Here the final 5 tips for shooting a college recruiting video.
VIDEO TIP #6: DON’T ISOLATE
Often what we hear from college coaches is that their biggest pet peeve is when a parent sends them a game or highlight video that is completely isolated on an individual player. This leaves the coach with no idea of what else is happening on the field and they will not be able to understand the flow of the game.
VIDEO TIP #7: KEEP UNDER 5 MINUTES IDEALLY
Remember you do not have much time. In three to five minutes your highlight video needs to show a coach your son or daughter’s all around ability. Ideally the highlight video needs to capture their capabilities and skill set in the first 30 seconds so that a coach will review the rest of the video and know if they are interested in your son or daughter and likely want to request a full game video.
VIDEO TIP #8: BE QUIET WHEN VIDEO TAPING
Another key thing to keep in mind when recording game video is to be quiet. We often get videos that are submitted to us by parents who are continuously loud and yelling in the background. We recommend that if you are filming you should try to find a relatively quiet location. But in the worst-case scenario, you should always get video from the best visual location and worry about the audio last. Quality video is always priority number one.
VIDEO TIP #9: LEVEL SHOT
In order to record the highest quality video don’t forget your tripod. When setting up your tripod make sure that it is level and you’re getting a good overall frame of what you’re filming. Also, make sure that you have the tripod loose enough where you can pan from left to right and follow the game effectively. Your tripod should also be placed on a flat surface. But, if you happen to be in a stadium where there are stairs or surfaces that are uneven, try to adjust the legs to make sure that you’re able to position the camera at a level angle.
VIDEO TIP #10: SHOW THE GAME
One last key component in filming game video is to try and make sure you zoom as you follow the play. For example, in a basketball game the point guard is bringing the ball up, you want to make sure that the point guard is positioned on the far left or far right of your camera framing so that you’re able to see the rest of the open court in front of the player. In other words, the point guard is in the back side of the frame and you’re leading majority of it toward where the rest of the players are and where the next play’s going to develop.
Having quality video and a recruiting highlight video has become a significant part of the college recruiting and athletic scholarship process. Your goal is to guarantee a recruiting evaluation from target college coaches and maximize your college recruiting and athletic scholarship opportunities while saving time and money by not having to travel to each college to get evaluated.
Looking to maximize your recruiting exposure, you need a professional highlight video.
Contact us to learn more about our custom highlight video packages at 858.350.5889 or visit www.sportsforceonline.com.
Video has radically changed how the college recruiting process works today. Many college coaches are now requiring players to send them game or highlight video. College coaches do not have the time, budget, nor recruiting days available based on NCAA limitations to personally evaluate many players. This is why videotaping your son or daughter is a critical part of the recruiting process.
VIDEO TIP #1: GET A TRIPOD:
In terms of how to videotape your son or daughter, if you’re going to do it yourself; get a tripod. You can get an inexpensive tripod at Wal-Mart, Best Buy, or almost any electronic store. Make sure you purchase a decent tripod; prices can range anywhere between $30-$50. The better the tripod, the easier videotaping will be. For example, a tripod that has a fluid head costs between $100-$200 but, will make a huge difference in the quality of video recorded.
VIDEO TIP #2: HARD DRIVE CAMERA:
Another key component with recording your own video is to get a video camera where files are shot straight to a chip or hard drive. This will greatly simplify the process because you can now simply shoot video, come home, and directly load it onto your computer where it can be reviewed and burned to disk.
VIDEO TIP #3: IMPORTANCE OF PROPER EDITING
Often it is easy for families to shoot video and get it onto a DVD. Many times the most difficult part is taking that game video or workout and actually editing it. There are many editing programs out there such as Final Cut Pro and Adobe Premiere. Programs such as these are very expensive and take either a class or a professional to properly utilize them. Here is a link a tutorial video we produced summarizing our video editing process.
