For the better part of the night, it appeared the visiting Chula Vista Spartans were about to put a damper on Sweetwater high School’s 105th homecoming game.
The Spartans led, 7-0, on a 17-yard touchdown run by Chula Vista junior quarterback Gabriel Ruiz early in the first quarter.
Through a series of miscues, mostly on the part of the host Red Devils, the score stayed that way through halftime and through three quarters.
7-0. The scoreboard wouldn’t budge.
The hosts shot themselves in the foot numerous times throughout the game: they missed a field goal attempt, had two punts blocked, were penalized for large chunks of yards and suffered the indignity of an interception in the end zone.
Then fortune suddenly smiled on the National City team.
The Spartans fumbled twice in the fourth quarter. Both times, a Sweetwater player recovered and scored a touchdown.
Senior Sean Carlos scored first on a 61-yard run down the sideline after recovering the loose ball
The successful PAT by senior Anthony Peralta tied the score, 7-7, with 7:40 to play in regulation time.
A smattering of ties exists in the long-running series but that was avoided when senior Zane Willis pounced on a bouncing ball in the end zone with 6:53 to play.
Peralta made amends for the earlier missed field goal by splitting the uprights for a 14-7 SuHi lead.
Emotions obviously ran high in the league matchup and overflowed on the sideline with 6:40 to play. Players on both teams were ejected for taking part and the game settled down to conclusion.
The Spartans turned the ball over on downs on fourth-and-15. The Devils took over possession at their own 44-yard line, gained one first down and ended the contest in victory formation.
The two fumble recoveries proved to be the difference in the game.
“The breaks usually go against us but this time they went in our favor,” SuHi head coach Brandon Burris said.
Last Friday’s game was the 79th meeting between the teams to signify the longest continuing rivalry in the San Diego Section. Since 2006 the teams have played for the rather massive Legacy of Pride trophy. Panels on the side denote Sweetwater wins and Chula Vista wins dating back to the start of the series.
Sweetwater won the teams’ first meeting, 34-6, in 1947. But Chula Vista bounced back to win 20-0 the next year.
The Red Devils improved to 4-5 this season, 1-2 in Metro Mesa League play.
The Spartans dropped to 1-7 on the season, 0-2 in league.
Both teams are chasing playoff berths — the Devils likely in Division IV and CV in Division V.
Carlos was the man of the match with 25 tackles, including 15 unassisted stops. Senior Julian Martinez had the pick for Chula Vista while junior Elijah Richardson blocked both punts.
The Spartans out-gained SuHi 216-134. Ruiz gained 114 yards on 20 carries while Suhi senior J,J. Figueroa passed for 95 yards.
Sweetwater plays at defending league champion Mater Dei Catholic (2-0 in league, 5-3 overall) this Friday while Chula Vista celebrates its own homecoming against Eastlake (1-0 in league, 4-4 overall) Friday at Hilltop High School.
Bell rings true for Mar Vista Mariners — again
The annual Battle for the Bell trophy has been the mainstay rivalry between the Mar Vista and Southwest football teams, and even in other sports on the two neighboring campuses, since 1980.
Mar Vista has had the upper hand in the game’s outcome for years, though Southwest was close to breaking the streak this year.
Very close.
The Raiders built five leads in last Friday’s renewal of the series — 20-14, 26-14, 26-20, 33-26 and 39-33. The game was tied on two other occasions: 26-26 through three quarters and 33-33 in the fourth quarter.
Mar Vista led early by scores of 6-0, 14-6 and 14-13 before Southwest gained the momentum.
Ultimately, the contest belonged to the Mariners — again — as they pulled out an exciting 40-39 Metro-Pacific League victory. It marked the 19th consecutive year that Mar Vista has come out on top in the deep-seated rivalry contest.
The Raiders missed the extra point on their last touchdown, which opened the door for the Mariners to seize the win on an 81-yard touchdown catch-and-run by senior Ciontae Fewell and the single-point conversion.
It was a good back and forth battle between the two teams, which combined for 898 total offensive yards and 12 touchdowns. Each team had their key playmaker
The Mar Vista offense exploded for 423 total yards led by standout performances by sophomore Braylon Shumate and Fewell. The duo accounted for five of the team’s six touchdowns.
Sophomore quarterback Holden Bell passed for 227 yards and three scores — two to Shumate (two catches, 86 yards) and one to Fewell (four catches, 115 yards).
