Mater Dei Catholic High School football fans have had plenty to cheer about the last two weeks after their team pulled off a pair of amazing victories — 41-14 over fourth-ranked Mission Hills on Sept. 30 and then last Friday’s 21-20 cliffhanger at Otay Ranch High School.
While the adrenaline was pumping on the field, fans in the stands had to be holding their breath as the outcome of the Metro-Mesa League opener between the teams came down to a two-point conversion attempt by the host Mustangs with 30 seconds to play in regulation.
The Crusaders stopped the Otay Ranch ball-carrier on the five-yard line to preserve the one-point victory and, in the process, go up 1-0 in league play to join the Olympian Eagles at the top of the standings after the Eagles nipped visiting Eastlake, 10-7, in another exceedingly close league match-up.
“Otay Ranch played us very tough,” Mater Dei Catholic head coach John Joyner said. “They outplayed us most of the game but I was proud that our boys were able to rebound from a poor start and find a way to win.”
Otay Ranch head coach Lance Christensen said the game against Mater Dei was one of the most exciting high school football games he has ever been associated with.
“Both teams gave it everything they had,” Christensen said. “Despite losing the game, I was so proud of how my kids played, displaying effort, heart and passion every minute of every quarter.”
The Metro-Mesa League may be at its best this season and the Crusaders (5-1 overall) find themselves in the middle of a fierce fight for the league title.
“It’s going to be a war between all these teams,” succinctly noted Bonita Vista head coach Chris Thompson after his team picked up its first victory of the season with a 54-8 non-league decision over Castle Park last Friday.
Bonita Vista (0-0, 1-5) hosts Olympian (1-0, 4-3) in a intriguing encounter Friday at Southwestern College. Kick-off is 7 p.m.
Tale of the tape
The defending state bowl champion Crusaders fought back from a pair of early deficits — 7-0 and 14-7 — to eventually take the lead late in last Friday’s game.
Fenuki Kauvaka broke loose on a 65-yard scoring run to help put Otay Ranch up 7-0.
Then it was Mater Dei Catholic’s turn as Elijah Shelton scored on a 75-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Chris Jones to knot the teams in a 7-7 halftime tie.
The teams would combine for three touchdowns in the fourth quarter.
The hosts went up 14-7 on a 30-yard touchdown reception by Devin Lloyd, followed by a 60-yard catch by Shelton for his second TD of the game: 14-13.
The visitors went up 21-14 on a third touchdown by Shelton and successful two-point conversion by C.J. Verdell.
Otay Ranch matched the MDCHS touchdown in the dying stages of the game on a one-yard run by Kauvaka but could not duplicate the Crusaders’ successful two-point conversion.
Kauvaka attempted a run conversion for the win but his legs were wrapped up by Mater Dei’s Max Schwenke to kill the play.
Though held in check for most of the first half, Jones finished the game with 322 passing yards and three touchdowns — all to Shelton (five catches, 194 yards) — to finish the game with a superb 137.1 quarterback rating.
Also held in check was Verdell, Mater Dei Catholic’s star running back, who was limited to just 69 yards on 15 carries without a touchdown. Verdell entered last Friday’s contest with a Metro Conference leading 19 TDs.
However, Verdell did score on a two-point conversion to give the visitors what proved to be the winning points in the game.
Jones was sacked for 42 yards in losses, leaving the Crusaders with just 27 net rushing yards in the game.
Kauvaka led the Mustangs with two rushing touchdowns while Lloyd scored on a pass play.
Both Jones and Shelton received face time on TV during post-game interviews. “We have so many offensive weapons that it’s kind of hard to pick your poison,” Shelton told a KUSI-TV news crew.
The Mustang secondary was able to put a cap on the rest of the Crusader receivers. Quentin Frazier had two catches for 48 yards, Verdell had two catches for 32 yards, Kyle Caldwell II had two catches for 24 yards and the ever dangerous tandem of Jovan Bayless and Kyle Moses were limited to one catch each.
The Mater Dei defense was active as well. Otay quarterback Cristian Zamudio completed six of 13 passing attempts for 71 yards. Lloyd had the bulk of those yards with three catches for 57 yards.
Top 10
Mater Dei Catholic continues to hold onto its No. 4 section ranking. The Crusaders are the only Metro team on the ranking-makers’ radar at this point.
Following St. Augustine’s 56-42 loss to Madison last Friday in a City Conference Western League tilt, Cathedral Catholic (6-0) takes over the section’s No. 1 ranking, followed by Madison (5-1) in second and Rancho Bernardo (6-0) in third. Helix (4-2) is ranked fifth, followed by St. Augustine (5-1) in sixth, Poway (6-0) in seventh, Oceanside (5-1) in eighth, Grossmont (6-0) in ninth and Mission Hills (4-2) in 10th.
Valhalla (6-0), Bishop’s (6-0) and Christian (6-0) are all pushing for inclusion in the top 10 rankings.
Otay Ranch (0-1, 2-5) travels to play east side rival Eastlake (0-1, 2-5) on Friday, Oct. 14. Both teams are 0-1 in league; the winner will get back in the thick of the league title chase.
No one is discounting co- or even tri-champions in the Metro-Mesa League this season.
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
