Fe Christian (9-2) 55, (12) Chula Vista (5-6)
(10) La Jolla 34, (7) Del Norte 0
Byes: (1) Christian, (2) Bishop’s, (3) Valley Center, (4) Lincoln
Quarterfinals
Friday, Nov. 18
(5) Santa Fe Christian (9-2) at (4) Lincoln, 7 p.m.
(6) Morse at (3) Valley Center, 7 p.m.
(9) Hilltop (7-4) at (1) Chrisitan (10-0), 7 p.m.
(10 La Jolla vs. (2) Bishop’s, 7 p.m.
Division IV
First Round
Thursday, Nov. 10
(6) Coronado 20, (11) Central Union 17
Friday, Nov. 11
(8) University City 49, (9) Orange Glen 35
(5) La Jolla Country Day 60, (12) Kearny 14
(10) Serra 24, (7) El Cajon Valley 22
Byes: (1) Southwest El Centro, (2) Monte Vista, (3) Santana, (4) Mar Vista
Quarterfinals
Friday, Nov. 18
(8) University City at (1) Southwest El Centro, 7 p.m.
(5) La Jolla Country Day at (4) Mar Vista (8-2), 7 p.m.
(6) Coronado at (3) Santana, 7 p.m.
(10) Serra at (2) Monte Vista, 7 p.m.
Division V
First Round
Thursday, Nov. 10
(5) Horizon Christian Academy 49, (4) Calipatria 36
(7) Calexico 35, (2) Palo Verde 6
Friday, Nov. 11
(3) Tri-City Christian (9-2) 34, (6) San Ysidro (5-6) 14
(1) Classical Academy 41, (8) Holtville 6
Quarterfinals
Friday, Nov. 18
(5) Horizon Christian Academy at (1) Classical Academy, 7 p.m.
(7) Calexico at (3) Tri-City Christian, 7 p.m.
Metro Conference Scoreboard
Metro-Mesa League
Mater Dei Catholic 4-0, 9-1
Olympian Eagles 3-1, 6-4
Bonita Vista 2-2, 3-7
Otay Ranch 1-3, 3-7
Eastlake 0-4, 2-8
Friday, Oct. 28
Mater Dei Catholic 49, Eastlake 7
Bonita Vista 26, Otay Ranch 10
Friday, Nov. 4
Mater Dei Catholic 28, Olympian 7
Bonita Vista 20, Eastlake 12
Metro-South Bay League
Mar Vista Mariners 3-0, 8-2
Hilltop Lancers 2-1, 6-4
Chula Vista Spartans 1-2, 5-5
Sweetwater Red Devils 0-3, 2-8
Friday, Oct. 28
Hilltop 38, Chula Vista 16
Mar Vista 42, Sweetwater 6
Friday, Nov. 4
Mar Vista 40, Chula Vista 12
Hilltop 38,Sweetwater 6
Metro-Pacific League
San Ysidro Cougars 3-0, 5-5
Montgomery Aztecs 2-1, 3-7
Castle Park Trojans 1-2, 1-9
Southwest Raiders 0-3, 2-8
Friday, Oct. 28
San Ysidro 21, Castle Park 20
Montgomery 31, Southwest 28
Friday, Nov. 4
Montgomery 18, Castle Park 14
San Ysidro 36, Southwest 26
METRO CONFERENCE STATISTICAL LEADERS
Based on reported results/Through Nov. 4
Passing
•Alex Tejeda (Hilltop) 2,256 yards, 21 touchdowns, 3 interceptions (10 games)
•Anthony Posada (Bonita Vista) 1,874 yards, 21 touchdowns, 5 interceptions (10 games)
•Chris Jones (Mater Dei Catholic) 1,617 yards, 22 touchdowns, 2 interceptions (10 games)
•Paul Escobar (Chula Vista) 1,378 yards, 11 touchdowns, 8 interceptions (10 games)
•Eleazar Cruz (Castle Park) 1,087 yards, 12 touchdowns, 13 interceptions (10 games)
•Nico Mendoza (Olympian) 967 yards, 16 touchdowns, 6 interceptions (10 games)
Rushing
•Marty Sesma (Sweetwater) 1,756 yards, 8 touchdowns (10 games)
•Khalil Spruill (Mar Vista) 1,637 yards, 24 touchdowns (8 games)
•C.J. Verdell (Mater Dei Catholic) 1,624 yards, 25 touchdowns (10 games)
•Zaire Simpson (Southwest) 1,213 yards, 15 touchdowns (10 games)
•Leonard Hoar (Southwest) 1,048 yards, 9 touchdowns (10 games)
•Gus Espiritu (Otay Ranch) 1,043 yards, 5 touchdowns (10 games)
•Noah Lacsina (Olympian) 822 yards, 2 touchdowns (10 games)
•Sergio Figueroa (Chula Vista) 756 yards, 14 touchdowns (10 games)
Receiving
•Gus Ferreira (Hilltop) 1,146 yards, 11 touchdowns (10 games)
•Keenan Ellis (Bonita Vista) 678 yards, 5 touchdowns (7 games)
•Eli Shelton (Mater Dei Catholic) 586 yards, 6 touchdowns (8 games)
•Cameron O’Neal (Chula Vista) 536 yards, 5 touchdowns (10 games)
•Jake Rozar (Bonita Vista) 520 yards, 5 touchdowns (8 games)
•Devin Lloyd (Otay Ranch) 511 yards (10 games)
Touchdowns
•C. J. Verdell (Mater Dei Catholic) 28
•Khalil Spruill (Mar Vista) 25
•Zaire Simpson (Southwest) 19
•Sergio Figueroa (Chula Vista) 15
•Noah Berry (Mar Vista) 12
•Gus Ferreria (Hilltop) 11
•Devin Lloyd (Otay Ranch) 10