SportsForce Recruiting Video Editing Process
If you feel you are incapable of editing your own game video, SportsForce offers a variety of Custom Edited Highlight Video Packages to help maximize your son or daughters recruiting exposure.
VIDEO TIP #4: PROPER VIDEO ANGLES
Another big thing to keep in mind when you’re videotaping your son or daughter is to make sure you are getting the right angles. Visit to our websites athlete’s section www.sportsforceonline.com/athletes and look at some sample videos in your son or daughter’s particular sport. Whether it’s football, baseball, soccer, softball or lacrosse, take note of the different angles. For example, if it’s a field sport like lacrosse, football, or soccer, the goal is to get as elevated as high as you possibly can in the stands. Try to get near the middle of the field, in other words, for football, the 50-yard line and for lacrosse and soccer, the mid-field line. Use the mid point of the field as your center and try to get as high as you can in order to shoot from an elevated angle.
VIDEO TIP #5: GET ELEVATED
If you’re not able to shoot from an elevated angle and are at ground level, make sure that you’re focused tight enough on your son or daughter but wide enough to show the sequence of plays happening else where on the field.
If you have any questions or you would like to learn more about the college recruiting process and our custom highlight video packages contact one of our college recruiting experts at 858.350.5889 or visit www.sportsforceonline.com.
A powerhouse battle of two top teams delivered a game worthy of being played at Qualcomm Stadium. But only one could actually earn the prize of a trip to Mission valley, and it was the Vista Panthers (11-1) who will move one step closer to becoming champions.
Brandon Ivy kicked a 23-yard field goal with three minutes left in the fourth quarter to give Vista the victory over Torrey Pines 20-17 in the CIF San Diego Section Division I semifinals at Falcons Stadium.
“The Falcon defense came out and fought every single play. But we wanted it more. We fought hard, we executed and we put 110% in every play,” said Vista’s senior tailback Shakeel Marshall, who had 107 rushing yards on 26 carries in the game.
Postgame video interviews:
Vista went into this game knowing that they were going to get a lot of Wilson and that he would be carrying the load for the Torrey Pines (10-2) team. With the adjustments made at half time, the Panthers defense was able to shut down Wilson’s running game in the second half.
Torrey Pines running back John Wilson had two touchdowns (41 and 12 yards receiving) and carried the ball 16 times for 126 yards (110 first half.)
“John Wilson is a heck of a player and a runner. Our goal was to get Wilson out of the game and we did not do a good job at that in the first half. I thought we made some good adjustments in the second half to shut him down,” said Vista head coach Dan Williams.
Vista scored after Marshall blocked a punt, setting up a 25-yard pass from quarterback Christian Gallardi to Myron Seabrook, giving the Panthers an early lead 7-0 in the first quarter.
Brandon Ivy came in for a 21-yard field goal attempt at the end of the first half to tie the game 10-10. Instead, Torrey Pines drew a penalty for roughing the kicker. This penalty put the ball on Torrey Pines 2-yard line allowing for an easy 2-yard touchdown run by Joey McFadden on the following play for a 14-10 halftime lead.
The loss of Torrey Pines’ starting quarterback John Cabot to a shoulder injury at the beginning of the second half was a huge upset for the Falcons.
The Falcons’ backup quarterback Andrew Perkins tied the game in the fourth quarter 17-17 with a well-executed hook and lateral play to Mitchell Yocum who tossed the ball to John Wilson who went 41 yards for the touchdown.
Vista senior Stefan McClure had a huge impact on the Vista game in the fourth quarter. McClure had a 44-yard punt return that set up a 40 yard field goal by Brandon Ivy. His 36-yard reception helped position Vista for their only other score of the second half, the game-winning 23-yard field goal by Ivy.
Coach Williams said about player Stefan McClure, “Stef is the best player in the county in my opinion. He can play on both sides of the ball. He is explosive. He is our go to guy. I am happy he is on our team.”
