High school football regular season play wrapped up Friday night with, predictably, several league championship races still in full throttle throughout the San Diego Section.
In the Metro Conference, Otay Ranch (Metro-Mesa League), Hilltop (Metro-South Bay League) and Montgomery (Metro-Pacific League) each had a chance to sew up sole rights to league banners by posting wins in their regular season finales.
A loss by any of those three teams, coupled with wins by other teams in their respective leagues, would force them to share the title with another team.
All three league-leaders rose to the occasion with wins to erase any late season drama.
- Otay Ranch secured sole possession of its first league championship in school history by defeating the host Mater Dei Catholic Crusaders, 47-9, to finish league play 4-0, 7-3 overall.
The Mustangs entered Friday’s game ranked fourth among Division II teams and will be seeking a possible bye in the opening round of next Friday’s section playoffs.
Gus Espiritu scored on a 36-yard run to stake the visitors to a 14-0 lead. The host Crusaders countered on a touchdown pass from Cameron Smith to make it 14-7. But Sammy Paranada would then score on a 51-yard to extend the Otay Ranch lead to 21-7.
Vita Hafoka put the finishing touches on the Mustang win with an interception return for a touchdown. Otay Ranch rides the momentum of a five-game winning streak into postseason play.
- Hilltop shut out host Mar Vista, 10-0, to finish 3-0 in Metro-South Bay League play, 6-4 overall. The Lancers entered Friday’s game ranked fourth among Division III teams and will be looking to secure a bye as well in next Friday’s opening playoff round.
David Delgado kicked a 20-yard field goal to put Hilltop up 3-0 at halftime. An interception by Lancer defender Marcos Deanda in the third quarter set up the game’s lone touchdown as quarterback Daniel McPherren hooked up with receiver Gus Ferreira six plays later on an eight-yard scoring pass.
Hilltop sealed the gritty win on a fourth quarter interception by Greg Marshall.
Mar Vista finished the season 5-5 with its third straight loss.
- Montgomery tamed the defending Metro-Pacific League San Ysidro Cougars, 28-7, to walk off the gridiron as 2017 league champions. The Aztecs finished 3-0 in league play and take a 7-3 overall record into this year’s Division V playoffs.
Montgomery’s David Vargas scored on a quarterback sneak in the first quarter, followed by a 35-yard touchdown run by Samson You in the second quarter to extend the Aztec lead to 14-0.
In the third quarter, Hunter Joseph scored on an 80-yard run to bolster the Aztecs’ championship hopes. However, Jazz Gill promptly scored on an 85-yard return to give the Cougars some life in the must-win game.
Devin Patterson caught a 30-yard touchdown pass from Vargas to seal the win — and the Aztecs’ first Metro-Pacific League championship.
Joseph finished Montgomery’s 10 regular season games with more than 1,300 rushing yards.
Teams will be seeded in their respective divisions for next week’s San Diego Section playoffs on Saturday.
Prep Football Scoreboard
Friday, Nov. 3
Metro-Mesa League
Otay Ranch 47, Mater Dei Catholic 9
Eastlake 27, Olympian 20
League standings: Otay Ranch 4-0, Eastlake 3-1, Olympian 2-2, Mater Dei Catholic 1-3, Bonita Vista 0-4
Metro-South Bay League
Hilltop 10, Mar Vista 0
Chula Vista 17, Sweetwater 14
League standings: Hilltop 3-0, Chula Vista 2-1, Sweetwater 1-2, Mar Vista 0-3
Metro-Pacific League
Montgomery 28, San Ysidro 7
Southwest 34, Castle Park 0
League standings: Montgomery 3-0, Southwest 2-1, San Ysidro 1-2, Castle Park 0-3
Eight Man
Warner Springs 24, Ocean View Christian Academy 19
Hamilton (De Anza) 55, Victory Christian Academy 14
San Diego Section
Playoff Tracker
Division I
Eastlake Titans 8-2
Olympian Eagles 5-5
Bonita Vista Barons 0-10
Division II
Otay Ranch Mustangs 7-3
Mater Dei Catholic Crusaders 4-6
Division III
Hilltop Lancers 6-4
Mar Vista Mariners 5-5
Division IV
Chula Vista Spartans 6-4
Sweetwater Red Devils 1-9
Castle Park Trojans 0-10
Division V
Montgomery Aztecs 7-3
Southwest Raiders 4-6
San Ysidro Cougars 4-6
Eight-Man
Ocean View Christian Academy 5-4
Victory Christian Academy 3-5
San Diego Section
Unbeaten Teams
Division I
Mission Hills Grizzlies 10-0
Division II
Ramona Bulldogs 10-0
Bishop’s Knights 9-0
Division III
Southwest El Centro Eagles 10-0
Division IV
San Diego Cavers 10-0
San Diego Section Football Playoffs
OPEN DIVISION
Quarterfinals
Friday, Nov. 17
(8) Grossmont (7-3) at (1) Mission Hills (10-0), 7 p.m.
(5) Torrey Pines (6-4) at (4) La Costa Canyon (7-3), 7 p.m.
(6) St. Augustine (7-3) at (3) San Marcos (8-2), 7 p.m.
(7) Madison (8-2) at (2) Helix (9-1), 7 p.m.
Semifinals
Friday, Nov. 24
Grossmont-Mission Hills winner vs. Torrey Pines-La Costa Canyon winner, 7 p.m.
