CIF bosses approved a fifth division for playoffs.

“Those who worried that five playoff divisions would take some of the glitter off league races needed to be in the stands at Christian and San Diego High this past weekend,” wrote Steve Brand before the start of the postseason.

“When Christian beat Our Lady of Peace there was genuine exhilaration from the Christian girls,” continued Brand.  “You’d have thought they won the state title again.”

Same at a boys game featuring the Cavers and St. Augustine, pointed out Brand, endorsing the added playoff grouping and contending that league titles were as important as ever.

The Palomar League produced all 4 Division1 playoff semifinalists. Power  was in the North County.

Come the Southern California regionals, only Lincoln enjoyed an extended stay.  Area teams were 1-8 in first-round games.

With apologies to the Surfaris and their early-1960’s hit, the playoffs were a collective “wipeout” for San Diego’s best.

BOYS PLAYOFFS

FIRST ROUND

D-I

Mt. Carmel 63, @San Diego (13-8) 42.

Morse (7-16) 65, @Poway 86.

Montgomery (9-18) 41, @Rancho Bernardo 82.

Mira Mesa (12-13) 60, @Rancho Buena Vista 79.

San Dieguito 54, @Fallbrook (15-13) 51.

Granite Hills (4-18) 76, @Chula Vista 93.

The Spartans bettered their season average of 80.9 points a game.

Bonita Vista (4-21) 57, @Vista 138. 

The No. 1-seed Panthers reached 100 points with a minute left in the third quarter and won their 21^st straight.  Shane Jager (30) and Kyle Duport (28) led the carnage.

Vista came close to the one-game record set in 1991-92 by La Jolla Country day in a 143-60 romp over Mountain Empire.

Southwest (9-16) 72, @San Marcos 81.

D-II

Patrick Henry (14-11) 69, @Carlsbad 79.

Grossmont (13-11) 58, @Kearny 64.

El Capitan (17-10) 45, @Monte Vista 76.

Hilltop (8-16) 48, @Valhalla 78.

Castle Park (12-12) 47, @Serra 72.

Point Loma (8-15) 49, @Helix 67.

Mount Miguel (8-18) 52 @Torrey Pines 58.

Mar Vista (9-15) 50, @El Camino 97.

D-V

Lutheran (13-10) 66, @Marian 86.

Calvin Christian (7-14) 57, @Santa Fe Christian 88.

La Jolla Country Day (7-17) 49, @Tri-City 72.

Army-Navy (9-10) 46, @Francis Parker 50.

Horizon 35, @The Bishop’s 90.

Calexico Vincent Memorial 74, Julian (16-8) 71.

QUARTERFINALS

D-I

San Dieguito (12-15) 59, @Poway 66.

Rancho Buena Vista 58, @Rancho Bernardo (16-11) 54.

San Marcos (15-13) 76, @Vista 99.

Mt. Carmel 64, @Chula Vista (26-2) 61.

D-II

Carlsbad 66, @Valhalla (21-8) 53.

Torrey Pines (18-13) 65, @El Camino 78.

Helix (17-7) 50, @Serra 56, OT.

Kearny (20-5) 43, @Monte Vista 49.

D-III

Crawford (3-19) 54, @University 74.

Madison (9-14) 63, @St. Augustine 84.

La Jolla (13-11) 50, @Santana 53.

Ramona (10-12) 43, @Oceanside 64.

D-IV

Eastlake 75, @Coronado (10-16) 74.

D-V

Marian (9-14) 65, @Calipatria 75.

Tri-City (13-11) 47, @Santa Fe Christian 66.

Francis Parker 40, @Christian (19-6) 34.

Calexico Vincent Memorial (10-10) 50, @The Bishop’s 54.

SEMIFINALS

D-I

3 Poway 74, Mt. Carmel (12-15) 50.

The Titans virtually were playing at home before 2,400 persons at neighboring Ranch Bernardo

The game was the second half a doubleheader and a capacity turnout was guaranteed when the opponent also was close-by Mt. Carmel.

Andy Davis scored 23 points and had 11 rebounds as Poway moved out to a 40-21 halftime lead.

1 Vista 60, 4 Rancho Buena Vista (19-11) 57.

Carlsbad 79, 2 Serra (23-3) 53.

The loss ended a 14-game winning streak for the Conquistadors.

D-II

1 El Camino 69, 4 Monte Vista 62 (20-7). 

The Wildcats trailed by 11 points late in the third quarter, when Chris Dade, sitting with 4 personal fouls, was called on by coach Ray Johnson and scored 13 points in the final 8:30, finishing with 19.

“We just needed to survive the third quarter (a 25-11 Monte Vista run) without him,” said Johnson.

D-III

Santana (13-11) 50, @St. Augustine 53.

Oceanside (14-14) 38, @University 39.

D-IV

Holtville (12-10) 52, @Clairemont 58.

John Brady and Will Gray each scored 21 points and the Chieftains drained 11 three-point shots.  “Good thing we were nailing those threes,” said coach Greg Lee.

Lincoln 129, Eastlake 38, @Hoover.

Lincoln, which averaged 78.8 points during the regular season, got started with a 33-7, first-quarter run and closed with 40 points in the fourth as Eastlake committed 15 of its 41 turnovers. Twelve Hornets scored, six in double figures, led by Chester Mangum’s 27.

The 129 total was sixth highest in County history.

Eastlake, which opened months before, played a junior varsity schedule during the regular season.

