Two of the San Diego Section’s most enduring rivalries were on display.
San Diego and Hoover met for 73rd time, Helix and Grossmont for the 70th.
San Diego ended a nine-game, non winning streak against the Cardinals with a 56-45 victory, the Cavers’ first of the season. Helix beat Grossmont for the 27th consecutive time, 57-8.
CAVERS FADE
Things have not gone well for San Diego since it won a state division IV championship in 2018. Coach Charles James revitalized a long dormant program but retired after an 8-3 2021 season and overall record of 42-29 from 2015 and 30-9 from 2017.
San Diego is 5-12 since James called it a day and the win over Hoover was its first against the Cardinals since 2003, eight losses and a tie against a now infrequent opponent that once was its major rival.
There was a time when San Diego annually crushed Hoover, winning 19 of the first 24 games, beginning in 1933.
That began to change when Duane Maley retired as Cavers coach following the 1959 season.
Under coach Roy Engle the Cardinals won three straight from 1961-64 and they are 27-16-1 since 1960.
Hoover even got some belated revenge of an infamous, 72-0 loss to the Cavers in 1944 when Jerry Ralph’s team won, 63-0, in 2014.
San Diego still leads, 40-32-1.
HIGHLANDERS’ FLINGS
Grossmont led, 16-10, in 1976 in a series that began in 1951, when the Foothillers opened their doors…to the new Helix High.
Highlanders students were part of double sessions at Grossmont while the Helix campus was under construction.
Helix’ 27-game streak against their former big brother is just the largest dose of what has been unending punishment. The Scots are 37-2-2 since 1977 and 50-18-2 overall.
John Maffei’s Week 9 Union-Tribune Poll:
Points awarded on 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis.*First-place votes.
NR–Not ranked.
Last entries in columns are previous rankings.
Max Preps‘ and Cal-Hi Sports‘ are state rankings.
| RANK | TEAM/RECORD | POINTS | MAXPREPS.COM | CALPREPS.COM | CAL-HI SPORTS |
| 1. | Lincoln (8-0) | *22/292/1 | 8/9 | 59.9/57.7 | 6/7 |
| 2. | Carlsbad (7-0) | *8/278/2 | 7/10 | 58.9/58.2 | 7/8 |
| 3. | Granite Hills (7-0) | 229/3 | 29/30 | 42.7/41.2 | 19/24 |
| 4. | Helix (7-0) | 223/4 | 15/15 |
54.3/48.5 | 16/16 |
| 5. | Torrey Pines (5-2) | 160/8 | 59/88 | 34.3/24.7 | On Bubble/On Bubble |
| 6. | El Camino (5-2) | 126/10 | 73/100 | 32.3/21/3 | On Bubble/On Bubble |
| 7. | La Costa Canyon (5-2) | 94/5 | 74/61 | 31.6/31.1 | NR/NR |
| 8 | Del Norte (6-1) | 88/9 | 84/80 | 29.8/26.4 | NR/NR |
| 9 | Mission Hills (4-3) | 76/6 | 58/44 | 34.6/35.9 | NR/NR |
| 10. | Cathedral (2-6) | 28/7 | 78/78 | 30.7/26 | NR/NR |
OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES
Mater Dei (3-3, 21 points), Mount Miguel (6-1, 13), St. Augustine (4-3, 12), Ramona (4-2, 7) Mission Bay (6-1, 4), San Marcos (5-2, 1).
29 sportswriters, sportscasters, administrators from San Diego County, plus Max Preps.com.
- John Maffei (San Diego Union-Tribune).
- Don Norcross, Steve Brand, Rick Hoff, Eric Williams, Thomas Gutierrez , Freelance contributors.
- Brandon Stone, Allison Edmonds, John Carroll (KUSI, Channel 51).
- Rick Smith (partletonsports.com).
- Adam Paul (EastCountySports.com).
- Bodie DeSilva (ScorebookLive.com).
- John Kentera, Braden Suprenant (97.3-FM The Fan).
- Steve (Biff) Dolan (Mountain Country 107.9-FM).
- Christian Pedersen (San Diego Sports Association).
- Troy Hirsch, Nic Pollino (Fox 5 San Diego).
- Joe Heinz, Todd Cassen, Ron Marquez (CIF San Diego Section).
- Mike Dolan, Rex Johnson, Bruce Ward (CIF Advisory Committee).
- Joe Evangelist (San Diego Coaching Legends Committee).
- Will Torrez (Valley Sports Network).
- Tom Ronco (Imperial Valley Press).
- Raymond Brown (SDfootball.net).
- Tom Helmantoler (Southern Conference Advisor).
- Max Preps.
TRUE GRID
Calexico has lost three in a row, but it is 18-13 in two-plus seasons under coach Fernando Solano, very good considering the Bulldogs were 41-127 from 2003 through 2020, not counting an 8-2 surprise in 2012…Orange Glen set a school record for points in its 68-19 win over the Rock…the record was 61 versus Francis Parker in 2016…the Patriots have had some manic reversals in this century, playing for a state Division V championship in 2018, but allowing at least 60 points 10 times, 70 four times, and topping out at 81 in a 2020 game against Santa Fe Christian in which Orange Glen had 54….
