Lincoln won its 21st game in a row, 42-7, over St. Augustine last week and improved to 9-0 this year. The Hornets will be seeking their first, undefeated, 10-0 campaign Saturday when they wrap the regular season at University City.
Coach Vic Player’s Hornets were undefeated in the 1979 regular season but city schools played only nine games. Lincoln posted a 12-0 record that included three playoff wins and a San Diego Section championship.
Led by Marcus Allen in 1977, the Hive was 8-0-1 in the regular season, tied, 0-0, by Point Loma in the second game, and went on to finish 12-0-1.
Lincoln is tied with La Jolla for the eighth longest run of consecutive victories in County history. Sweetwater, coached by Gene Alim, won 36 in a row from 1982-85. The Hornets also have the longest active winning streak, 21, in the state, according to Cal-Hi Sports, and are No. 6 in California in the newsletter’s weekly ratings.
WINS IN ROW
TEAM
COACH
YEARS
36
Sweetwater
Gene Alim
1983-85
31
The Bishop’s
Joe Lucia (13), Bill Lekvold (18)
1996-98
27
Marian
Matt White
2002-04
26
Cathedral
Sean Doyle
2006-09
23
*Kearny
Birt Slater
1963-65
23
*Grossmont
Jack Mashin
1932-35
22
**Eastlake
John McFadden
2009-10
21
La Jolla
Dick Huddleston
1992-94
21
Lincoln
David Dunn
2022-23
*Kearny and Grossmont each was unbeaten for 24 consecutive games, including one tie game each.
**Eastlake was unbeaten for 24 consecutive games, including 2 ties.
ohn Maffei’s Week 10 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
RANK
TEAM/RECORD
POINTS
MAXPREPS.COM
CALPREPS.COM
CAL-HI SPORTS
1.
Lincoln (9-0)
*24/294/1
9/9
59.9/57.7
6/6
2.
Carlsbad (8-0)
*6/274/2
14/7
58.9/58.2
7/7
3.
Granite Hills (8-0)
227/3
36/29
42.7/41.2
18/19
4.
Helix (8-0)
224/4
18/15
54.3/48.5
16/16
5.
El Camino (6-2)
145/6
68/73
34.3/24.7
On Bubble/On Bubble
6.
Torrey Pines (5-3)
144/5
59/59
32.3/21/3
On Bubble/On Bubble
7.
Mission Hills (5-3)
112/9
47/58
31.6/31.1
NR/NR
8
Del Norte (7-1)
82/8
83/80
29.8/26.4
NR/NR
9
La Costa Canyon (5-3)
59/7
80/74
34.6/35.9
NR/NR
10.
Cathedral (3-6)
51/10
63/78
30.7/26
On bubble/NR
OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES Mater Dei (4-3, 14 points), Mount Miguel (7-1, 9), San Marcos (6-2, 8), Mission Bay (7-1, 4), Brawley (7-1, 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.
2023 Week 8: San Diego Beats Hoover; Helix-Grossmont, No Change
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.
ohn 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
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….
2023 Week 7: Del Norte Ties Section Record in Four-Overtime Win
Del Norte survived four overtime possessions and finally defeated Rancho Bernardo, 49-43, last week, tying a 46-44 Granite Hills victory over Helix in 2022 for the longest game ever played by a San Diego County team.
Existing rules are that each team has four downs beginning at the 25-yard line with straight football rules. Simply put, score and your opponent has to score or the game is over.
Overtime essentially became part of the landscape when the state CIF invoked a “California Tie-Breaker” in 1968, but there had been overtime, or discussion of overtime or tie-breakers, years before, such as in the 1927 small schools championship between Grossmont and Calexico.
In 1975 Madison and Point Loma played what may have been the first to go to an extra session in the San Diego Section regular season. Madison was credited with a 1-0 victory. Kearny advanced in a 1974 playoff with Sweetwater that ended in a 14-14 tie. The Komets had a 12-10 advantage in first downs at the end of four quarters, but there would be no overtime.