D-V

3 Santa Fe Christian 39, the Bishop’s (23-4) 37.

4 Calipatria 44, Francis Parker (14-13) 43.

CHAMPIONSHIP

D-I

1 Vista 64, 3 Poway 52.

The Panthers’ championship was their first since defeating Fallbrook for the small-schools title in the 1962.

Poway had won the last two D-I championships and trailed only 49-48 before Vista closed with a 13-4 push.

1 El Camino 77, Carlsbad 62 (24-4).

Football Parade Magazine all-America Bryant Westbrook had 12 points and 11 rebounds and the Wildcats blew open the game with a 16-0 run in the first quarter.

Carlsbad rallied with a 14-2 streak in the third quarter to close to 48-39, but Westbrook halted the Lancers with a basket that returned the double-digit lead.

D-III

St. Augustine 62, University 46.

The somnolent Saints, trailing, 39-36, awakened and blitzed the Dons with a 26-7 fourth quarter.  Jelani McCoy scored 20 points and added 10 rebounds and seven blocked shots.

D-IV 

Lincoln 88, Clairemont 58.

Lincoln won its sixth consecutive championship and third straight division title over Clairemont, which led the Hornets, 28-25, midway through the second quarter.

“Sometimes it’s hard to get our kids up for these games,” said Hornets coach Ron Loneski, whose team had beaten the Chieftains, 96-49, in the regular season.

The Hornets’ five starters scored from 12 to 14 points each.

D-V

4 Calipatria 49, 3 Santa Fe Christian 41.

The Hornets won their second straight title in their eighth consecutive visit to the Sports Arena, despite missing Referral Simpson, a 20-point scorer as a sophomore who transferred to Hemet West Valley.

Guillermo Zendejas paced the Hornets with 20 points.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL

QUARTERFINALS

D-I

Poway (25-5) 65, @Santa Ana Mater Dei (32-1) 88.

Huntington Beach (29-4) 81, @Vista 55 (28-3).

Future NFL All-Pro tight end Tony Gonzalez led the Oilers with 18 points and 17 rebounds. 

Vista, which averaged 83 points a game in the regular season, had one run of 13-4 in the third quarter that provided temporary relief and some hope for the standing-room home crowd.

D-II

Lakewood Artesia (26-4) 67, @El Camino 64 (25-5).   

“We put everyone on him,” said El Camino coach Ray Johnson to Ed Graney of The San Diego Union.  “A great player.  We’re tired of seeing him.”

The object of Johnson’s praise was 6-foot 7-inch Charles O’Bannon, who scored 28 points and had nine rebounds, dished five assists, and slammed four dunks.

The highlight and the definitive O’Bannon contribution was a three-point play with one second left in the game.

El Camino came the closest in this third Regional matchup in the last four seasons against Artesia.  The Wildcats did it after trailing by 15 points with 3:57 left in the third quarter.

WILDCATS TAKE LEAD

Artesia’s lead was down to one entering the fourth quarter and El Camino held a 64-62 advantage inside two minutes.

Artesia’s Shawn Caracoza tied the score and then, back on defense, O’Bannon forced a change of direction of an El Camino shot and blocked a second attempt, giving Artesia the ball with 37 seconds left.

The Pioneers dribbled and passed until there were seven seconds remaining, then gave the ball to O’Bannon, who scored on a 10-foot, baseline jumper and was fouled and converted a free throw.

“We never went away from what we do best,” Johnson said to Graney of his team’s man-to-man defense and up-tempo offense.

The coach shrugged.  “They beat us, but we gave them hell,” he said.

Carlsbad (24-5) 55, @Riverside North (31-0) 65.

Kewan Shariff kept the Lancers in the game with 26 points.

D-III

University (16-9) 56, @South Torrance (27-3) 72.

Sherman Oaks Notre Dame (25-6) 70, @St. Augustine (20-8) 58.

The Saints cut a 15-point halftime deficit to three points but faded. Jelani McCoy led them with 20 points.

D-IV

Clairemont (10-18) 45, @Gardena Serra (23-7) 112.

The top-seeded Cavaliers fattened their lead with a 22-0 run in the first half.

Playa del Rey Sr. Bernard (13-16) 76, @Lincoln 90.

The Hornets were breezing, 53-28, at the half, but the visitors were pressing, 79-71, with 2:01 left.

We got very complacent,” claimed Lincoln coach Ron Loneski.

D-V

L.A. Bel Air Prep (18-9) 61, @Calipatria 65.

The Hornets never trailed, buzzing with Guillermo Zendejas’ 15 points, including four from deep.

@Palos Verdes Chadwick 64, Santa Fe Christian (20-10) 50.

SEMIFINALS

D-V

Bakersfield Garces Memorial (21-9) 58, @Lincoln 70.

Joe Evans scored 33 points and told Ed Graney of the Union, “I felt it.  I was at home (before the game) and began meditating….”

D-V

Palos Verdes Chadwick (24-9) 68, Calipatria (17-9) 48, @Imperial Valley Community College.

REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

Gardena Serra (25-7) 69, Lincoln (29-5) 67, @Cal State-Dominguez Hills.

A beef behind the Lincoln bench as the game ended resulted in both teams not being present to accept postgame rewards.

Lincoln botched an inbound play with 18 seconds left and the score tied at 67.  Serra promptly turned the ball over.  Lincoln then turned the ball over again.

Serra got the ball inside, where it accumulated 46 of its 69 points and the Cavaliers’ Akeli Jackson scored with three seconds to go.

Lincoln was 6×16 from the free-throw line, missing the front ends of five 1-and-1 opportunities, and committed 30 turnovers.

“We’re a better team than Serra,” said coach Ron Loneski.  “They didn’t beat us; we beat ourselves.”

