Trojans pound out third consecutive gridiron win

The Castle Park High School football team enters its bye week with a three-game winning streak and an overall 3-1 record. Not a bad start at all considering the team has played short-handed of late.

“Our guys don’t give up — they’re very tenacious, they believe in each other,” CPHS head coach Hans Graham said. “The guys are playing well as a group right now, as a team.”

The Trojans collected their latest win — a 31-17 non-league verdict over visiting Clairemont — last Friday by rolling up 476 all-purpose yards, including 243 passing yards and 224 rushing yards.

Luq Barcoo led the way for the hosts by scoring three touchdowns. Barcoo had three catches for 198 yards and scored two receiving TDs while also rushing for a touchdown.

The game was close after the opening quarter, with the hosts holding a narrow 10-7 lead. That same score held up at halftime after a scoreless second quarter.

The teams lit up the scoreboard in the second half with 31 points – 21 points by the Trojans.

“We kept after them every time it got close,” Graham said.

CP quarterback Jordan Danielson completed seven of 12 passing attempts for 243 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed twice for 15 yards and punted three times for a 42.7-yard average.

Barcoo’s longest reception went for 84 yards; he rushed once for 32 yards and a touchdown.

Alex Madrid, spelling suspended Malik Steen, rushed 11 times for 110 yards and one touchdown while Angel Sales had 13 carries for 53 yards and Adrian Tolbert had four catches for 45 yards.

Defensively, Angel Juarez led the Trojans with eight total tackles and two sacks. Diego Ibarra and David Abarca each registered one sack while Madrid recorded one pass deflection.

“It was Luq who stepped up again,” Graham explained. “Alex Medina stepped up also and Jordan had a great game, too. Angel Sales also had a great game. Our defense played great.”

Next up
Castle Park returns to action with a key non-league game Oct. 3 at Chula Vista. The Trojans follow with additional non-league games against Mater Dei Catholic and Sweetwater before kicking off Metro-Pacific League play Oct. 24 against visiting Southwest.

It’s not too early to start looking at the Division IV section standings. Both Bishop’s and Orange Glen are undefeated at 4-0, followed by Castle Park and Coronado, both at 3-1, and University City at 2-1. Southwest El Centro and Horizon Christian are both 2-2.

Bishop’s appears to be the odds-on favorite to win the division title, though computer rankings have the Trojans picked to meet the Knights in the division championship game.

Castle’s winning streak includes victories against two divisional foes: Kearny (0-3) and Clairemont (1-3).

However, the game that matters most to Graham right now is the upcoming Oct. 3 encounter at Chula Vista.

“They (the Spartans) look great on film, I’m surprised they haven’t had more success,” the CPHS coach noted. “We’re going to have to play great defense, have no turnovers and take advantage of our opportunities.”

Raiders roll past Redhawks, score first win of 2014 season

Southwest (1-3) picked up its first win of the season, 36-14, over visiting Mountain Empire as Brandon Molina scored two touchdowns, including one on a 60-yard pass from quarterback Christian Lopez. Moses Robles scored on a seven-yard run while Ricardo Mayou scored on a 40-yard touchdown pass from Lopez.

Lopez also connected with Ruben Solis on a 60-yard pass to place the ball at the one-yard line.

Southwest head coach Fran Paredes said he was “very proud” of his team.

“Currently, we have 24 football players as we have lost players to grades and injury,” Paredes explained. “But the team played with enormous heart and pride in last Friday’s game. I am very proud of them and we will continue to work hard for the rest of the season.”

The Raiders (1-3) host El Cajon Valley (1-2) on Friday, Sept. 26. Game time is 7 p.m.