The Cavemen and Anaheim were deadlocked at 20 when the game ended but San Diego advanced because it had a 17-14 advantage in first downs, the “tiebreaker” that had been in effect for decades.
The San Diego Section adopted the “new” California tiebreaker in 1976 and overtimes in playoffs would be implemented. Overtimes originally were officially declared ties, no matter if one team outscored the other. That non-tiebreaker was dropped in the 1980s.
Several years ago the Grossmont Conference began counting the results of overtime play as a team win or loss and eventually all San Diego Section schools followed.
Since 1976 there have been 107 overtime games in the San Diego Section. Seventy-eight have been decided in the first overtime, 23 in the second, four in the third, and two in the fourth.
John Maffei’s Week 8 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
RANK
TEAM/RECORD
POINTS
MAXPREPS.COM
CALPREPS.COM
CAL-HI SPORTS
1.
Lincoln (7-0)
*18/288/1
8/9
59.1/57.7
6/7
2.
Carlsbad (6-0)
*12/280/2
7/10
60.3/58.2
7/8
3.
Granite Hills (6-0)
231/3
29/30
42.7/41.2
24/25
4.
Helix (7-0)
223/4
15/15
50.8/48.5
16/17
5.
La Costa Canyon (5-1)
173/6
61/80
31.1/23.9
On Bubble/NR
6.
Mission Hills (4-2)
142/5
44/45
35.9/31
On Bubble/On Bubble
7.
Cathedral (2-5)
91/8
78/77
26/24.3
NR/NR
8.
Torrey Pines (4-2)
60/NR
88
24.7
NR/NR
9
Del Norte (5-1)
55/NR
80
26.4
NR/NR
10.
El Camino (4-2)
43/7
100/95
21.3
NR/NR
OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES Mater Dei (3-3, 40 points), St. Augustine (3-3, 11), Mount Miguel (6-1, 8), Madison (2-4, 5),Mission Bay (6-1, 2). Ramona (3-2, 2).
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.
1990 Baseball: It’s season of Foothillers, Marauders, and Eagles
Grossmont became the eighth different team since 1980 to win the San Diego Section 2-A championship. Forgotten by many, the title also was the Foothillers’ first since they claimed a larger bauble. They won the Southern Section major division crown, 5-0, over Compton in 1951.
The Foothillers also won a Southern Section minor division title in 1955.
Mt. Carmel had won four of the previous 10 championships in 3-A, but Mira Mesa, about 5 miles and a few traffic signals South on Black Mountain Road to Camino Ruiz, challenged that domination.
The Marauders’ 8-1 defeat of Monte Vista in the finals would be followed by championships in 1991 and ’92.
Julian won its second 1-A title in three seasons, 5-2, over Midway Baptist, later known as Ocean View Christian.
Rather than have Julian or Midway travel 67 miles, the longest trip in San Diego County, the CIF sent the teams to marginally more geographically desirable Grossmont College, still a distance of 51 miles for the mountain-high Eagles.
UGLY SCENE
Winner Monte Vista and loser Patrick Henry gathered for the handshake ceremony following their playoff semifinal.
Suddenly a Patrick Henry player sucker punched a Monte Vista player, creating a black eye and bruising.
The ensuing brawl lasted about three minutes as both side engaged.
“It was brewing all game long,” a Monte Vista player told Pedro Gomez of The San Diego Union. “You could tell something was going to happen the way they were talking (trash).”
“It takes the fun out of our victory,” said the Monarchs’ Steve Dolias.
“LITTLE KIDS”
Said Monte Vista coach Rob Phillips: “That was one of the most classless things I’ve ever seen. Can’t you just play the game?”
Patriots coach Bob Imlay was furious with his team: “You guys have no idea what class is. Some of you think you’re men but you’re nothing but immature little kids.”