GIRLS PLAYOFFS

FIRST ROUND

DIVISION I

Sweetwater (5-12) 18, @Rancho Bernardo 114.

Mt. Carmel 66, @San Diego (14-9) 61, 3 OT.

Granite Hills (6-20) 26, @Morse 53.                                                        

San Dieguito (8-18) 45, @Chula Vista 49.

Allison Hines’ 3×4 free throws in the final 1:30 to go with 22 points, seven assists, and five steals got the Spartans to the finish line.                                                                                                             

Orange Glen (11-15) 39, @Bonita Vista 52.

San Marcos (7-16) 28, @Poway 77.

Fallbrook 39, @Mira Mesa (17-8) 29.

D-II

Torrey Pines (12-13) 48, @Kearny 56.

Hilltop (12-12) 30, @El Capitan 52.

Mount Miguel (13-10) 41, @Escondido 59.

Castle Park (13-13) 61, @Grossmont 79.

San Pasqual 54, @El Cajon Valley (16-7) 47.

Patrick Henry (8-14) 27, @Carlsbad 67.

Valhalla (9-19) 47, @University City 62.                                                                                       

Mission Bay 55, @El Camino (15-9) 47.

Adia Barnes led the way for the Buccaneers with 22 points, 16 rebounds, and five steals.

D-III

Crawford 40 (3-19), @Ramona 46.

D-V

Calexico Vincent Memorial 45, @Marian (4-18) 38.

Tri-City (4-12) 17, @Francis Parker 69.

QUARTERFINALS

D-I

Mt. Carmel (11-15) 45, @Rancho Bernardo 63.

Vista (16-10) 50, @Morse 63.

Fallbrook (10-17) 44, @Chula Vista 47.

Bonita Vista (14-10) 49, @Poway 77.

D-II

San Pasqual (12-12) 36, @University City 61.

Mission Bay (11-12) 47, @Carlsbad 66.

Kearny 61, @El Capitan 36 (19-7).

Grossmont 48 (20-6), @Escondido 69.

D-III

Madison (6-16) 29, @University 53.

Ramona (4-18) 51, @Santana 80.

West Hills (3-19) 17, @Our Lady of Peace 67.

Oceanside 47, La Jolla (5-16) 40.

D-IV

Eastlake (17-7), 29, @Clairemont 45.

D-V

Calvin Christian (8-11) 53, @La Jolla Country Day 63.

Calipatria (5-15) 33, @Julian 74.

Calexico Vincent Memorial (12-9) 26, @The Bishop’s 47.

Francis Parker (15-6) 17, @Christian 79.

SEMFINALS

D-I

2 Poway 66, 3 Morse (23-6) 36.

1 Rancho Bernardo 71, 4 Chula Vista (20-7) 40.

D-II

1 Carlsbad 73, Kearny (22-6) 42.

Vanessa Nygaard, sidelined with a broken right ankle in a seven-point December loss to the Komets, led the Lancers with 29 points.

2 University City 60, 3 Escondido (20-6) 59, OT.

Alicia Weihi’s two successful jump shots in overtime were the difference for the Centurions.

D-III

Oceanside (8-17) 34, @Santana 61.

Our Lady of Peace (19-5) 35, @University 39.

D-IV

3 Lincoln 67, vs. 2 Holtville 16-5) 58, @West Hills

4 Clairemont (4-16) 20, @1 Coronado 49

D-V

La Jolla Country Day (10-10) 37, vs. Christian 78, @West Hills.

Alisha Nater pulled down 26 rebounds and Stephanie Shadwell scored 18 points for the Patriots.

2 The Bishop’s (22-3) 68, 3 Julian (19-8) 39.

CHAMPIONSHIP

D-I

Rancho Bernardo 48, Poway 38.

Ratings mean something.  The Cal-Hi Sports 10^th-ranked Broncos topped the No. 20 Lady Titans after losing two of three to Poway during the regular season.

D-II

2 University City 46, 1 Carlsbad 37.

The Centurions hounded Vanessa Nygaard with a 1-1-3 defense and U. City’s 11-0 shutout of the Lancers in the second quarter led to a 20-10 halftime lead.

Nygaard scored 10 points and had seven rebounds but the pressure applied by her defensive escorts resulted in teammates becoming reluctance to pass her the ball.

D-III

University 52, Santana 44.

The Dons stunned No. 1 seed and 26-1 Santana after getting to the finals with a victory over the second seed Our Lady of Peace.

Kathleen Murphy scored 18 points, including 13 in the second half and five in the final 3:30.

DI-V

Coronado 55, Lincoln (11-11) 50.

The sixth consecutive D-IV trip to the finals had the makings of a sixth consecutive defeat for the Islanders, who trailed by 11 points in the first half.

Lincoln’s Shondel Robinson scored 38 points, but Coronado offset Robinson’s performance with a 49-24 advantage in rebounds.

“The happiest I’ve ever been,” rejoiced the Islanders’ Michelle Stevens, who hit a game-clinching free throw in the final seconds after the Hornets took a one-point lead into the final quarter.

D-V

Christian 53, The Bishop’s 48.                                                 

The Patriots’ third straight championship saw them trail until the final six minutes after shooting 29 per cent from the field in the first half and lagging, 34-22.

“Coach (Kenny) Grainger yelled at us, then he left the room and let us think,” said Stephanie Shadwell, who scored 15 of her game-high 22 points in the second half.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL

QUARTERFINALS

Thousand Oaks (30-1) 54, @Rancho Bernardo (25-4) 47. 