Shumate (eight carries, 87 yards), Fewell (five carries, 51 yards) and senior Steven Santos (eight carries, 22 yards) each scored one rushing touchdown.
Shumate collected 202 all-purpose yards while Fewell had 166.
It was Fewell’s 81-yard catch and run that provided the game-winning touchdown.
Sophomore Luke Everett keyed the MV defense with 12 tackles (11 solo) and one blocked field goal attempt while Fewell logged 11 stops. Fewell and junior Enrique Montoya each registered an interception. Fewell also recovered a fumble.
The Mariners amassed 92 yards in kick returns.
Junior Samuel Gonzales keyed Southwest with 29 carries for 246 yards and three touchdowns while adding two tackles for 296 all-purpose yards.
Junior quarterback Leo Holguin passed for 142 yards with one touchdown and one interception and also rushed for one score. Junior Barrington Bowen also scored a rushing touchdown while freshman Jeffrey Tolbert (two catches, 28 yards) had one receiving TD.
Senior Esai Valera had one fumble recovery on defense.
With the win, the Mariners (1-0 in league, 4-4 overall) assumed the driver’s seat for the league title while the Raiders (0-1 in league, 3-5 overall) will have to keep pace to stay close not only in the race for the Metro-Pacific banner but consideration for a playoff berth.
Mar Vista, No. 73 in the section rankings, plays No. 83 Castle Park (0-1, 1-7) this Friday at San Ysidro High School while No. 75 Southwest plays No. 71 San Ysidro (1-0, 5-3) in Friday’s Battle for the Shovel rivalry game at Otay Ranch High School.
High School Football Scoreboard
Metro-Mesa League:
Eastlake 35, Otay Ranch 10
Sweetwater 14, Chula Vista 7
Metro-South Bay League:
Hilltop 28, Bonita Vista 10
Olympian 29, Montgomery 21 (3OT)
Metro-Pacific Ledague
Mar Vista 40, Southwest 39
San Ysidro 55, Castle Park 7
Sunset League
Friday, Oct. 17
Maranatha Christian 41, Mountain Empire 0
O’Farrell Charter 38, Foothills Christian 23
Victory Christian Academy 52, Tri-City Christian 0
Friday, Oct. 24
Rock Academy at Mountain Empire, 7 p.m.
Tri-City Christian at Foothills Christian, 7 p.m.
Standings: Maranatha Christian 4-0 (7-1 overall), Mountain Empire 3-1 (6-2 overall), O’Farrell Charter 3-1 (4-4 overall), Victory Christian Academy 3-2 (3-5 overall), Rock Academy 2-2 (4-4 overall), Foothills Christian 0-4 (0-8 overall), Tri-City Christian 0-4 (0-8 overall)
Non-League
Friday, Oct. 24
Orange Glen at Victory Christian Academy, 7 p.m.
San Diego Section Rankings
Tackle Football
(Through Oct. 18)
1. Lincoln 7-1
2. Mission Hills 7-1
3. Carlsbad 8-0
4. Cathedral Catholic 6-2
5. La Costa Canyon 7-1
6. Granite Hills 5-3
7. San Marcos 5-3
8. Mt. Miguel 6-3
9. Pt. Loma 8-0
10. Oceanside 4-4
11. Poway 4-4
12. Rancho Bernardo 7-1
13. Torrey Pines 4-4
14. Mater Dei Catholic 5-3
15. El Camino 1-7
16. De Norte 3-5
17. Imperial 8-0
18. La Jolla 5-3
19. Steele Canyon 7-1
20. San Diego 5-3
21. Holtville 7-1
22. Santa Fe Christian 9-0
23. Mission Bay 8-0
24. Helix 3-6
25. St. Augustine 3-5
26. Grossmont 7-1
27. San Pasqual 5-3
28. Scripps Ranch 4-4
29. Central Union 7-2
30, Ramona 4-4
31. University City 5-3
32. Madison 2-6
33. Bishop’s 7-1
34. Olympian 7-1
35. Army-Navy Academy 6-1
36. Christian 2-6
37. Montgomery 5-3
38. Brawley 2-6
39. Otay Ranch 3-6
40. Patrick Henry 4-5
Others: 41. Eastlake 4-4, 50. Sweetwater 4-5, 58. Hilltop 5-3, 59. Chula Vista 1-7, 61. Bonita Vista 3-5, 71. San Ysidro 5-3, 73. Mar Vista 4-4, 75. Southwest 3-5, 82. Victory Christian Academy 3-5, 83. Castle Park 1-7
Girls Flag Football
(Through Oct. 18)