Section rules stated that anyone involved in a fight would be ineligible for the next game, but CIF commissioner Kendall (Spider) Webb exonerated the Monarchs.
“From everything that I’ve gathered it doesn’t appear that they were the instigators,” said Webb.
Mira Mesa players pile on, celebrating championship.
5/4/90
“They act like we made their season,” a Mt. Carmel player said of Poway players after the Titans had scored a come-from-behind, 10-9 victory over the visiting Sundevils, four-time Section champions in the 1980s.
“Not at all…we’d be acting the same way if we beat (bottom feeder) San Dieguito,” retorted Poway pitcher Dan Miller.
The loss was Mt. Carmel’s first in the Palomar League since 1988, leaving coach Sam Blaylock’s team with a 9-1 circuit record and 19-4 overall.
—Lincoln pounded out 28 hits to Hoover’s 13, and the Hornets won a 12-inning, Central League slugfest, 15-13.
5/11/90
Grossmont’s Todd Cady set a San Diego Section record for one season with 52 runs batted in.
Cady, who was 4 for 6, hit a grand slam home run and drove in eight runs in Grossmont’s 18-3 win over West Hills.
Jeff Meyers of Carlsbad drove in 47 runs in 1988.
5/14/90
DREADED ADMINISTRATIVE GLITCH
Hilltop, 18-7 competitively, tied for first at 9-3 with Montgomery and San Diego Southwest in the Metropolitan League and ranked fourth in the section, forfeited 18 wins.
Sergio Guzman, the Lancers’ leading hitter with a .455 batting average, was declared ineligible because a hardship waiver for Guzman was not filed by one of Hilltop’s bosses.
Guzman had transferred after playing for Morse in 1989. CIF rules require the waiver when a student changes districts without being accompanied by his parents or legal guardian.
Guzman was said to be living with friends in the Hilltop district.
GLITCH, MARK II
Another residential beef, but this time Hilltop avoided the glitch after a question of outfielder’s Mike Romero’s home address. “It checked out; he’s fine,” said Lancers athletic director Bob Dodds after Romero was cleared by the San Diego Section police.
5/15/90
University scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning for a 7-6 victory over Mission Bay and clinched the Western League championship. The visiting Buccaneers won or tied for first in the last seven seasons.
The Dons had five base hits in the seventh, climaxed by David Sanchez’ game-winning single.
Win and Mission Bay would have tied for the title, which they shared with University in 1983.
Poway’s Matt Schwenke applied tag to Mt. Carmel’s Andy Owen to save run in 5-4 Titans victory.
5/18/90
Helix closed the regular season with its sixth straight win and clinched a first-place tie in the Grossmont 3-A League with El Capitan, the 4-3 loser to the Highlanders.
“I feel like this is a team that didn’t believe in itself for a long time,” Highlanders coach Jerry Schniepp told Helix alum and The San Diego Union writer Kirk Kenney. “But they believe in themselves now. They’re playing like they know they’re going to win.”
—Poway’s Dan Miller allowed two hits and struck out 12 in a 4-0 win at Rancho Buena Vista.
“All we knew coming back on the bus is that we were at least tied for the title,” said Titans coach Rudy Casciato.
“But when the bus pulled into the parking lot a group of parents were holding a five-foot long sign that said, ‘MC lost.’ The kids went wild.”
Vista had beaten Mt. Carmel, 6-3, knocking out the Sundevils.
—Mauricio Martinez was 4 for 4 at the plate and Montgomery backed Martinez’ pitching with 11 runs in the fifth inning of a 14-5 win over San Diego Southwest.
The Aztecs gained the Metro League’s No. 1 playoff seed over the Raiders after the teams tied with 11-3 records.
REGULAR SEASON STANDINGS
EASTERN LEAGUE
LEAGUE
OVERALL
TEAM
WON
LOST
Pct.
GBL
WON
LOST
Pct.