Track star Marion Jones also had hoop game. The 5-foot 11-inch senior had 30 points, 18 rebounds, nine blocked shots, and four three-point baskets.

Poway (25-5) 42, @Lynwood (28-0) 58.

D-II

Cerritos Gahr (23-9) 42, @University City 46.

Jenny Gross scored 10 points and had 12 steals and Shannon Colton led with 21 points.

Carlsbad 74, @South Bakersfield (22-4) 58.

Vanessa Nygaard had 24 points and 11 rebounds and the Lancers forced 23 turnovers.

D-III

Lemoore (23-5) 52, @University 61.

The Dons wiped out a 30-21 halftime deficit with an 18-3 sprint starting the third quarter. Leslie Falante held sway with 16 points.

Santana 63, @Fresno Edison (17-8) 44.

Cathy Bass scored 33 points and her sister Michelle posted nine rebounds and seven assists.

“We limited them to one shot in the (21-7) second quarter and took advantage of some fast break opportunities,” said Sultans coach Wade Vickery.

D-IV

Santa Ynez (27-2) 71, @Coronado (18-8) 40.

Lincoln (11-12) 46, @Playa del Rey St. Bernard (26-4) 90.

D-V

Lone Pine (24-5) 40, @Christian 61.

The Bishop’s 38, Lancaster Bethel (19-6) 32.

SEMIFINALS

D-II

3 University City 45, @2 Hacienda Heights Wilson (27-1) 34.

For the third consecutive game U.C. players wore blue, stick-on tattoos of a blue Centurion on their arms and ended Wildcats streaks of 25 wins in a row at home and 17 in the season.

Jennie Gross scored 15 points and added 10 rebounds and six assists and the favored Southern Section team shot only 23 per cent from the field, 12×51.

Carlsbad (23-4) 55, @1 Brea-Olinda 64, OT.

The Lancers led, 51-45, with 3:23 left in regulation time.  Vanessa Nygaard (20 points) and Holly Gerdes (16, plus 8 rebounds) fouled out in overtime.

Brea-Olinda made six, three-point baskets, Carlsbad one.

D-III

Santana (27-2) 59, @Inglewood Morningside (27-2) 68.

The Sultans made it respectable with a 30-13 fourth quarter, but they were outscored in every other period, 17-7, 20-13, and 18-9.

University (17-10), 45, @Costa Mesa (28-4) 67.

 D-V

Pasadena Poly 32 (26-5), @Christian 37.

Stephanie Shadwell scored 10 of her 18 points in the fourth quarter.

“I don’t feel I have to do everything,” said 5-foot, 10-inch freshman Shadwell to writer Steve Brand, “but I don’t mind having the ball at the end of the game.”

Shadwell’s two free throws with 17 seconds left iced it for the Patriots.

The Bishop’s (24-5) 41, @San Luis Obispo Mission Prep (23-6) 56.

REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

D-II

Brea-Olinda (31-2) 45, University City (18-10) 39.

“I never dreamed we’d get this far,” said Centurion coach Steve Vukojevich.  “I was just along for the ride; these girls let me come with them.”

Vukojevich took over the program this season after coaching the football team for the school’s first 11 seasons.

D-V

Christian 48, San Luis Obispo (22-7) 46, @Cal State Dominguez Hills.

The Patriots advanced after Stephanie Shadwell drained an eight-foot jump shot with 37 seconds remaining.

STATE CHAMPIONSHIP                                                         Atherton Sacred Heart (37-0) 59, Christian (24-4) 39.

The Lady Gators led, 11-0, after their first five possessions and concluded a two-year run with a 59-1 record.

 GIRLS SCORING LEADERS

NAME	TEAM	GAMES	POINTS	AVERAGE
Cindy Bass	Santana	29	713	24.6 (3)
Odom	Castle Park	26	668	25.69 (2)
Shondel Robinson	Lincoln	23	602	26.17 (1)
Allison Hines	Chula Vista	27	542	20.08
M. Krause	Kearny	28	541	19.32
Burnside	Oceanside	23	540	23.47 (5)
Reco Edwards	El Cajon Valley	22	521	23.68 (4)
Stacie Terry	El Capitan	25	517	20.68
Adia Barnes	Mission Bay	23	449	19.52
Diamond	Patrick Henry	22	395	17.95

BOYS SCORING LEADERS

Jerome Green	Chula Vista	28	825	29.46 (1)
David Demien	San Dieguito	27	732	25.24 (3)
Shane Jager	Vista	30	705	23.5 (5)
Marty Ellis	Monte Vista	27	691	25.59 (2)
John Brady	Madison	28	654	23.35 (6)
Smalley	Fallbrook	26	633	24.34 (4)
Brian Baum	San Marcos	27	569	21.07 (9)
Kewan Shariff	Carlsbad	28	561	20.03
Jelani McCoy	St. Augustine	27	557	20.63 (10)
Shane Lantz	Madison	25	549	21.96 (7)
Scott Schoenwald	Mt. Carmel	27	546	20.22
Charles	Morse	22	482	21.91 (8)
Silva	San Pasqual	22	429	19.5

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                   

 

 

 

Point Loma canceled its season, hours after the story below was published.

Joel Allen, who quarterbacked Christian to a Division IV championship in 2002 and created a brilliant coaching record at The Bishop’s (11 seasons, 100-39-1 record, .739 winning percentage) had stepped down.

Allen was going to go into business with his brother and was stepping back, but when Mike Hastings suddenly retired after 22 seasons at Point Loma, Allen, a Point Loma resident, stepped back in and became the Pointers’ fourth head coach in the last 75 years.

Talk about stability.