St. Augustine-San Marcos winner vs. Madison-Helix winner, 7 p.m.
Championship game
Saturday, Dec. 2
Southwestern College
Teams TBA, 7 p.m.
DIVISION I
First Round
Thursday, Nov. 9
(11) Mt. Carmel (3-7) at (6) Cathedral Catholic (4-6), 7 p.m.
(10) Valhalla (2-8) at (7) Rancho Bernardo (5-5), 7 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 10
(1) El Camino (5-5) bye
(9) Poway (3-7) at (8) Olympian (5-5), 7 p.m.
(12) Bonita Vista (0-10) at (5) Oceanside (4-6), 7 p.m.
Byes: (1) El Camino (5-5), (2) Eastlake (8-2), (3) Carlsbad (5-5), (4) Point Loma (6-4)
Quarterfinals
Friday, Nov. 17
Poway-Olympian winner at El Camino
Bonita Vista-Oceanside winner at Point Loma
Mt. Carmel-Cathedral Catholic winner at Carlsbad
Valhalla-Rancho Bernardo winner at Eastlake
Semifinals
Friday, Nov. 24
Teams TBA, 7 p.m.
Championship game
Friday, Dec. 1
Southwestern College
Teams TBA, 7 p.m.
DIVISION II
First Round
Friday, Nov. 10
(9) Westview (6-4) vs. (8) Christian (8-2), 7 p.m.
(12) Vista (3-7) at (5) Lincoln (8-2), 7 p.m.
(11) West Hills (6-4) at (6) Granite Hills (8-2), 7 p.m.
(10) Mira Mesa (5-5) at (7) Steele Canyon (6-4), 7 p.m.
Byes: (1) Ramona (10-0) (2) Bishop’s (9-0), (3) Valley Center (9-1), (4) Otay Ranch (7-3)
Quarterfinals
Friday, Nov. 17
Westview-Christian winner at (1) Ramona
Vista-Lincoln winner at (4) Otay Ranch
West Hills-Granite Hills winner at (3) Valley Center
Mira Mesa-Steele Canyon winner at (2) Bishop’s
Semifinals
Friday, Nov. 24
Teams TBA, 7 p.m.
Championship game
Southwestern College
Saturday, Dec. 2
Teams TBA, 3:30 p.m.
DIVISION III
First Round
Friday, Nov. 10
(9) Mt. Miguel (4-6) at (8) Escondido (4-6), 7 p.m.
(12) Patrick Henry (3-7) at (5) Imperial (4-6), 7 p.m.
(11) Santana (4-6) at (6) Rancho Buena Vista (5-5), 7 p.m.
(10) Mar Vista (5-5) at (7) La Jolla (5-5), 7 p.m.
Byes: (1) El Centro Southwest (10-0), (2) Santa Fe Christian (6-4), (3) San Pasqual (6-4), (4) Hilltop (6-4)
Quarterfinals
Friday, Nov. 17
Mt. Miguel-Escondido winner at (1) Southwest El Centro
Mar Vista-La Jolla winner at 92) Santa Fe Christian
Santana-Rancho Buena Vista winner at (3) San Pasqual
Patrick Henry-Imperial winner at (4) Hilltop
Semifinals
Friday, Nov. 24
Teams TBA, 7 p.m.
Championship game
Saturday, Dec. 2
Southwestern College
Teams TBA, noon
DIVISION IV
First Round
Friday, Nov. 10
(9) El Cajon Valley (2-8) at (8) Serra (5-5), 7 p.m.
(12) Coronado (3-7) at (5) Chula Vista (6-4), 7 p.m.
(11) Calexico (2-8) at (6) Kearny (8-2), 7 p.m.
(10) Clairemont (5-5) at (7) La Jolla Country Day (4-5), 7 p.m.
Byes: University City (9-1), (2) San Diego (10-0), (3) Central Union (9-1), (4) Monte Vista (5-5)
Quarterfinals
Friday, Nov. 17
El Cajon Valley-Serra winner at University City, 7 p.m.
Coronado-Chula Vista winner at (4) Monte Vista, 7 p.m.
Calexico-Kearny winner at (3) Central Union, 7 p.m.
Clairemont-La Jolla Country Day winner at (2) San Diego, 7 p.m.
Semifinals
Friday, Nov. 24
Teams TBA, 7 p.m.
Championship game
Friday, Dec. 1
Southwestern College
Teams TBA, 3:30 p.m.
DIVISION V
Quarterfinals
Friday, Nov. 10
(8) Southwest (4-6) vs. (1) Vincent Memorial (8-2), 7 p.m.
(5) Maranatha Christian (6-3) vs. (4) Classical Academy (4-5) at Del Norte, 7 p.m.
(6) Tri-City Christian (5-5) at (3) Montgomery (7-3), 7 p.m.
(7) Army-Navy Academy (5-5) at (2) Crawford (6-4), 7 p.m.
Semifinals
Friday, Nov. 17
Southwest-Vincent Memorial winner vs. Maranatha Christian-Classical Academy winner, 7 p.m.
Tri-City Christian-Montgomery winner vs. Army-Navy Academy-Crawford winner, 7 p.m.
Championship game
Saturday, Nov. 25
Southwestern College
Teams TBA, 7 p.m.