Patrick Henry
8
4
.667
—
14
11
.560
Point Loma
8
4
.667
—
14
12
.538
Mira Mesa
7
5
.583
1
18
8
.692
Serra
5
6
.455
3
11
17
.393
Morse
1
10
.091
7
6
18
.250
CENTRAL LEAGUE
LEAGUE
OVERALL
TEAM
WON
LOST
Pct.
GBL
WON
LOST
Pct.
San Diego
9
3
.750
—
17
7
.708
Crawford
9
3
.750
—
18
7
.720
Madison
8
4
.667
1
14
9
.609
Hoover
2
10
.167
7
10
17
.370
Lincoln
2
10
.167
7
7
16
.304
WESTERN LEAGUE
LEAGUE
OVERALL
TEAM
WON
LOST
Pct.
GBL
WON
LOST
Pct.
University
11
1
.917
—
24
4
.857
Mission Bay
9
3
.750
2
15
10
.600
La Jolla
5
7
.417
6
13
12
.520
Kearny
4
8
.333
7
11
15
.423
University City
1
11
.091
10
6
18
.250
HARBOR LEAGUE
LEAGUE
OVERALL
TEAM
WON
LOST
Pct.
GBL
WON
LOST
Pct.
St. Augustine
9
3
.750
—
17
11
.607
Coronado
8
4
.667
1
17
8
.680
Clairemont
8
4
.667
1
16
12
.571
Marian
3
9
.250
6
7
19
.269
Christian
2
10
.167
7
5
19
.208
METROPOLITAN LEAGUE
LEAGUE
OVERALL
TEAM
WON
LOST
Pct.
GBL
WON
LOST
Pct.
Montgomery
11
3
.786
—
20
8
.714
Southwest
11
3
.786
—
14
13
.519
Castle Park
10
4
.713
1
19
10
.655
Sweetwater
8
6
.571
3
20
8
.714
Bonita Vista
7
7
500
4
12
13
.480
Chula Vista
5
9
.357
6
10
15
.400
Hilltop
2
12
.167
9
2
24
.077
Mar Vista
2
12
.167
9
5
23
.179
AVOCADO LEAGUE
LEAGUE
OVERALL
TEAM
WON
LOST
Pct.
GBL
WON
LOST
Pct.
San Pasqual
10
2
.833
—
14
9
.609
Escondido
8
4
.667
2
20
8
.714
Oceanside
8
4
.667
2
15
10
.600
San Marcos
7
5
.583
3
14
11
.560
El Camino
6
6
.500
4
12
12
.500
Ramona
2
10
.167
8
6
17
.261
Carlsbad
1
11
.083
9
9
19
.321
GROSSMONT 3-A
LEAGUE
OVERALL
TEAM
WON
LOST
Pct.
GBL
WON
LOST
Pct.
Helix
6
2
.750
—
18
8
.692
El Capitan
6
2
.750
—
18
10
.643
Granite Hills
4
4
.500
2
18
9
.667
Monte Vista
3
5
.375
3
17
11
.607
Mount Miguel
1
7
.125
5
5
22
.185
GROSSMONT 2-A
LEAGUE
OVERALL
TEAM
WON
LOST
Pct.
GBL
WON
LOST
Pct.
Grossmont
8
0
1.000
—
25
2
.926
Santana
6
2
.750
2
20
6
.769
Valhalla
4
4
.500
4
14
13
.519
El Cajon Valley
2
6
.250
7
7
16
.304
West Hills
0
8
.000
8
3
22
.120
PALOMAR
LEAGUE
OVERALL
TEAM
WON
LOST
Pct.
GBL
WON
LOST
Pct.
Poway
11
3
.786
—
19
6
.760
Rancho Buena Vista
10
4
.714
1
15
11
.577
Mt. Carmel
10
4
.714
1
20
7
.741
Orange Glen
7
7
.500
4
16
12
.571
Vista
7
7
.500
5
12
14
.462
Fallbrook
5
9
.357
6
10
14
.517
San Dieguito
4
10
.286
8
4
23
.148
Torrey Pines
2
12
.167
9
12
16
.429
PLAYOFFS
3-A
FIRST ROUND
16 San Diego Southwest (14-14) 2, @1 Poway 3.
Dan Miller (13-1), the County’s top-ranked pitcher, came on in relief in the fifth inning, shut down the Raiders, and the Titans scored the winning run in the last of the seventh.