Don Giddings guided the Pointers from 1946-54 and Bennie Edens from 1955-97. Hastings took over in 1998.

The pandemic and and the uncertainty around it virtually emptied the cupboard.  Only 17 players turned out for practice and Point Loma considered opting out of the season, according to John Maffei of The San Diego Union.  “Joel went out and ‘recruited the campus’,” said Maffei and got the roster count up to 27.

Much work lies ahead as the Pointers attempt to negotiate the season, which began with a 64-0 loss to ascendant Lincoln.  The score represented the most decisive shutout in school history, replacing a 55-0 defeat to Coronado in 1929, and were the most points allowed since a 63-7 loss to Helix in 2001.

TOP 10

Cathedral had 14 first place votes and took the top spot in the weekly Union-Tribune poll.  No. 2 was St. Augustine, followed by Lincoln, Carlsbad, Mater Dei, Mission Hills, El Camino, Oceanside, Granite Hills, and Grossmont.

QUICK KICKS

Losing, 19-2, to Mater Dei was Helix’ second loss in a row and marked the first time since losses of 31-14 to Steele Canyon and 31-14 to Valhalla in 2009 that the Scots had lost successive games to teams from the San Diego Section…Santa Fe Christian, with 91 points and Cathedral, with 90, are off to roaring starts but no two-game record…under Nick Ruscetta the Eagles scored 95 in 2004 and 103 in 2009…Cathedral tied its two-game record set in 2008….

 

Comparisons are building for Cathedral.

The Dons are a unanimous No. 1 in The San Diego-Union-Tribune poll and seventh for the second week in a row in the respected Cal-Hi Sports ratings.

At No. 7, Cathedral is at its highest level in the Cal-Hi eye test rankings since the 2016 club finished fifth.  Coach Sean Doyle’s team is ninth in the respective computerized rankings of Max Preps and Cal Preps.com.

I agreed with the Union‘s John  Maffei, who wrote in 2016 that the Dons were the greatest team in the history of the San Diego Section, which began in 1960.

That is an arguable point, but my reasoning was that no team had gone 15-0.  Morse of 1990 and Cathedral of 2008 were 14-0.   This Cathedral team, if it runs the table and possibly is as good as its predecessor, will be unable reach those lofty heights.  The Dons’  season, which we list as 2020,  will end after five games.

At least the Dons and others have gotten the chance to play despite the pandemic and will look forward to a full, 2021 slate beginning in late August

Interestingly, the 2015 and 2020 Cathedral squads have been quarterbacked by the sons of former NFL players who were first-round draft choices.

Tate Haynes (’16) is the offspring of Mike Haynes, a 14-season cornerback with the New England Patriots and Oakland Raiders and a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.  Rick Mirer was an NFL quarterback for 12 seasons and is father of Charlie, the Dons’ 2020 field boss.

Other Cal-Hi selections this week:  16, Lincoln; 18, Mater Dei; 28, Carlsbad; 31, St. Augustine; 39, Mission Hills; 45, Helix.

Additional Max Preps ratings:  21, Carlsbad; 22, Lincoln.

More, from Cal Preps.com:  13, Carlsbad; 18, Lincoln; 22, Mission Hills;  33, St. Augustine; 53, El Camino.

The San Diego Union-Tribune Week 3 poll, following games of the season’s third week:

Points on 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis.

First-place votes in parenthesis. NR–Not ranked.

RANK	TEAM	RECORD	POINTS	PREVIOUS
1.	Cathedral (17)	3-0	170	1
2.	Carlsbad	2-0	141	4
3.	Lincoln	2-0	132	3
4.	Mater Dei	3-0	109	5
5.	Mission Hills	2-0	105	6
6.	St. Augustine	2-1	101	2
7.	Granite Hills	3-0	57	9
8.	La Jolla	2-0	44	NR
9.	Helix	1-2	34	NR
10.	Ramona	2-0	21	NR

Others receiving votes: El Camino (1-1, 7 points), Poway (2-0, 4), Eastlake (1-0, 3), Rancho Bernardo (2-0, 2), La Costa Canyon (1-2, 1).

Voting panel of 17sportswriters, sportscasters:

• John Maffei, San Diego Union-Tribune
• Steve Brand, Jim Lindgren, Terry Monahan, Don Norcross, Thomas Gutierrez, freelance contributors.
• Brandon Stone, Nick Pollino, KUSI Chl. 51
• Adam Paul, ecpreps.com.
• Bodie DeSilva, scorebooklive.com.
• John Kentera, Braden Suprenant (97.3 The Fan).
• Ramon Scott (eastcountysports.com)
• Rick Smith, partletonsports.com
• Steve (Biff) Dolan, Mountain Country 107.9 FM
• Christian Pederson, San Diego Sports Association.
• Eric Williams, WBK Sports/San Diego Friday Night Lights Magazine.

Football season is just beyond the horizon in this chaotic year, but  many coaches are actively preparing for a January start (in the usual basketball season), including those who have reached 50 victories in their San Diego Section football careers.

Earlier postings listed the Top 10 active football coaches in victories, and the all-time Top 27 in winning percentage.  Use the Football/Coach 100 Club page for a list of the 100 game winners.

