Two of the San Diego Section’s most enduring rivalries were on display.

San Diego and Hoover met for 73^rd time,  Helix and Grossmont for the 70^th.

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….

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.

San Diego High’s 1955 championship involved one of the epic games in Southern Section history.

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.

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 23^rd 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 17^th 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-Hi  OTHERS 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….

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 39^th in the San Diego Section and 406^th in the state.  La Jolla Country Day is 26^th and 271^st.

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-Hi  OTHERS 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).
• Will Torrez (Valley Sports Network).
• Tom Ronco  (Imperial Valley Press).
• Raymond Brown  (SDfootball.net).
• Tom Helmantoler (Southern Conference Advisor).
• Max Preps.

Carlsbad cut into Lincoln’s first place lead in the Union-Tribune poll for a second straight week and had 13 No. 1 votes to the Hornets’ 17.

Lincoln had 19 first-place votes two weeks ago but lost ground again despite a 54-19 win over declining state Division II-AA champion Mater Dei, while Carlsbad crowned Queen Creek Castille, the number 8 team in Arizona from the traditionally tough Phoenix-Mesa area, 49-9.

Helix, rapidly ascending, stayed fourth in the San Diego voting but has climbed to 19 in the human eyes of non-computer Cal-Hi Sports.

Lincoln gets another Southern Section test at home  week against usually tough San Bernardino Cajon (3-0).  Carlsbad is a big favorite over Ramona

Helix seeks its fifth win in a row at Cathedral, 1-3 and coming off a 35-28 loss to San Francisco St. Ignatius in the Bay Area.  A better idea could result in how far Helix has come and how far Cathedral has fallen.

John Maffei’s Week 5 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  OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES
Mount Miguel (4-0, 16 points), San Marcos (3-1, 7), El Capitan (3-1, 5), Del Norte (3-1, 3), Mission Bay (4-0, 2), Oceanside (2-2, 2), Poway (3-1, 2), Ramona (2-1, 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).
• Will Torrez (Valley Sports Network).
• Tom Ronco  (Imperial Valley Press).
• Raymond Brown  (SDfootball.net).
• Tom Helmantoler (Southern Conference Advisor).
• Max Preps.

A month ago, before the games, Lincoln and Carlsbad were the likely candidates for a destination game in the Open Division playoffs, well into November.

The Hornets and Lancers have not disappointed, 6-0 combined with impressive wins against intersectional rivals.

It’s too early to rule out other contenders, but Cathedral, after an early rout of Mater Dei, has lost two intersectionals; Madison dropped  a 22-20 decision to El Dorado Oak Ridge from the Sacramento-area Sierra Foothills league, arguably the strongest in Northern California, and Mission Hills has lost to heralded Granite Hills, which struggled before pulling out a 24-21 victory over St. Augustine.

Then there is Helix, which opened the season ranked a telescopic-distance 88th in the state by Max Preps, had a low CalPreps index (13.7) ,wasn’t noticed by Cal-Hi Sports, and was No.8 in the Union-Tribune poll. The Highlanders are 3-0 after wins of 38-34 over Huntington Beach Edison, 45-21 over St. Francis of Mountain View, and 30-21 over Red Mountain of Mesa, Arizona.

Coach Damaja Jones’ Scots get another big test this week at No. 4 Madison.

EAGLES FINALLY TAKE FLIGHT

Granite Hills, 82-38 since 2013 under coach Kellen Cobbs, who weathered a 1-9 inaugural, 2012 campaign and are defending state Division II-AA champions, had to score a very late touchdown after leading, 17-7, and then survived a missed field goal in the last seconds to edge up-and-coming St. Augustine last week.

Ron Gladnick, 5-7 in 2014 at Clairemont, and 38-22 from 2016-’21 at Torrey Pines, was hired by St. Augustine last season after the Saints had fallen to 2-9 in ’21 and made a coaching change.  Gladnick is from Long Island, N.Y., and attended Hillsborough College in Michigan.

A group of us were having lunch at Pete’s, on 30th Street and Upas, during the preseason.  Gladnick came in and picked up an order of takeout lunches for all his coaches.  Gladnick’s coaching stipend reportedly goes to his assistants.

John Maffei’s Week 4 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  OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES
San Marcos (3-0, 27 points), El Capitan (3-0, 16), Ramona (2-0, 7), Mater Dei (0-2, 4), Mount Miguel (3-0, 3).

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).
• Will Torrez (Valley Sports Network).
• Tom Ronco  (Imperial Valley Press).
• Raymond Brown  (SDfootball.net).
• Tom Helmantoler (Southern Conference Advisor).
• Max Preps.

IT’S IN THE GENES

Stephen Michael Cota, Jr.,  is St. Augustine’s deep snapper on punts, plays on special teams and is a safety on defense, contributing to the legacy of a remarkable athletic family.

Stephen’s grandfather, Ron Cota, was a first team all-San Diego Section center and linebacker for St. Augustine in 1961 and Stephen’s  father was a second team all-section linebacker on Benny Edens’ 13-0 Point Loma team in 1987.

THERE ARE MORE

Uncle Bob Cota played for coach Robert (Bull) Trometter at University in 1969 and cousin Adrian Bueno was a free safety for Point Loma a decade ago. Uncle Charlie Cota set a record of 12 feet and tied for first in the Southern Section Class B  pole vault finals for Kearny in 1953.  Uncle Paul Cota ran the 880 and mile at St. Augustine in 1958 and uncle Richard Cota was the Eastern League champion in the in the mile with a best time of 4:26.8 in 1964.

The Cota brothers and many of their relatives also attended St. Charles Borromeo parochial school.  Paul, Richard, and Ron helped their civil engineer father Paul Cota design and install a track and field oval at St. Augustine in the early ‘sixties.