1. Bonita Vista 18-0
2. Carlsbad 18-5
3. Westview 14-2
4. Torrey Pines 15-10
5. Mission Hills 15-4
6. Classical Academy 16-8
7. Grossmont 16-4
8. Cathedral Catholic 14-4
9. Steele Canyon 17-4
10. Poway 12-6
11. Vincent Memorial 18-5
12. Imperial 19-3-2
13. Granite Hills 11-4
14. San Marcos 10-8
15. Escondido Charter 13-2
16. La Costa Canyon 9-5
17. Clairemont 13-4
18. Scripps Ranch 12-6
19. Del Norte 12-5
20. O’Farrell Charter 16-2
21. Calexico 11-5
22. Mater Dei Catholic 12-3
23. Helix 10-8
24. Ramona 9-10
25. San Ysidro 13-5
26. Brawley 12-12-1
27. Mira Mesa 9-10
28. Our Lady of Peace 9-10
29. Pt. Loma 7-7
30. San Dieguito Academy 11-8
31. University City 10-7
32. Mission Bay 13-10-1
33, Santa Fe Christian 7-3
34. Patrick Henry 7-8
35. El Capitan 11-6
Others: 36. Hilltop 10-4, 39. Castle Park 13-4, 40. Otay Ranch 5-10, 49. Olympian 4-12, 51. Eastlake 5-12, 59. Montgomery 5-5, 68. Southwest 6-10, 73. Sweetwater 4-13, 74. High Tech Chula Vista 0-7, 76. Chula Vista 1-11, 82. Mar Vista 0-14
SWC Jaguars foiled by Riverside Tigers, 69-42, for first loss of season
There is a silver lining out of Southwestern College’s 69-42 loss to visiting Riverside College on Saturday. The Jaguars, at 6-1, are bowl eligible and are fighting to secure one of the six slots in Southern California over the next three weeks to make the state playoff.
“If we miss the playoffs, we will get a bowl game,” SWC coach Oscar Rodriguez said.
The Jags ran into the state’s No. 1 offense last weekend that is averaging close to 600 yards per game.
“We have a lot of starters out due to injury, but that is no excuse,” Rodriguez said. “We have to play better regardless.”
Riverside piled up 697 yards in total offense in the game while Southwestern racked up 551 total yards.
There was no lack of offense on either side as the teams combined for a whopping 1,248 total yards.
The Jags held the edge in passing yards: 347-317. But the Tigers controlled the game on the ground with a 380-204 advantage.
For Riverside, quarterback Bryan Wilson passed for three touchdowns with one interception and rushed for three scores. Marquis Monroe rushed for 126 yards and two touchdowns. Kayvion Sibley did the bulk of the damage on the ground with 18 carries for 167 yards and one touchdown.
SWC’s Ty McCutcheon passed for four touchdowns with two picks and scored one rushing touchdown. Caleb Blocker rushed 10 times for 110 yards and one TD.
Clint Thomas Jr. had 10 catches for 137 yards and two touchdowns while Nic cine (six catches, 94 yards) and A.J. Perry II (one catch, six yards) both had one touchdown.
Rankings
The loss dropped Southwestern to No. 12 bn the state poll. The Jags have both No. 8 El Camino (6-1) and No. 10 Saddleback (6-1) remaining on their schedule.
No. 1 San Mateo (7-0), No. 2 Golden West (7-0) and No. 3 Ventura (7-0) all remain undefeated. Butte (6-1) is ranked fourth, followed by No. 5 Mt. San Antonio (6-1), No. 6 Fullerton (6-1). No. 7 Diablo Valley (6-1), No. 8 El Camino (6-1), No. 9 Cerritos (6-1) and No. 10 Saddleback (6-1).
No. 11 Sequoias and No. 12 SWC are both 6-1. It looks to be a scramble for playoff and bowl berths.
“We have a really talented, well-coached team in El Camino coming to town and in order for us to bounce back we have to get back to the things that got us here,” Rodriguez said. “We have to focus on fundamentals and executing the plan. What a great opportunity for us playing a playoff-caliber team at home at 6 p.m on a Saturday night for a ‘Pink Out’ game in support of cancer awareness.”