NAME	SCHOOL	W-L-T	OVERALL	PCT
Troy Starr	Mount Miguel Helix	8-13 83-18-1	91-31-1	.744
Ron Burner	El Capitan		83-85-2	.494
Kerry Legarra	Imperial		80-56-2	.587
Jason Texler	El Cajon Valley Escondido San Marcos	18-16 5-15-1 56-27	79-58-1	.576
Tony Corlee	San Pasqual		73-71-1	.507
John Self	Brawley		72-33	.690
Sean Sovacool	La Costa Canyon		70-44	.614
John Joyner	Marian		70-57	.551
Tim White	Westview Julian Borrego Springs	10-24 34-54-2 24-16	68-94-2	.421
Tracy McNair	Morse		67-61-1	.523
Tristan McCoy	Rancho Bernardo		61-45	.575
Thadd MacNeal	Carlsbad		60-44	.577
Kellen Cobbs	Granite Hills		58-37	.611
David Dunn	Lincoln		58-51-1	.532
Scott Longerbone	Steele Canyon		54-42-1	.562
John Wallace	Santa Fe Christian		52-30	.634

CLOSING IN ON 50

John Anderson	Mt. Carmel	46-55	.455
David Wong	Calexico Vincent Memorial	44-16	.733
Tyler Hales	La Jolla Country Day	44-32	.579
Charles James	University City-San Diego	44-36	.550
Tim Estes	Santana	43-48	.473
Robbie Owens	Helix	42-12	.778
Dave Rodriguez	Oceanside	40-25	.615

Bill Rainey left with a couple championships when he graduated from Crawford High in 1962 and went on to the University of Southern California.

Rainey, who passed away recently at his home in Seattle, was the San Diego Section football player of the year in 1961 and also was the first San Diego Section track-and-field champion in the 880-yard run in 1961.

Two separate and distinctive achievements.

As a junior Rainey bested  the field at Kearny High in the inaugural San Diego Section championships, winning in a time of 1:58.0.

Rainey proceeded to score 19 touchdowns in the fall and led Crawford to the CIF championship, 13-0 over Kearny, but it was in the game the previous week that forever etched Rainey’s name in San Diego Section lore.

 

The 175-pound halfback scored 5 touchdowns in a 31-13 victory over Helix in a contest billed as matching the two best teams in the County.  Entering the game Crawford was 6-0-2 and Helix 8-0.

Crawford’s 8-0-2 championship record remains the only unbeaten season in school history.

Rainey was an all-Southern California, first-team choice by the Helms Athletic Foundation and the San Diego Section player of the year.

Bill did not defend his 880-yard championship in the spring track season.  He instead contributed to Crawford’s track-and-field squad by becoming a pole vaulter.

The CIF board of managers passed a resolution at the end of the 1980-81 school year that resulted in the dividing of three leagues and the board-approved addition of a 10^th regular-season game.

Cause and effect was County population, which had grown to 1.8 million in the 1980 census, with almost 1 million in the city.

–The 10-team Metropolitan League split into the Mesa and South Bay leagues, under a Metropolitan Conference umbrella.

Bonita Vista, Castle Park, Hilltop, Montgomery, and Sweetwater became the Mesa League in  3-A, a classification for playoffs instituted in 1979 to accommodate enrollment concerns.  The South Bay’s Chula Vista, Coronado, Marian, Mar Vista, and Southwest were designated 2-A schools.

Bosses had to meet a second time to determine the names of the Metro’s new leagues.  Other suggested names included Eastern, Western, Bay, Coast, Inland, and Freeway, according to Bud Maloney of the Evening Tribune.

CITY SHAKEUP

The Eastern and Western leagues realigned and a Central League was formed as part of a three-league City Conference.

The 3-A Eastern went from 8 to 5 teams, losing Clairemont and Point Loma to the 2-A Western, and Crawford to the 2-A Central.

The Western went radical as St. Augustine, Lincoln, Serra, and Hoover left and joined Crawford and formerly independent Christian in a six-team Central.

A revised Western of seven clubs included Clairemont, La Jolla, Mission Bay, Point Loma, San Diego, University, and first-year University City, which played a junior varsity schedule.

Palomar (3-A) and Avocado (2-A) replaced the Avocado East and Avocado West, the change not affecting schools except for division nomenclature. Explosive growth in the 1960’s and ’70’s had created several realignments within the original Palomar and Avocado circuits.

LONG AND WIDE

The San Diego Section’s acceptance of the  Imperial Valley League’s four, smaller entities from the Southern Section had meant expansion in 1980 of the old Southern Prep League, now the Southern Conference with a Mountain-Desert League and Coastal League.

The Mountain-Desert, stretching about 125 miles east from Pine Valley (Mountain Empire) to Winterhaven (San Pasqual), also numbered Imperial, Holtville, and Calipatria.

The Coastal loop was more geographically agreeable, going up and down Interstate 5,  805 and their tributaries, to Army-Navy, Chula Vista Christian, La Jolla Country Day, Francis Parker, and Santa Fe Christian, plus, oddly, Julian, tucked away in the mountains.

— Left standing and unchanged was the nine-team Grossmont League, which in the future finally would split.

AIR CORYELL OF FOOTHILLS

Helix quarterback Jim Plum, throwing to star receivers Allan Durden, Karl Dorrell, and Craig Galloway, set a state record with 3,328 passing yards and passed for 32 touchdowns as coach Jim Arnaiz’ Highlanders posted a 10-3 record and went to the San Diego Section finals before the fogbound Scots lost a  34-16 decision to Vista.

Helix’ passing game had a familial connection to the San Diego Chargers’  “Air Coryell”.

Chargers running backs coach Earnel Durden, a former Los Angeles City player of the year at Manual Arts and all-America at Oregon State, was father of three Helix standouts, beginning with Mike, followed by Kevin, and finally Allan, a  tough, shifty,  60-catch receiver.

