It’s said that good teams find ways to win. There’s little doubt the Granite Hills Eagles are a good team, and they continue to find ways to win.
The three-time defending Grossmont Hills League champions improved their early season record to 3-0 after swatting away the host Perry High School Pumas, 27-20, in a nonleague game Saturday in Gilbert, Ariz.
Granite Hills head coach Kellan Cobbs called the venture into the Grand Canyon State a “good team win.”
“Our defense really picked us up as our offense had some turnovers,” Cobbs said.
“Our kicking game really kept us in the game behind a strong performance from Jacob Nunez. He was two-for-two from field-goal range. Also had some key punts to flip field position for us in the game.
“Noah Walker had a big touchdown to start us off. Then Anthony Mattar has battled back from injury and gave us some good yards in the running game. Jesse Wilhite, Jayden Thomas and Kyler Oberg all created turnovers. It was a good road win against a top 15 team from Arizona. Onto Mission Hills.”
Are the Eagles, currently No. 5 in the San Diego Section rankings, jumping from the frying pan into the fire?
The Mission Hills Grizzlies (3-0) entered the week ranked right behind Granite Hills in the section rankings at No. 6. Currently, the Eagles would be the No. 1 team in the Division I playoffs but a loss to the North County power could flip the rankings.
Junior quarterback Zac Benitez passed for 195 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions while junior Anthony Mattar rushed 21 times for 92 yards and two touchdowns. On the receiving end, senior Noah Walker had eight catches for 102 yards and one TD.
The Eagles out-gained the Pumas 395-191 in total yards but the hosts kept the score close. The San Diego County visitors led 17-13 at halftime. Granite Hills out-scored Perry 10-7 in the second half.
The Eagles generated 180 rushing yards on 50 attempts. Junior Davion Williams had 59 yards on 19 carries while Benitez rushed 10 times for 29 yards.
Benitez connected with seven receivers during the non-league encounter. Senior Tristan Diaz had six catches for 40 yards while senor D.J. Wilkins had 19 yards on two catches.
Senior Rocket Demery had one catch for 15 yards. Benitez generated 224 yards in total offense to lead the winners.
Senior Hunter Hamilton led the GH defense with seven tackles while junior Cayden Phillips followed with five stops.
Senior Kyler Oberg had one sack while junior Jesse Wilhite had one interception. Junior Jayden Thomas had one fumble recovery. Oberg punted twice for 31.0-yard average, with a long of 41 yards, while junior Jacob Nunez punted once for 47 yards.
Nunez was two-for-two on field goals, including a 37 yarder.
Benitez has passed for 865 yards with nine touchdowns against two interceptions. Walker leads the team with 238 receiving yards and three scores.
Perry junior Kael Snyder passed for 120 yards with one touchdown and one interception.
The Pumas rushed 19 times for 71 yards.
Cougar country
Steele Canyon kept pace with league rival Granite Hills with last Friday’s 35-9 non-league win against the host Morse Tigers. Junior Gavin Caha passed for 213 yards and two touchdowns while junior Abel Lopez (11 carries, 56 yards) scored two rushing touchdowns.
Seniors Josiah Stocker (five catches, 108 yards) and Jacob Henton (four catches, 86 yards) each caught one touchdown pass. Stocker also scored on a 60-yard punt return.
The Cougars (3-0) play at Rancho Christian (1-2) this Friday.
Ride ’em cowboy
The El Capitan Vaqueros rounded up their first win of the season with a 17-14 nonleague decision over the Chula Vista Spartans in a game played last Friday at Olympian High School.
The victory erased two shutout losses to start the season for the Lakeside team.
Senior Logan Dulyea (two catches, 47 yards) and sophomore Michael Castillo (16 carries, 106 yards) each scored touchdowns while junior Ryder Powers added a 32-yard field goal as the difference in the game.
Junior Michael Valencia II led El Cap receivers with five catches for 72 yards.
The Vaquero defense recorded four sacks (one each by seniors Brewin Ford and Joshua Vasquez and juniors Ethan Soule and Kash Ludlum) and one interception (Powers).
Ford keyed the defense with a team-high 13 tackles.
El Capitan hosts winless Bonita Vista (0-3) this Friday at 7 p.m.