15 Mira Mesa 6, @2 Helix (18-9-1) 3.
The Marauders, losers of six of their last eight games, dealt Helix righthander Eric Nicholson (11-1) his first defeat.
“These guys were insulted,” Marauders coach Mike Prosser said of the seeding meeting days before. “Teams we beat all year long were seeded ahead of us. They asked, ‘Does that mean we’re no good?’”
Point Loma (15-12) 1, @3 Montgomery 2.
Castle Park (19-11) 2, @4 Patrick Henry 6.
Granite Hills (18-10-1) 2, @Mt. Carmel 3.
Sweetwater (20-9) 4, @Rancho Buena Vista 5.
9 Monte Vista 1, @8 Hilltop (2-25) 0.
The Monarchs’ Robbie Stone allowed two hits and Hilltop’s Jose Silva gave up three.
Orange Glen 4, @El Capitan (18-11) 3.
QUARTERFINALS
Monte Vista 7, @Poway (20-7-1), 5.
The Monarchs scored all their runs in a four-run sixth inning and three-run seventh.
Mt. Carmel 4, Montgomery (21-9) 3.
John Moon’s fly ball, about 15 feet foul, was caught by the left fielder and became a sacrifice out for Mt. Carmel’s winning run.
Orange Glen (17-13) 2, @Patrick Henry 10.
Mira Mesa 5, @Rancho Buena Vista (16-12-1) 0.
Marc Nielsen homered, tripled, and pitched Mira Mesa’s shutout.
San Diego catcher Jeff Williams awaited late throw as Greg Layson scored Grossmont’s first run.
SEMIFINALS
Monte Vista 9, Patrick Henry (16-12) 7, @University San Diego.
Mira Mesa 5, Mt. Carmel (22-8) 0, @University San Diego.
“Everyone thinks that (Coach) Sam Blalock is a god and Mt. Carmel can’t be beat,” said Marauders coach Mike Prosser. “We want to prove once and for call that Mira Mesa is a good baseball school.”
CHAMPIONSHIP
Mira Mesa (22-8) 8, Monte Vista (20-12) 1, @University San Diego.
“The perseverance, sticking with it, the never-say-die…it paid off,” said coach Mike Prosser. “I’m happy for these kids. They deserve it.”
Mira Mesa was 13-0 at the start of the season, lost 7 of its last 12 and six of its last eight. The Marauders were relegated to a 15 seed in the post-season pairings.
Mira Mesa struck eight consecutive base hits, including seven straight singles in a seven-run second inning.
Starting pitcher Marc Nielsen and relievers Brendon Hause, and Mike Bovee combined to hold the Monarchs to six hits.
The victory was the fourth straight in the postseason, which followed a victory in the Marauders’ last regular season game.
2-A
16 La Jolla (13-14) 2, @1 Grossmont 11.
Todd Cady, Danny Lennon, and John Tatum each homered for the Foothillers.
15 Clairemont 6, @2 University (23-6) 5. Chieftains pitcher Oscar Sanchez (11-6) survived a four-run sixth inning and was backed by three hits from David Salonius and Jesus Jauregui.
Madison (16-11) 1, @Oceanside 3 (8 innings).
Escondido 2, @3 Crawford (17-8) 1.
Coronado 6, @5 Santana (20-7) 5.
Mission Bay 11, 5 St. Augustine (17-12) 6 (10 innings) @Hickman Field.
The Buccaneers scored five runs in the top of the 10th inning.
Valhalla (14-14-1) 0, @4 San Pasqual 1.
San Marcos (14-12) 5, @3 San Diego 8.
