It’s beginning to sound like a broken record: “Redhawks win! Redhawks win!” But that’s just fine with Mountain Empire head football coach Cameron Keller.
The Redhawks improved to 6-1 on the season, 3-0 in Sunset League play, following last Friday afternoon’s 29-3 victory at O’Farrell Charter, the team’s third consecutive win.
“Proud of the way we played tonight — unselfish disciplined football,” head coach Cameron Keller said.
Junior Chance Ross, who passed for more than 100 yards, scored on a rushing touchdown while sophomore Elisha Lashone Robinson rushed for 80 yards and tacked on a rushing score.
Senior Michael Noble had a receiving touchdown while senior Junior Ponce forced a fumble, scooped up the ball and scored a defensive touchdown. The Falcons’ only points of the game came on a fumble off a kick-off.
Mountain Empire is alone in first place in the league standings entering this weekend’s bye week. The Redhawks are chased by the Maranatha Christian Eagles at 2-0 in league, 5-1 overall, and the Victory Christian Knights at 2-1 in league play, 2-4 overall.
The Rock Academy is 2-2 in league, 3-3 overall, while O’Farrell Charter is 1-1 in league, 2-4 overall. Tri-City Christian (0-6 overall) and Foothills Christian (0-7 overall) bring up the rear in the seventeam league with 0-3 league records.
Each league champion receives automatic entry into the upcoming San Diego Section playoffs.
The Redhawks have already beaten Victory Christian and TCC in league play.
Mountain Empire is currently ranked No. 3 among the 10 designated team in the Division V-AA tier. The exact number of playoff qualifiers has yet to be announced by the section, though six teams participated last year.
The Redhawks return to the gridiron Oct. 17 against Maranatha Christian in a game that could determine this year’s league champion.
Mountain Empire hosts Rock Academy (currently 3-3) and closes out regular season play at Foothills Christian (currently 0-7).
Calipatria, which is currently ranked fifth in the division, won last year’s Division V-AA championship with a 44-425 victory over third-seeded Coastal Academy.
Mountain Empire defeated Calipatria, 28-22, in overtime in non-league play earlier this year. Things are looking advantageous but it’s not over.
“We know the job isn’t finished yet, and we have our toughest test next game against Maranatha,” Keller said. “We’re on a bye this week and look to get healthy and prep for them.”
MAGIC SEVEN
The countdown is on! Eight tackle football teams remain undefeated through the opening seven weeks of regular season play. The object is a perfect 10-0 record.
The Steele Canyon Cougars are closing in on that magic mark at 7-0 following last Friday’s 35-14 win over the visiting El Capitan Vaqueros in the Grossmont Hills League opener for both teams.
The league opener expected to be hard-fought and it was with both teams tied 7-7 at halftime in front of a homecoming crowd.
Sophomore quarterback Hayden Passanisi hit senior Logan Dulyea (three catches, 52 yards) on a 34-yard scoring pass for El Capitan while junior Abel Lopez (scored on a 14-yard rushing play for the hosts.
The game opened up in the third quarter as the Vaqueros took the lead on a 63-yard catch and sprint by senior Spencer Chastang. But the Cougars answered immediately on a fiveyard pass from junior Gavin Caha to junior Malcolm Ballard for a 14-14 tie.
The rest would be all Steele Canyon as junior Sebastian Castellon recovered a fumble and returned it 33 yards for a touchdown and Caha connected with seniors Josiah Stocker (four catches, 80 yards) and Noah De Arcos (six catches, 55 yards) for late touchdowns to close out the game.
Caha passed for 238 yards with three touchdowns and one interception. Junior Marcus Hunt had one carry for 37 yards while junior Trevor Zenno had three catches for 46 yards.
Junior Maui Farrera also had a fumble recovery for Steele Canyon. Senior Ace Woolf contributed five kicking points.
The loss to the Cougars snapped a four-game winning streak for El Capitan, which next plays at Helix this Friday at 7:15 p.m.
Steele Canyon is idle until an Oct. 17 date at Mt. Miguel, which defeated visiting Helix,
