Grossmont is going to beat Helix one of these years. Maybe this week.
The way things have gone the last 40-odd that’s a lukewarm maybe.
The teams will meet for the 66th time with host Helix holding a 45-18-2 record in the all-time series.
A victory for the Foothillers over their so-called younger sibling took place so long ago that those who played now are nearing their fifties. It happened in 1991 when Judd Hurlburt’s squad beat the Highlanders of coach Jim Arnaiz, 28-14.
Others have forgotten or perhaps gone to the gridiron in the sky since an earlier Grossmont win. That was in 1978 when Pat Roberts’ team, which finished with a 5-3-2 record, beat a 10-2 Arnaiz club, 21-7.
Arnaiz won the CIF championship that season and, after losing his first four games in the rivalry, posted a career, 19-6-2 record against the Foothillers.
‘Twas not always.
Grossmont built a 16-11 series edge from 1951-77, when Arnaiz’ program kicked in and the Highlanders took off.
METRO LEAGUE SUES FOR RELIEF
Grossmont’s enrollment soared in the 1940’s, creating such a student body numbers mismatch that the Foothillers were ousted from the Metropolitan League, in which they had been a 1933 charter member with Sweetwater, Escondido, Oceanside, Army-Navy, La Jolla, and Point Loma.
Grossmont was bursting at the seams.
Enter Helix in 1951, about 4 miles West in La Mesa on University Avenue.
The Foothillers would have a new rival, after years being a traditional foe of Sweetwater.
Helix’ campus still was under construction when school opened, forcing Grossmont to share its digs for a year.
Grossmont students attended school in the morning and hosted Helix students in the afternoon.
The pubescent Highlanders joined Grossmont in the City Prep League, which had been created and included Grossmont in 1950. Both schools re-entered the Metropolitan loop in 1955 and were charter members of the Grossmont League in 1961.
BELL TOLLS
Brawley and El Centro Central players can hear the clanging their sleep. They’ll go at it again next week in the historic desert rivalry.
Brawley leads El Centro Central, 50-27-1, since a Bell trophy first rung in 1944, but the squads reportedly played twice a year most seasons from 1921 through 2003.
An actual bell was purchased by the student bodies of each school for a sum of $50 from a seafaring, San Diego vessel in 1943.
El Centro Central has won the last four meetings.
RATINGS GAME
| RANK | TEAM | RECORD | POINTS | PREVIOUS | |||
| 1. | Carlsbad | 8-0 (15) | 230 | 1 | |||
| 2. | Cathedral | 6-2 (9) | 223 | 2 | |||
| 3. | Lincoln | 6-1 | 180 | 3 | |||
| 4. | Mater Dei | 7-0 | 162 | 4 | |||
| 5. | Mission Hills | 6-2 | 154 | 5 | |||
| 6. | Scripps Ranch | 7-0 | 110 | 7 | |||
| 7 | Torrey Pines | 4-3 | 94 | 6 | |||
| 8. | Helix | 4-3 | 59 | 9 | |||
| 9. | Santa Fe Christian | 8-0 | 29 | 10 | |||
| 10. | Madison | 6-2 | 27 | NR | |||
OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES
Poway (6-2, 17 points), Mt. Carmel (7-1, 8), Ramona (6-2, 7), Eastlake (5-3, 4), Rancho Bernardo (5-3, 4), West Hills (8-0, 3), Mira Mesa (5-2, 2), El Capitan (7-1, 1).
VOTING PANEL
Twenty-four sportswriters and sportscasters throughout San Diego County.
- John Maffei, San Diego Union-Tribune.
- Steve Brand, Thomas Gutierrez, Rick Hoff, Jim Lindgren, Terry Monahan, Eric Williams, Thomas Gutierrez, freelance contributors.
- John Carroll, Nick Pollino, KUSI Ch. 51.
- John Kentera, Braden Suprenant, 97.3-FM The Fan).
- Adam Paul, ECPreps.com.
- Bodie DeSilva, scorebooklive.com.
- Rick Smith, Partletonsports.com.
- Christian Pedersen, San Diego Sports Association.
- Troy Hirsch, Fox 5 San Diego.
- Raymond Brown, sdfootball.net.
- Joe Heinz, Todd Cassen, Ron Marquez, Mike Dolan, CIF San Diego Section.
- Ramon Scott, Eastcountysports.com.
- Steve (Biff) Dolan, Mountain Country, 107.9-FM.
How others see San Diego’s Top 10:
*The second entry in each rating is from the previous week.
| Team | Record | Cal-Hi Sports | MaxPreps | CalPreps |
| Cathedral | 6-2 | 19/20* | 16/16 | 56.7/56.8 |
| Carlsbad | 8-0 | 14/14 | 24/24 | 52.7/51.2 |
| Mission Hills | 6-2 | 22/25 | 33/45 | 48.9/46.0 |
| Lincoln | 6-1 | 15/15 | 25/25 | 51.1/50.4 |
| Mater Dei | 7-0 | 33/36 | 31/31 | 45.7/47.1 |
| Helix | 4-3 | NR/NR | 65/64 | 36.8/37.1 |
| Torrey Pines | 4-3 | 38/34 | 40/40 | 40.0/43.7 |
| Scripps Ranch | 7-0 | NR/NR | 54/54 | 37.8/39.8 |
| Madison | 6-2 | NR-NR | /104 | /27.9 |
| Santa Fe Christian | 7-0 | NR-NR | 175/176 | 20.8/18.2 |
I have a interesting question about the Musket battle of the annual Helix-Grossmont meetings, the two times that the teams had a tied game once in 1986 & again in 1989 whatever did the schools do in letting the winner of the year keep it in their library? If a tied game happens then what would be the solution?
I don’t know the answer to that question, Adam. I’m guessing that the team which held the Musket continued until the next game between the teams, since the Musket-holding team had not lost. The schools probably have the answer.