2017 Week 8: About Cavers, Hamamoto, Gilster, Saints
San Diego continued to impress; coaches moved on leaders in all-time victories, and St. Augustine rebounded.
San Diego improved to 7-0 with a 34-7 over Kearny, which took a 6-0 record into the game, as big, fast Raiden Hunter rushed for 270 yards in 17 carries and scored two touchdowns.
An impressive Central League turnout of about 4,500 persons included a San Diego cheering section that filled the visiting stands.
A win over Patrick Henry this week would send the Cavers to 8-0, a feat accomplished by San Diego teams in 1916, ’25, ‘45, ’47, ’50, ’55, ’57, and ’58. Only the ’16 (12-0) and ’55 clubs (11-0-1) got to the finish line unbeaten.
San Diego has two games remaining after the Patriots, at Crawford and at Coronado.
UP THE LADDER
Monte Vista’s 24-17 win over Santana moved the Monarchs to 4-3 and gave coach Ron Hamamoto his 214th victory, moving Hamamoto past Helix’ Jim Arnaiz into seventh place among San Diego County coaches.
Valley Center’s 37-21 victory against Rancho Buena Vista left the Jaguars with a 6-1 record and was the 213th in Rob Gilster’s career, tying Gilster with Arnaiz for eighth.
Next up for Hamamoto and Gilster is Ed Burke, who won 215 games at San Dieguito and Torrey Pines. Burke won another 40-plus at King City before coming to the San Diego area.
REVITALIZED
St. Augustine, beaten by Carlsbad, swamped by L.A. Loyola, and pushed around by Helix earlier in the season, knocked Madison from the ranks of the undefeated with a solid, 19-10 victory.
The effort of the Saints’ defense helped overcome the loss of star wideout J.R. Justice, who sustained what may be a season-ending leg injury the previous week.
By winning their second straight and moving to 4-3, the Saints are positioning themselves for the Catholic bragging rights battle with Cathedral in the season’s final regular-season game in three weeks.
QUICK KICKS
Lincoln (6-1) is off to its best start since the Tony Jackson-coached Hornets opened 8-0 in 2000…that Lincoln team finished 11-2, beaten twice by Mission Bay…a win over El Camino this week would give Mission Hills’ Chris Hauser his 150th coaching victory, achieved by 14 others…the Grizzlies also advanced to 14th in the weekly Cal-Hi Sports state rankings while Helix gained a notch to 29th…La Costa dropped out of the top 50 and now has “bubble” status with Ramona, which is 7-0, off to its best start since 2013, and third in the Union-Tribune poll this week.
The Week 8 Union-Tribune poll:
| Rank | Team | 2017 | Points | Last Week |
| 1. | Mission Hills (25) | 7-0 | 277 | 1 |
| 2. | Helix (3) | 6-1 | 255 | 3 |
| 3. | Ramona | 7-0 | 210 | 2 |
| 4. | La Costa Canyon | 6-1 | 159 | 5 |
| 5. | Madison | 6-1 | 147 | 6 |
| 6. | The Bishop’s | 6-0 | 136 | 7 |
| 7. | Torrey Pines | 5-2 | 131 | NR |
| 8. | San Marcos | 6-1 | 101 | 4 |
| 9. | Lincoln | 6-1 | 579 | 8 |
| 10. | St. Augustine | 4-3 | 18 | NR |
Points awarded on 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis.
NR: Not Ranked.
Others receiving votes: El Camino (4-3, 16 points), El Centro Southwest (7-0, 9), , Valley Center (6-1, 2), Eastlake (5-2, 1), San Diego (7-0, 1), Carlsbad (4-3, 1).
Voters (28 sportswriters, sportscasters, officials): John Maffei, San Diego Union-Tribune; Terry Monahan, Don Norcross, Tom Saxe, Rick Hoff, Jim Lindren, Union-Tribune correspondents; Paul Rudy, Brandon Stone, Rick Willis, KUSI Chl. 51; Adam Paul, East County Preps.com; Ramon Scott, East County Sports.com; Bodie DeSilva, San Diego Preps.com; Ted Mendenhall, Taylor Quellman, The Mighty 1090; Steve Brand, San Diego Hall of Champions; Troy Hirsch, Fox 5 San Diego; Rick Smith, partletonsports.com; Jerry Schniepp, John LaBeta, Carlton Hoggard, CIF San Diego; Raymond Brown, sdfootball.net; Montell Allen, MBASports-SDFNL Magazine; Bob Petinak, 1360AM; John Kentera, Prep Talent Evaluator; Steve (Biff) Dolan, Mountain Country 107.9FM; Jim Arnaiz, Mike Dolan, John Carroll, CIF Football Tournament Directors.