“It was a tough game out there tonight. We had some ups and downs, some three and outs, but our defense really stood up tonight. It was a huge game and a huge win,” said Stefan McClure in regards to Vista’s victory.
Vista will meet fourth-seeded Mira Mesa in the Division Championship game Monday at 7:30 p.m. at Qualcomm Stadium.
Champions find a way to win. For the seventh straight year, the Oceanside Pirates will have a chance to become the champions of the CIF-San Diego Section Division II.
With a defensive effort for the ages, the 4th seeded Oceanside Pirates (9-3) performed their annual role as the foil for the Helix football program, ending the Highlanders’ season for the third straight season with a 24-17 victory at Jim Arnaiz Field on the Helix campus in La Mesa.
“That was a championship football game right there,” said Oceanside head coach John Carroll, who will seek his seventh consecutive Division II section championship on Monday night against Mission Hills, “Lesser young men would have found a way to fail. These are warriors with the hearts of champions.”
T.J. Sunia (#43, pictured) returned a fourth quarter fumble 39 yards for the game-winning score, and Adam Francis had a first half 49 yard interception return for another touchdown. The fourteen defensive points were decisive, but Oceanside’s defense didn’t stop there, making three red zone stops to turn back Helix (11-1), including a pair inside the Oceanside 15 in the final 4:22 of the fourth quarter.
Postgame video interviews: T.J. Sunia/head coach John Carroll
A matchup which annually decides the Division II champion turned to heartbreak for Helix once again. This time, the Highlanders were favored to beat their nemeses from Oceanside, with the top seed in the bracket and home field advantage. Instead, the Scotties saw their season end at the Pirates’ hands for the sixth time in seven playoff meetings and the third year in a row.
“We just wanted it more,” said senior safety Adam Francis.
Despite two first half interceptions and the crucial fourth quarter fumble, Helix still had a first-and-goal opportunity to tie the game with 1:10 to play in the game, as a pass interference penalty set up the Scotties at the five yard line.
On first and second down, Helix tailback Darien Hancock (34 carries, 142 yards, TD) tried the middle of the field and was stopped cold. With time ticking down to twenty seconds and Helix out of timeouts, the Highlanders were forced to burn their third down play on a spike. On fourth and goal from the five, Helix was called for delay of game.
Pushed back to the ten yard line, quarterback Brandon Lewis’ pass for Sam Meredith went over his hands and out of bounds, sending the Pirates back to the “Q”.
The defensive scramble was an appropriate end to a ragged game which saw both teams make big mistakes on offense. First, Helix was turned back empty handed after taking their opening drive to the Oceanside three yard line. Sophomore linebacker William Gulley sacked Lewis for a ten yard loss on third and goal, and Vann Sabin’s 29 yard field goal attempt missed wide right.
After both teams exchanged punts, Lewis took a first down snap from the Helix ten yard line and heaved a bomb downfield for wide receiver Cameron Lee. With the ball well over his head, Lee gave up on the pass attempt, but Oceanside senior defensive back Matthew Rojas did not. Running down the Lewis arc for an interception, Rojas returned the pass 45 yards to the Helix 20 yard line.
While Oceanside’s ensuing drive was stopped cold by the Helix defense, Jose Basurto booted a 36 yard field goal to give the Pirates a 3-0 lead at the :39 mark of the first quarter.
The Scotties were again generous hosts on their next possession, taking a false start penalty on third-and-15 from their own 26 yard line. Instead of running a conservative draw play or underneath pass on third-and-20, Lewis went for the downs, and his deep pass intended for Austin Gonzalez was intercepted by senior safety Adam Francis. Weaving his way back through the Helix offense, Francis returned the interception 49 yards for a touchdown and a 10-0 Oceanside lead with 9:58 to play before halftime.
“It was the greatest feeling, I can’t believe it,” said Francis of his big play.
