1980-81: Red Devils Break Scoring Record

Records are made to be broken, but it took 11 years, until Jan. 23, 1981, for  Bill Walton and Helix  to surrender the San Diego Section’s signature team scoring achievement.

Helix slammed Mount Miguel, 127-31, in the 1969-70 season and the Highlanders’ record seldom was in trouble, other than a couple 122-point assaults by free-wheeling small schools Francis Parker in 1974 and Army-Navy in 1977.

Montgomery, 1-21 for the season and with a defensive average of 84 points, including 111 in an early-season Sweetwater game, was a perfect target in a rematch with the Red Devils, who gang rushed the Aztecs to a pinball machine-tilt of 130 points against 51.

DUBIOUS CLAIM

The San Diego Union reported that all but one starter on coach Gary Zarecky’s squad left the game in the middle of the third quarter (suggesting no return), which is hard to believe because Aaron Combs scored 38, Calvin Murrell 33, Tyrone Miller 23, and Juan Aguirre 20 for a total of 114 points.

Even if the Red Devils kept floor general Aguirre in the game, Sweetwater would have scored only another 16 points, if the newspaper account, reported by Sweetwater coach Gary Zarecky or a student manager, since the Union did not have a representative at the game, was accurate.

The box score in the newspaper suggested differently.

The Red Devils led by quarterly scores of 28-15, 60-29, and 99-44, before closing with a 31-7 final eight minutes.