QUARTERFINALS
Escondido (21-9) 3, @Grossmont 5.
Todd Cady’s hit his 10th home run and drove in his 60th run, but the Foothillers advanced after Scott Brennan’s two-run single in the sixth inning.
Mike Girardi of Mira Mesa beat throw to Helix’ Bobby Miller for one half of successful attempt at double steal. Brandon Hause scored on play and Marauders defeated Highlanders, 6-3, in playoffs.
Mission Bay (16-11) 7, @San Pasqual 9.
Dave Vejtasa and Eric Marsh hit home runs and the Golden Eagles outlasted a 4-for-4 day by the Bucs’ Marlon Gardinera.
Coronado (18-9) 4, @San Diego 5.
Pitcher Josh Stepner earned a save but also homered, doubled, scored two runs and drove in three.
Clairemont 7, @Oceanside (21-10-1) 6.
Angel Torres’ two home runs weren’t enough for the Pirates.
SEMIFINALS
Grossmont 5, San Pasqual (15-11-1) 2, @Grossmont College.
San Diego 9, Clairemont (17-14), 2, @Grossmont College.
CHAMPIONSHIP
Grossmont (29-2) 5, San Diego (20-8) 2, @University of San Diego.
Mike Spears, Dan Lennon, and John Tatum combined to limit the Cavers to three hits.
“Mike had good stuff but I don’t think he was overpowering,” Grossmont coach Jeff Meredith said of his starting pitcher, to writer Jim Trotter. “And when you have a guy who is 10-1 (Lennon) and a guy with 12 saves (Tatum), why take a chance?”
Spears, who finished the season with a 7-0 record, gave up two hits and no runs before he was derricked after four innings.
1-A
QUARTERFINALS
La Jolla Country Day (8-15-1) 5, @1 Midway Baptist 8.
The Bishop’s 1, @4 Holtville 5.
Mountain Empire (11-9-1) 6, @ 3 Imperial 10.
Borrego Springs 5, @2 Julian 12.
SEMIFINALS
Julian 7, Imperial (12-7-3) 0, @Ramona
The Eagles’ Travis Denmark struck out 10 and hit a 400-foot home run.
Travis Denmark, who led the County during the regular season with 13 home runs (Christian’s Tony Clark, who would hit 251 in the major leagues, was second with Grossmont’s John Tatum, each with 10) retired 16 of the last 18 batters and struck out nine.
Denmark went to what the Union’s Ed Graney described as a “biting curveball” after giving up two, run-scoring singles in the second inning.
2023 Week 6: Carlsbad-Mission Hills Headlines Avocado League Opener
The week’s schedule is loaded with potential benchmark league openers as 11 of the 18 San Diego Section loops begin play. Key games:
AVOCADO
Carlsbad (5-0), @Mission Hills (4-1).
Mission Hills leads, 4-3, since 2011 in games matching two of the section’s most successful coaches, the Grizzlies’ Chris Hauser and Carlsbad’s Thadd MacNeal…Hauser is in his 23rd season, 193-83-2 (.696) overall and 155-67-2 since starting the Grizzlies’ program in 2004 after four seasons at alma-mater Vista…MacNeal is in his 17th season, 132-66 (.667) overall and 91-47 since moving to Carlsbad in 2011…was head coach at Lakewood of Southern Section’s Long Beach-area Moore League from ’06-‘10 with 41-19 record…Lancers have won last three meetings…they’re led by quarterback Julian Sayin and rank second to Lincoln in Union-Tribune poll, averaging 47 points a game.…
CENTRAL
Kearny (4-1), @Hoover (3-2).
Winner likely would have only Clairemont (3-3) in way of league championship since San Diego (0-5) and Canyon Hills (0-6) figuratively are out to lunch…Hoover has not had winning season since Jerry Ralph coached 10-3 club to D-III championship game in 2014…Will Gray is 10-19 since ‘20 with Cardinals but has local knowledge, having coached Kearny to 34-25 record from ’15-19…Jeremy Stump is 12-16 as Gray’s successor….