It took a defensive play to get Helix back into the football game. Tofi Pao Pao (9-18, 100 yards, 2 INT) was picked off by junior linebacker K.C. Smith with 2:12 to play in the second quarter, setting up Lewis’ 35 yard touchdown target to Gonzalez. Senior defensive back Kenny Keys also intercepted Pao Pao on the final play of the first half, but his interception return was stopped at the Oceanside 18 yard line as time expired.
Trailing 10-7 to start the third quarter, Helix took the second half kickoff and marched 80 yards on 11 plays, all handoffs to Darien Hancock. Gaining 75 of the 80 yards on the drive (the other five came on an offsides penalty), Hancock plunged into the Oceanside end zone from a yard out to give the Highlanders their first (and only) lead of the game with 6:04 to go in the third quarter.
After going three-and-out on their next possession, the Pirates turned to what else but defense to regain control of the football game. Oceanside forced a quick three-and-out from Helix, then took advantage of a shanked punt by Jake Reed to take over at the Helix 48 yard line. Three plays later, senior tailback Noah Tarrant stepped out of a tackle and raced 39 yards up the middle of the field for a 17-14 Pirates’ lead.
While Hancock was a horse for Helix, he wore down late in the third quarter. Darien’s sixteenth carry of the quarter was a five-yard loss, with Gulley stripping the football loose. Sunia scooped up the loose ball and took it 29 yards for a touchdown and a 24-14 lead.
“I blitzed and just saw the football lying there,” said Sunia, “I was unsure at first but just scooped it up, and I think the quarterback was behind me. My instincts said ‘take it’ so I just took it and…I was blessed today.”
Still, the undefeated Highlanders were not done. Sabin’s 46 yard field goal with 5:50 remaining made it a 24-17 game. When Tarrant fumbled on Oceanside’s next possession, Raymont Nailon recovered for the Highlanders deep in Oceanside territory at the 20 yard line.
After gaining five yards on their first two plays, Helix took to the air, with Lewis throwing incompletions on third and fourth down in the end zone. The Pirates then had an opportunity to run out the clock but failed to do so, punting the ball back to Helix with 2:20 to play.
Postgame audio interview: Oceanside senior Anthony Mount
A pass to Gonzalez of 30 yards set up Helix at the Oceanside 22 yard line. On second and 10 from the 11 yard line, Lewis’ pass to Sam Meredith drew pass interference from the side judge, giving Helix a first-and-goal at the five. But two ill-advised runs forced a spike and then a delay of game penalty set up the final, fateful incompletion.
The Pirates will now face Mission Hills in the Division II finals on Monday, December 6th at 4:30pm. It will be a rematch of Oceanside’s 48-28 win over the Grizzlies on October 8th.
SAN MARCOS–Let a good team hang around long enough on their home field in the playoffs and it’s bound to bite you. Compound your mistakes with a goal line fumble and a missed extra point, and your season’s probably going to come to an end.
The Mission Hills Grizzlies took advantage of Rancho Bernardo’s mistakes, then made their own luck along the way, coming up with a handful of clutch plays to pull out a 14-13 win at Jack Ashby Field on the Mission Hills campus in San Marcos. Quarterback Hunter Moore’s 21 yard touchdown pass to Aaron Salas on a fourth quarter 4th-and-16 play gave Mission Hills (9-2) the lead with 7:10 remaining in the CIF San Diego Section Division II quarterfinal contest.
“That’s a doggone good football team over there,” said Mission Hills head coach Chris Hauser, “All along we thought it would be this kind of football game. For whatever reason, we seemed to play better the closer they got to the goal line. ”
And to the finish line.
Rancho Bernardo (9-3) dominated the first half but came away with just a six point lead to show for it. Setting the tone on Tyler Gomogda’s 51 yard run on the first play from scrimmage, the Broncos racked up an astounding 259 yards of total offense before halftime. But two red zone fumbles, including quarterback Trent Sessions fumbling on a keeper from the one-inch line, held RB to just 13 points for all their trouble.
