Nonleague and intersectional games just about out of the way, 16 of the San Diego Section’s 19 leagues swing into action this week.
The Eastern, Metro Pacific and Metro South Bay tee up next week.
El Camino, 5-0, for the first time since 2000 in the days when Herb Meyer had the Wildcats on an 18-game winning streak, takes on La Costa Canyon, at 4-1, same as in 2014 before a 9-5 loss to El Camino signaled a flattening out to 6-6.
El Camino finished with a 10-3 record in 2000, unequaled since. Â The winner of this Avocado West opener will feel pretty good about itself as it points to a late-season game with Oceanside.
The Pirates, 4-1 in their first season since 1988 without coach John Carroll holding sway, visit Mission Hills (5-0) in the annual, nonleague Battle of Highway 78.
Oceanside has come along well since a 49-13Â loss to Washington power Sammamish Eastside Catholic in the season’s second game. Â First-year coach Dave Rodriguez rallied the Pirates to victories over San Pasqual, Temecula Chaparral, and Rancho Buena Vista.
Westview should determine whether its contending or pretending, taking its 5-0 record  to Rancho Bernardo, which is 4-1 and the probable favorite in the Palomar circuit.
The Union-Tribiune poll this week revealed promising  matchups:  No. 1 Mission Hills and 3 Oceanside,  5 El Camino and 6 La Costa Canyon, and 7 Westview and  8 Rancho Bernardo.
DONS ON LONG TRIP
Cathedral has one more intersectional on its schedule, this week at Damonte Ranch of Reno, Nevada.
Coach Sean Doyle’s Dons are 3-3, with all losses to Cal-Hi Sports‘ state-ranked teams.
The Damonte Mustangs are 1-4, losing to Carson City Carson, 17-14; Â Reno, 14-13; Placer of Auburn, California, 41-26, and Sparks Edward Reed, 58-39. Â Damonte defeated Reno North Valleys, 52-6.
Week 7 poll, after six weeks of games:
| # | Team (1st place votes) | Points | W-L | Previous |
| 1. | Â Mission Hills (18) | 233 | 5-0 | 1 |
| 2. | Helix (6) | 219 | 3-1 | 2 |
| 3. | Oceanside | 174 | 4-1 | 4 |
| 4. | St. Augustine | 171 | 4-2 | 3 |
| 5. | El Camino | 141 | 5-0 | 5 |
| 6. | La Costa Canyon | 109 | 4-1 | 6 |
| 7. | Westview | 76 | 5-0 | 8 |
| 8. | Rancho Bernardo | 69 | 4-1 | 7 |
| 9. | Cathedral | 54 | 3-3 | 10 |
| 10. | Grossmont | 45 | 5-0 | NR |
NR–Not rated. Points awarded on basis of 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1.
Others receiving votes (record & points in parenthesis): Madison (3-2, 19), Mission Bay (5-0, 8), Mater Dei  (4-1, 5), Eastlake (2-4, 5),  5 each; Mt. Carmel (3-1, 3), Bonita Vista (3-2, 2), San Marcos (3-2, 1), Christian (3-2, 1),  Valhalla (4-1, 1).
24 Media and CIF representatives vote each week: John Maffei (U-T San Diego), Steve Brand, Terry Monahan, Don Norcross, Jim Lindgren, Tom Saxe, Rick Hoff (U-T San Diego correspondents), Bill Dickens, Chris Davis (East County Sports.com), Steve (Biff) Dolan,  (Mountain Country 107.9 FM), John (Coach) Kentera, Ted Mendenhall, Bob Petinak (The Mighty 1090), Rick Willis, Brandon Stone (KUSI-TV), Rick Smith (partletonsports.com), Jerry Schniepp, John Labeta (CIF San Diego Section), Bodie DeSilva (sandiegopreps.com), Drew Smith (sdcoastalsports.com), Lisa Lane (San Diego Preps Insider), Raymond Brown (sdfootball.net), R. Pena, C. Smith and Montell Allen (MBASports-SDFNL Magazine).
SAINTS FALL SHORT AGAIN
Strong Vista Murietta hung on for a 36-34 victory over St. Augustine, the Saints’ second intersectional loss. Â The other was 23-20 to state-ranked Los Angeles Loyola.
St. Augustine dug itself an 0-14 hole in the first quarter, got close at 17-14, fell behind, 36-21, and battled back with a chance at a two-point conversion that would have tied the game with 4 seconds remaining.
Saints coach Richard Sanchez took a stand.
Sanchez benched a star running back and several others in the first quarter after the players missed a scheduled school event.  Sanchez last year did not dress two of his best players at Loyola after they were disciplined for engaging in a “food fight”.
Young men will be young men.
MISSION HILLS, HELIX MOVE UP AGAIN
When No. 8 Sacramento Grant was beaten last week, the Pacers’ loss was Mission Hills’ and Helix’ gain.
Rankings in Cal-Hi Sports this week had the Grizzlies 14th in the state and Helix 15th. Â St. Augustine, La Costa Canyon, and Oceanside are “on the bubble”.
Any chance you will be doing a story on Rick Hill? We would love to pass on information on Rick’s life to the Highlander and high school sports families that he cared so much about.
Thanks,
Damon Chase
Helix AD
I’m going to write something this weekend. Red’s memorial yesterday at Qualcomm was well attended. He was a good man, known by all in San Diego’s sports community.