COASTAL
La Jolla Country Day (5-1), @The Bishop’s (2-3).
Tyler Hales is 66-43 since replacing Jeff Hutzler in 2014 but Torreys are 0-8 against The Bishop’s, including 37-21 loss to Knights when Torreys were DV-A state finalist in ’16…’Day’s only loss is 48-26 in opener to Chula Vista…it shut down undefeated Army-Navy, 35-6, last week…The Bishop’s, 21-10 under Shane Walton, in his fourth season, seem to be finding stride, winner of last two, 24-13 over Mount Miguel, 35-0 over Classical….
EASTERN
Christian (4-2), @Point Loma (3-3).
The Pointers had been around for 90 years (1926) before they became acquainted with Christian, which opened in 1971…the teams have split four games since the first in 2016 and are aligned as Eastern League brethren after the Pointers jumped from the City loop…Point Loma coach Joel Allen retired in 2019 after posting a 100-35-1 (.739) record in 11 seasons at La Jolla Country Day…Allen quickly unretired when Mike Hastings retired at Point Loma and the Pointers are 17-12 with Allen since ’20…Christian is 10-7 under Patrick Bugg since ’22….
John Maffei’s Week 7 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-HiOTHERS RECEIVING VOTES Del Norte (4-1, 24 points), St. Augustine (3-3, 12), Brawley (5-0, 11), La Jolla Country Day (5-1, 4), West Hills (4-1, 4), Torrey Pines (3-2, 3), Christian (4-2, 2), Mount Miguel (5-1, 1), Imperial (5-1, 1), Mission Bay (5-1, 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
Brawley, which couldn’t travel over the mountains during the big storm in the season’s first week, has rescheduled its game at Scripps Ranch this week…El Camino evened its classic North County rivalry with neighboring Oceanside at 25 wins each with a bragging rights, 49-8 win over the Pirates…schools are located four miles apart…with Army-Navy losing to La Jolla Country Day, five teams remain undefeated: Brawley and the Section’s D-I big 4, Lincoln, Carlsbad, Granite Hills, and Helix….
2023 Week 5: Can Army-Navy Do It?
The Army and Navy Academy, which has graduated future officers and gentlemen since 1910, won its fourth straight game last week, 55-0, over Francis Parker in the Coastal League opener and has not allowed a point this season, rampaging to consecutive blowouts of at least 40 points.
But it will be a huge underdog this week against an old nemesis, if previous scores mean anything.
La Jolla Country Day, 4-1, has won eight in a row from the Warriors since 2009 by combined scores of 373-53. It was 47-10 in their last meeting in 2021, which followed knockouts of 60-3 in ’19 and 61-0 in ’16.
A win over ‘Day would make the cadets 5-0 for the first time since 2012 and for only the fifth time in academy history, others in the seasons of 1920, ‘87, and ’90.
Army-Navy, 9-2 in 2022, joined the more competitive Coastal loop this season after a year in the Sunset League and from 2007-21 in the Pacific.
FATHER AND SON
Coach and athletic director Nehemiah Brunson took over the program in 2015 and was 18-36 through ‘20 but 19-7 in the last two-plus seasons, helped in part by his son, Nehemiah, Jr., who has scored six touchdowns and intercepted three passes this year.
Landon Schrom has scored five touchdowns and Tonton Drobny four. Xavier Leatherman is averaging more than eight tackles a game, according to Max Preps, which ranks the Warriors 39th in the San Diego Section and 406th in the state. La Jolla Country Day is 26th and 271st.
John Maffei’s Week 6 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-HiOTHERS RECEIVING VOTES Del Norte (4-1, 8 points), Army-Navy (4-0, 4), Oceanside (3-2, 3), La Jolla Country Day (4-1, 2), Chula Vista (4-1, 1).
VOTING PANEL
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).