After the half, it was a whole different story. The Mission Hills offense was able to control possession and the clock, while the Grizzlies defense held Rancho Bernardo to just 39 total yards after intermission.
“I love our defense,” said Moore, “they come together as a team, no showboats, and they get the job done.”
Postgame video interviews: Chris Hauser/Hunter Moore
Both teams used big running plays to get their offense started. After RB scored first on senior quarterback Devin Saunders’ 1 yard QB plunge (immediately following Gomogda’s 51 yard scamper), Mission Hills answered right back on a 56 yard scoring run from junior tailback Adam Renteria.
In a 7-7 tie, the Broncos then manufactured a pair of extended marches. An 11 play drive took RB down to the Mission Hills 20, where senior wideout Evan Mattern caught a square out pass and then fumbled when he was hit. The Grizzlies gratefully recovered at their 19 yard line.
“Whether they made the mistake or we caused the mistake, we’ll sure take that,” said Hauser.
Rancho Bernardo has used a two-quarterback rotation all season, and when junior Trent Sessions enters the fray (moving Devin Saunders to wideout), the Broncos have a much more balanced look. Sessions hit on 9 of 10 second quarter passes for 105 yards. He led an 11 play, 78 yard drive to open the quarter, twice hitting Saunders for big passes. Setting up on first and goal at the one, RB head coach Brad Elrod decided for a quarterback sneak instead of handing the ball off to Gomogda, who had 17 touchdowns on the season.
The result: a fumble, recovered by Mission Hills in their own end zone for a touchback in the key turning point of the game.
“We had opportunities to get stuff, but…it was a great football game,” said a downcast coach Elrod after the game.
Brad Elrod postgame interview:
Next, it was Mission Hills’ turn to cough up the football, as Moore and center Elias Choufani botched a center-QB exchange on fourth and one from their own 44 yard line. It took just five plays for the Broncos to march downfield and score, with Gomogda taking it in this time from the six-yard line for a 13-7 RB lead. The extra point, however, was a pop fly by kicker Jeremy Hutchins which drifted right of the goalposts.
The Grizzlies thought they would catch yet another big break right before halftime, as Mission Hills punted and Broncos’ punt returner David Jones muffed the kick after signaling for a fair catch. Luckily for Rancho Bernardo, the line judge anticipated the fair catch and inadvertently blew his whistle early, denying the Grizzlies a fumble recovery. In fact, after a long conference the crew decided to have a do-over, giving RB another chance to return the punt.
Hauser was apoplectic on the sidelines, and the Broncos moved down to the Mission Hills 11 yard line before the half expired on a Hutchins missed field goal from 30 yards away.
In the third quarter, the roles reversed. Mission Hills took control offensively but then made a crucial red zone error. Senior wideout Josh Stephens (3 receptions, 81 yards) caught a 36 yard pass on third-and-13 heading into the end zone, but he fumbled on the five yard line. RB senior defensive back Tyler Davey scooped up the fumble and returned it to his 30 yard line, ending the threat.
Zachary Andrews-Worline sacks Hunter Moore. Both defenses played well for most of the night (Danny Heilprin/619Sports)
The second half remained scoreless into the fourth quarter, and looked like it might stay that way overall. While the Grizzlies had success all night on third down (8-for-13 conversions), they failed on back-to-back passes from the RB 21 yard line midway through the fourth quarter. Facing a fourth-and-16 and out of field goal range, Hauser elected to go for it, lining up four wide receivers spread across the field for Moore.
With excellent pocket protection, Moore (11-20, 173 yards, TD) looked off the safety and then brought his gaze back to the middle of the field, where top target Aaron Salas sprung wide open on a post route. Moore hit Salas in stride for the game-tying touchdown pass, and Gio Garcia’s extra point gave Mission Hills a 14-13 lead.
“His route is a double move,” said Moore, “The safety couldn’t cover him and I was looking the other way as a decoy. Then I looked back to Salas and saw him wide open.”