Linkage did not stop with the Durdens.  The all-purpose Dan Hammerschmidt was son of Al Hammerschmidt, who quarterbacked an upset victory by Cal Poly-Pomona in 1962 over Coryell’s San Diego State squad and who was Helix’ head coach from 1968-72, succeeded by Arnaiz.

The younger Hammerschmidt  tied a record that can never be broken, a touchdown on a 99-yard pass play, with a couple added feet.

Hammerschmidt backed up Plum, returned kicks, played cornerback, and was variously described as “the heart and soul of Arnaiz’ defense.”

DAN HAD A HAMMER

Midway through the season Hammerschmidt found himself playing flanker on offense, stepping in for the injured Dorrell.

Helix was backed up to its half-foot line after Hammerschmidt misjudged his position in calling for a fair catch, fumbled, and barely saved a safety or a Granite Hills touchdown by recovering the punt just before the end zone stripe.

The Highlanders’ senior had no time to fret about his error.

On first down Plum pitched a lateral  that Hammerschmidt caught, then dodged a tackler at his four-yard line, picked up a block from Durden, and took it to the house.

“After Jim threw me the pass I got that great block from Allan—he always blocks like that—and I just ran as hard as I could,”  Hammerschmidt told the Evening Tribune’s Bud Maloney, who was covering the game, a  24-0 Helix victory.

OH, SAY CAN WE SEE?

Dorrell, Durden, and Galloway arguably were the best set of receivers on the same team in San Diego Section history. Plum ranks among the best quarterbacks and Arnaiz is in the top rung of coaches.

It should have been one of the all-time championship games when Helix met Vista in a rematch of the season opener for the 3-A title in San Diego Stadium, but forces of nature and the pounding attack of Dick Haines’ Vista Panthers prevailed.

Thirty-plus years later Steve Brand of The San Diego Union remembered the game as if it were yesterday.

“Helix was loaded with talented athletes,” said the longtime prep writer.  “Vista just hit you.  It was quite a matchup, until the fog rolled in early in the game.”

WRITERS ALSO GROUNDED

When the game started Brand was in the press box high above the field.  “It got so bad we could not see the game at all.  The media went down to the field  and I remember creeping along the sideline, trying to see.  The fog grounded the Helix attack.”

What struck Brand even more was response of the announced crowd of 15,302.

“The game clock operator and the announcer also were on the field, which meant that when one of the teams scored there was a very obvious pause between the score, the announcement, and the cheers,” said Brand.

“If we were on our sideline hashmark and sent someone in motion, he disappeared in the fog,” said Arnaiz.

“We continued to throw the ball but they were all checkdown, short passes, “said the  Highlanders’ coach. “You could not throw beyond 10 yards.  Our passing attack took a beating.”

VISTA 2-0 VERSUS HIGHLANDERS

“Vista ran the heck out of the option and Dan did a great job of holding them down with his great play.  He went out (with an injury) after the first quarter and they began to wear us down.”

Who’s the say Vista wouldn’t have won, fog, rain, or clear skies?  The Panthers defeated Helix 24-0 in the season’s hastily prepared, first game, the so-called “10th game”, which the CIF approved at the end of the 1980-81 school year.

Fog is not a problem, if you’re Vista.  The Panthers defeated Patrick Henry, 32-0, in a heavy, seasonal shroud for the championship in 1974.

Arnaiz and Haines were virtually even when they hung up their whistles after a combined 52 seasons on the San Diego scene.

Arnaiz was 212-77-7 with 6 trips to the finals (4-2) and a .726 winning percentage in 27 seasons. Haines  was 194-85-1 (.698) with 6 championship games (3-3) and a 3-0 record head to head with Arnaiz in 25 seasons.

CHARGERS CONNECTION, CON’T

Grossmont quarterback Jeff Van Raaphorst, the son of  Dick Van Raaphorst,  a kicker for the Chargers in 1966-67, piloted another air-oriented attack.

A placekicker and a converted tight end, Van Raaphorst was virtually even with Helix’ Jim Plum in  the regular season with 25 touchdown passes and 2,975 yards passing.  Plum had 2,793 and 27.

Plum had the edge when Helix defeated Grossmont, 49-14, with a line that read 18 for 22, 336 yards, and 4 touchdowns.  Van Raaphorst completed 20 of 41 passes for 329 yards, and 1 TD.

CONNECTIONS, CON’T.

Willie McCloud of Clairemont, a 6-foot, 1-inch, 160-pounder, was the son of Willie McCloud a San Diego High football and baseball standout from 1957-59.

Fallbrook coach Tom Pack attended Mission Hills’ Bishop Alemany in the San Fernando Valley, where Granada Hills was an L.A. City Section power, holding sway under coach Jack Neumeier, who nurtured several quarterbacks, including John Elway.

Neumeier retired in 1979…to Fallbrook. “That Jack Neumeier?” Pack exclaimed when a Fallbrook High teacher and neighbor of Neumeier’s casually mentioned the name.

After constructing a new home,  Neumeier was free and accepted Pack’s oft-repeated invitation to join the Warriors’ staff as an unattached assistant coach, sitting in the press box during the first half of games and heading to the sidelines with his play sheets and observations in the second half.

Neumeier brought his spread offense and passing game to the Warriors and the results were dramatic.  Fallbrook scored 82 points and had a 4-5 record in 1980.  They improved to 228 points and an 8-2 record this year, their second winning season since 1967.

MADISON PLAYER’S SILENT WORLD

Darryl Rutland, a 17-year-old, 6-foot, 1-inch, 200-pound junior nose guard occupied a unique position in the Madison defense.

Rutland was deaf.

