Half the regular season is complete for all but a handful of teams and Helix has emerged as the front runner for the longest postseason.
The Highlanders arrived at this juncture after having beaten No. 2 Cathedral and No. 3 St. Augustine, which followed a surprising, overtime loss to Utah’s Herriman West Herriman.
The loss to Herriman in Week 2 did not go over well in the foothills community. Helix had beaten the same team, 35-0, in 2017.
But Herriman is formidable.
The Mustangs are 6-1, ranked third in the state and 48th in the country, according to Max Preps (Helix is 50th). Herriman’s only loss was 21-0 to Draper Corner Canyon, Utah’s No. 1 and Max Preps’ U.S. No. 13.
10 SEASONS OF EXCELLENCE
The Highlanders embark on Grossmont Hills league play against El Capitan this week, flush with the knowledge that history is on the Highlanders’ side.
The Scots are 43-2 in league play in this decade, with only a 24-17 defeat to El Cap in 2014 and a 22-21 loss to Steele Canyon in 2018.
Since the advent of the Grossmont League and its ensuing incarnations in 1960, Helix has won or tied for first in 31 of the 59 seasons, including 15 since the turn of the century.
GOOD VIBES
–Montgomery, if it defeats Sweetwater after a bye this week, will clinch a 16th winning season in the 50 the school has played since opening in 1970.
The Aztecs’ 5-1 record has been bettered only by the 6-0 of the 1982 John DeVore-coached squad and equaled by DeVore’s 1979 team.
–Castle Park’s 6-0 start is the best since 1996 and matches similar achievements in 1982, ’75, ’74, ’69, and ’68.
The Trojans will face several obstacles before they have a piece of the school record.
Coach Gil Warren’s 1996 squad used that 6-0 start and rolled to a 13-0 record, including a 37-10 win over Carlsbad in the San Diego Section finals.
–San Diego Southwest’s first foray into overtime was a success after 432 games, dating to its first in 1977.
The Raiders spotted Clairemont a 21-0 lead in the first half but battled back to tie, 21-21, and win in the first extra session, 27-24. Ray Flores, ran 12 yards for a touchdown after the Chieftains settled for a field goal in the opening possession.
NOT SO GOOD VIBES
–Never, in a storied history that began in 1947, has Chula Vista reached this point with an 0-6 record.
The Spartans were 0-5-1 in 2005, 1962, and ’58.
–Eastlake never has been 1-5 and coach John McFadden, 131-49-4 in 15-plus seasons, is on a mandated leave.
The San Diego Union-Tribune Week 6 poll:
Points on 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis.
First-place votes in parenthesis. NR–Not ranked. *Includes forfeit loss.
| RANK | TEAM | RECORD | POINTS | PREVIOUS |
| 1. | Helix | 4-1 | 310 | 1 |
| 2. | Cathedral | 5-1 | 274 | 3 |
| 3. | St. Augustine | 4-1 | 253 | 2 |
| 4. | Carlsbad | 4-1 | 211 | 4 |
| 5. | Steele Canyon | 5-0 | 187 | 5 |
| 6. | Oceanside | 4-1 | 132 | 8 |
| 7. | Lincoln | 4-1 | 103 | 7 |
| 8. | Mission Hills | 3-2 | 70 | 9 |
| 9. | Madison | 3-2 | 55 | NR |
| 10. | Torrey Pines | 3-2 | 23 | 10 |
Others receiving votes: La Costa Canyon (3-2, 22 points), Grossmont (4-1, 22), Vista (3-2*, 14.), Granite Hills (3-1, 8), Scripps Ranch (5-0), The Bishop’s (5-0), & La Jolla Country Day (4-1), 3 points each.
Voting panel of 31 sportswriters, sportscasters, various County football honchos:
- John Maffei, San Diego Union-Tribune
- Jim Lindgren, Rick Hoff, Terry Monahan, Don Norcross, Thomas Gutierrez, freelance contributors.
- Paul Rudy, Brandon Stone,Ted Mendenhall, KUSI Chl. 51
- Adam Paul, ECpreps.com
- Ramon Scott, EastCountySports.com
- Bodie DeSilva, sandiegopreps.com
- Taylor Quellman, The Mighty 1090
- Steve Brand, San Diego Hall of Champions
- Troy Hirsch, Kaylyn McMakin, Tabitha Lipkin, Fox 5, San Diego
- Rick Smith, PartletonSports.com
- Jerry Schniepp, John Labeta, Ron Marquez, CIF San Diego Section
- Joe Heinz, Coordinator, Athletics, Sweetwater School District
- Raymond Brown, sdfootball.net
- Bob Petinak, free lance.
- John Kentera, Brandon Suprenant, 97.3 FM The Fan
- Steve (Biff) Dolan, Mountain Country 107.9 FM
- Mike Dolan, John Carroll, San Diego Section Tournament Directors.
- Christian Pederson, SoCal Prep Insider.
- Joe Heinz, Athletics Director, Sweetwater School District.
- Eric Williams, WBK Sports/San Diego Friday Night Lights Magazine.
AS OTHERS IN CALIFORNIA SEE SAN DIEGO’S TOP 10
| Team | Record | Cal.Preps.Com | Max Preps | Cal-Hi Sports |
| Helix | 4-1 | 59.6/55.1 | 9/13 | 9/0 |
| Cathedral | 5-1 | 64.2/67.7 | 6/5 | 17/18 |
| St. Augustine | 4-1 | 48.3/47.5 | 21/23 | 21/22 |
| Carlsbad | 4-1 | 38.1/37.5 | 39/37 | 42/42 |
| Steele Canyon | 5-0 | 35.8/34.6 | 44/49 | Bubble/Bubble |
| Oceanside | 4-1 | 32.9/30.9 | 60/65 | Bubble/Bubble |
| Lincoln | 4-1 | 28/29.6 | 81/68 | Bubble/Bubble |
| Mission Hills | 3-2 | 27.1/26.3 | 89/83 | NR |
| Madison | 3-2 | 29.3 | 74 | NR |
| Torrey Pines | 3-2 | 25.1/24.9 | 101/92 | NR |
The second numbers or score in the three columns to the right represent last week’s ranking. Cal Preps.com and Max Preps ratings are based on computer algorithms. Cal-Hi Sports ratings are product of publisher Mark Tennis’ eye test and information from Tennis’ correspondents throughout the state..
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