The Broncos had one more chance to take the game back on the road. After Saunders (7-for-10, 45 yards) got the chance to play quarterback in RB’s two fruitless third quarter possessions, Sessions re-entered the game in the fourth quarter for one more extended drive. Led by hard running from Gomogda (15 carries, 121 yards, TD) and Jones, the Broncos drove to the Mission Hills 27 yard line.
Suddenly, the Mission Hills pass rush made their first appearance of the night. Sacks by Dominic Darby and Aaron Leauma pushed the Broncos back to the 39, where two passes went awry to end the possession. On fourth and 23, Sessions was drilled by Anthony Lira, his final pass fluttering harmlessly to the turf.
Renteria (21 carries, 147 yards, TD) then picked up the final first down needed to burn through Rancho Bernardo’s timeouts and bleed out the clock.
The Grizzlies now escape this frying pan, only to walk into a den of angry Cougars next Thursday. The 2nd seeded Steele Canyon Cougars await in East County, with the winner advancing to Qualcomm Stadium and the Division II finals on Monday, December 6th.
Sport: Football Position: Kicker/Punter Height: 6’0″ Class: 2011 School: Scripps Ranch San Diego, CA
Falcons kicker, Nick Sloan is an extremely talented and passionate player. He told SportsForce that as a player, “my job is to make your job as the coach easier.” Nick delivered on his promise once again in a 30-0 win over Morse High School in the Division II first playoff round. Nick nailed three field goals from 44, 37 and 29 yards, the 44 yarder just 2 yards shy of his personal best. Nick also sent seven kicks deep into the end zone, holding Morse from any big return runs. Nick rounded out a great night by contributing three extra points. To view Nick’s complete SportsForce profile and video click here – http://www.sportsforceonline.com/athletes/nsloan
Video and scouting report courtesy of SportsForce – Home for college Sports Recruiting Videos, Tips, Tools and Premium Services – www.sportsforceonline.com
Sport: Football Position: Quarterback Height: 6’4″ Class: 2011 School: La Costa Canyon Carlsbad, CA
Mavericks Senior Garrett Krstich threw the game winning touchdown in a back and forth battle with top rival Torrey Pines. Garrett connected with Nick Fraustro with less than two minutes left in the game to score the touchdown that would put the Mavericks over the Falcons, 24-21 and secure the win. Garrett played outstanding throughout the entire game completing 25 of 27 passes for 277 yards. To view Garretts’s complete SportsForce profile and video click here –http://www.sportsforceonline.com/athletes/gkrstich
Video and scouting report courtesy of SportsForce – Home for college Sports Recruiting Videos, Tips, Tools and Premium Services – www.sportsforceonline.com
SAN DIEGO-Before a stadium filled to capacity at Mesa College in the final regular season game before the playoffs, the St. Augustine Saints defeated their long time rivals the Cathedral Catholic Dons, 28-21.
“This was big, they beat us the last two-three years. This has been the game that has been circled on our calendar all season,” said Saints quarterback Evan Crower.
Watch Saints head coach Richard Sanchez get dunked during the 619 Sports postgame interview!
With less than three minutes left in the game, it was Senior Sean Davey who secured the Saints’ win by blocking a pass to the end zone from Cathedral Catholic’s quarterback Garret Bogart to receiver Chance Early.
What used to be termed the Holy War is now referred to as the Holy Bowl, annually one of the most anticipated games in San Diego county prep football. This game lived up to the billing, with the stands packed on both sides of the field, the crowd cheering and horns blowing throughout.
Cathedral Catholic leads St. Augustine in the all-time rivalry matchup 30-19. It’s been 5-5 in the last ten years.
St. Augustine (8-2, 4-1 Eastern Football League) accumulated a 21-0 lead before Cathedral Catholic (5-5, 4-1 Eastern Football League) put their first points on the scoreboard late in the second quarter.