“It’s totally refreshing to have Darryl on our squad.” head coach Bob Bishop told Bud Maloney of the Evening Tribune. “He doesn’t hear the roar of the crowd, just goes out and plays football.”

What about a play-ending whistle by officials?  Would Rutland be at risk for a penalty.

“No,” said Bishop.  “Darryl plays a very controlled game. He’s very intelligent, knows the rules, and plays by them.  He has never had a penalty…i think it would be the official’s mistake if one was.”

WHO ARE THESE GUYS?

Virtually ignored by the media were very small public and private schools that included Borrego Springs, Francis Parker, Julian, Victory Christian, Chula Vista Christian, La Jolla Country Day, and Santa Fe Christian.  They all labored in six-man and eight-man football obscurity.

Like life on the African veldt, only the strong survived, i.e., those with healthy enrollment and paid-up tuition.

Julian, which began playing in 1967, and Borrego Springs, first season of football in 1967, moved down from 11-man and found their niches in lesser numbers.  So did Santa Fe Christian.

10 MORE THAN ENOUGH?

Twenty-nine schools took advantage of the board of managers’ approval of an extra game.  The schools played before classes started and with limited time to prepare.

Reaction was mixed.

“I’m all for it,” enthused Vista coach Dick Haines, whose team ended Helix’ 12-game winning streak 24-10 before 5,500 persons at Vista. “It was a well-played game with few penalties and no injuries.”

But there were 300 yards in accepted penalties and a couple players sidelined when Sweetwater defeated Carlsbad 18-13.  “I still think the extra game is worthwhile,” said Carlsbad coach Mel Galli.

Point Loma and Morse played before a small crowd in the so-named first “Friendship Bowl”.  “It’s not fair to gauge the crowd because neither school knew about the game until a month ago,” said the Pointers’ Bennie Edens.

Point Loma and Morse were the only city schools to accept the extra game invitation and the teams gathered afterward for a postgame meal.  Players with identical jersey numbers sat across from each other.

“It’s not worth it, no matter what the crowd was,” said Granite Hills’ Paul Wargo.  “It was too soon. I question the sanity of having a 10^th game without preparation.”  Wargo’s club beat Bonita Vista 14-0.

“You have to budget your time,” said Jim Arnaiz.  “Because of the early start we don’t have the luxury of one-a-day practices (instead of “double days”).

Mount Miguel’s Brian Smith said some schools took advantage of unclear guidelines during the one-week of conditioning.  “We weren’t even supposed to touch the football.  Some schools touched the ball, believe me.”

“If they could allow us to split the one week of conditioning period into three days of straight conditioning and three allowing use of the ball and blocking dummies, it would be better,” said Arnaiz.

Carlsbad’s Galli cut to the chase: “We’ll make some money off the game, even if the crowd was down a little.”

San Diego Section schools never looked back.  Ten regular-season games became the norm.

WORTH THE WAIT

University City, 17 years after original planning, opened on 80 acres off Genesee Avenue in North Clairemont, the Section’s 64^th football-playing school and 13^th in the San Diego Unified School district.

Money for U. City, which began with 10^th and 11^th graders and played a junior varsity schedule, was included in a 1974 bond measure, but “politics, court battles, and angry homeowners delayed construction for six years,” reported The Union.

HELLO, BALBOA

The new Balboa Stadium, at Glenn Broderick Field, named after a San Diego High football and track coach in the 1920s and ‘thirties, was home field again for San Diego.

The Cavers played three games in the 3,700-seat facility, which was wired for lights and future expansion to 5,000 seats.

The original stadium was built in 1914.  An upper deck to accommodate the San Diego Chargers was constructed in 1961.  The stadium was demolished in 1978.

TRUE GRID

Helix linebacker and baseball catcher Jerry Schniepp saw beyond the game… Schniepp was destined for a career in athletics and in 2011 became the fifth commissioner in San Diego Section history, serving until Schniepp’s 2020 retirement… the CIF finally was able to raise $21,000 through donations to cover expenses for using San Diego Stadium as the championship venue after fears that a financial shortfall would force the two games to 4,000-seat Mesa College, 7,200-seat Southwestern College, or the  5,500-seat Mt. Carmel High… Helix’ Jim Plum cut off the tip of a finger on his throwing hand in a lawnmower accident in May but “I was throwing a nerf ball as soon as they put in the stitches,” said Plum. Dennis Shaw, who passed for 39 touchdowns in leading Don Coryell’s San Diego State team to an 11-0 record in 1969, became head coach at Chula Vista… Monte Vista beat Helix for only the fifth time in 21 seasons and the Monarchs began the week of preparation “thinking brave,” said coach Gary Cooper, perhaps recalling Hollywood’s Gary Cooper and his brave stand in the movie, “High Noon”…. Sweetwater rolled through the Mesa League behind the powerful running of James Primus and senior brothers, quarterback Wes Saleamua and fullback Dan, who were 13 months apart in age… as a 300-pound defensive lineman, Dan became a seventh-round NFL draft choice out of Arizona State in 1987 and played 12 seasons and in 177 games for three teams… Helix’ Karl Dorrell was a four-year letterman at wide receiver at UCLA and was the Bruins’ head coach from 2003-07…Dorrell became head coach at Colorado in 2020 after several years on NFL staffs… Patrick Henry’s Don Shafer tied a CIF record with 3 field goals in a 9-9 tie with Lincoln… .Lincoln reached the 2-A finals behind the quarterbacking of 5-foot, 4-inch Rodney Hill…Section newcomer Imperial defeated Mountain Empire, 15-6, for the 1-A championship….