The Saints scored on their first three drives in the first half. Junior running back Aaron Anderson rushed 16 times for 138 yards and scored the opening-rushing touchdown of the night. Saints senior quarterback Evan Crower had scoring passes to Darren Critchlow (11 yards), Nicholas Gonsalves (44 yards) and Sean Davey (33 yards).
Evan Crower said in regards to their 21-7 lead going into the second half of the game, “We wanted to set the tone early. We needed that touchdown on our first drive to start the momentum and get us through the game. Defense came up big, offensive line played great and receivers caught the ball. It was a team effort.”
Holding on to the lead was not so easy in the second half for the Saints. Cathedral Catholic quarterback Garrett Bogart had a 26-yard rushing touchdown late in the third quarter. Dons’ junior running back Andrew DeMaria caught a 14-yard passing touchdown to make it a one-possession game in the fourth quarter.
The Dons’ defense came up big in the second half only allowing the Saints to score on one of their five drives. This allowed them to rally some points up on the scoreboard and make it into a one-possession game.
With 4:52 left in the fourth quarter, Cathedral Catholic began the last drive of the game. They started on their own thirty-two yard line and moved the ball down to the Saints twenty-one yard line. Fourth down and minutes to go, the Dons went for the tie. Saints defensive back Davey came up big with a blocking a pass that would have tied the game.
“This is an unbelievable feeling. They (Cathedral Catholic) are champions and they have been champions for a long time, so we knew it was going to be a nail biter at the end. My players definitely wanted the win tonight and they got it,” said head coach Richard Sanchez.
The Saints and Dons finish the regular season as Eastern League co-champs. However, it is possible, maybe even likely that they will meet again in the Division III playoffs.
LA MESA–The balance of the Helix offense makes the Highlanders an exciting team to watch. The dominance of the Helix defense makes the “Scotties” the top team in the county.
Forcing four Steele Canyon turnovers, 2nd ranked Helix throttled the #7 Cougars 26-7 at Jim Arnaiz Field on the Helix Charter High School campus, clinching a perfect 10-0 regular season and the Grossmont Hills League championship. Dynamic junior quarterback Brandon Lewis threw for a pair of touchdowns, his 24th and 25th of the season, and the Helix (10-0, 5-0) defense took it from there to shut down one of the section’s most physical teams in the 619 Preps Game of the Week.
“We can go far with our defense,” said Lewis, “We don’t want to rely on our defense but sometimes we have to and they help us out a lot.”
The Cougars (8-2, 4-1), who came into the night averaging close to 200 yards rushing per game, were held to 52 yards on the ground in 26 attempts.
“The Helix defense, you can tell why they’ve only given up six touchdowns all year,” said Steele Canyon head coach Ron Boehmke, “They play really hard, they’re quick and fast, can’t say enough about them.”
While the Cougars were able to slow down the Highlanders on the ground for the most part, Steele Canyon’s defense was put in a bad position multiple times thanks to turnovers. Senior quarterback Brad Boehmke completed 16-of-34 passes for 196 yards and a touchdown, but his three interceptions doomed the Cougars to defeat.
Steele Canyon star running back Jake Wragg had a forgettable game with 18 rushes for 37 yards. An 1,100+ yard rusher in the Cougars’ first nine games, Wragg lost an early fumble which led to Lewis’ 24 yard touchdown pass to Cameron Lee and a 7-0 Helix lead.
“We put our defense’s back against the wall a few times,” said Coach Boehmke, “I told our guys, we hadn’t see a fast-flowing, aggressive defense like that in a long time. This is the kind of game that gets you ready for the playoffs.”
The Highlanders were forced to adjust to an injury mid-game but didn’t lose their stride offensively. Junior tailback Darien Hancock, a 1,000+ yard rusher, carried 15 times for 59 yards, including a 23-yard scoring run on an inside draw midway through the second quarter which made it 14-0 Helix. Hancock left the game after taking a hard hit early in the third quarter, and senior Raymont Nailon stepped in for his final regular season home game.
Nailon crashed the line for 85 yards in 17 carries, helping Helix grind out their perfect regular season.
“When our team plays together and with one heartbeat, this is what you see,” said Nailon.
Vann Sabin kicked a pair of field goals late in the second quarter to give Helix a 20-0 halftime lead. In the third, Steele Canyon fought back for their lone touchdown of the night, as a shanked punt set up the Cougars on a 41 yard field. Seven plays later, Boehmke hit Chanceller James on a 14 yard scoring pass, making it 20-7 Highlanders.
When the Cougars stopped Helix on a fourth and inches for a turnover on downs one possession later, it looked like Steele Canyon was going to claw its way back into the game. That’s when Kenny Keys took over. The 6′3″ senior defensive back stepped underneath a deep pass from Boehmke to wide receiver Britten Wright for his first of two second-half interceptions.
“I had been out with injury the last couple of weeks and wanted to come out tonight with a bang,” said Keys.
Seemingly dispirited by their offense’s mistakes, Steele Canyon gave ground on the next drive for the first time all game, as Nailon carried four straight times for a total of 51 yards. Lewis then arced a gorgeous square out to senior wide receiver Austin Gonzalez in the end zone for a 14 yard touchdown and a 26-7 lead.
Helix stopped Steele Canyon twice on downs from there, and Keys’ second interception of the game snuffed out a last gasp drive. The Cougars wound up with 248 yards of total offense but could never sustain a drive.
With Oceanside losing 24-14 at El Camino, the path to the #1 seed in Division-II looks good for Helix. They will undoubtedly earn a bye and wait for their opponent in two weeks back home in La Mesa.
“It’s our first Super Bowl game, but there’s many to go,” said Nailon.
Steele Canyon, despite the loss, will likely remain a top-four seed in the stacked D-II playoff field. Their only two losses have come to the top two teams in the county, #1 Eastlake and #2 Helix, two 10-0 programs.
Torrey Pines’ (9-0, 3-0 Palomar) undefeated season continued Friday night as they claimed a 38-17 victory over Poway, giving them the Palomar League championship. “We have been calling each week a step this season. Tonight was step 9: League Champs. We are hanging a banner, it feels great,” said Torrey Pines’ senior running back Kevin Cuff.
Cuff was the player of the game rushing 117 yards and four touchdowns. Cuff scored on all three of the Falcons first- half possessions on runs of 4, 4 and 18 yards. His fourth touchdown came in the third quarter, a 4-yard run. The Falcons first drive of the game covered 80 yards (16 passing yards and 64 rushing yards) on 18 carries.
Torrey Pines second scoring drive of the first half was similar to their first. Drive number two covered 80 yards again (5 passing yards and 75 rushing yards) on 10 plays. Starting at their own 42-yard line with 3:24 left in the first half, the third scoring drive for Torrey Pines was relatively short. 58 yards on six plays, capped with an 18-yard touchdown by Cuff. Torrey Pines was on top 21-3 going into the second half.
It was a tough night for Poway (6-3, 2-1 Palomar) as their running game was shut down by the Falcon defense having 191 total yards. Torrey pines never trailed, leading 38-3 in the beginning of the fourth quarter. The Poway Titans had two turnovers in the third quarter that led to a Falcons touchdown and field goal stretching the lead to 38-3.
Poway’s Nehemiah Gross fumbled on the opening play in the second half, giving the Falcons the ball on the Poway 30 yard line. This fumble ultimately led to Cuff’s fourth touchdown run of 4 yards, putting Poway down 28-3.
Poway put up some points in the fourth quarter as they scored two touchdowns. Zach McDonnell scored on a 7 yard scoring pass from junior quarterback Gabriel Isaak. The second touchdown followed a blocked Torrey Pines punt by Ryan Moreno. This was a very short drive, only ten yards. Senior Chris Verne scored the Titan’s second touchdown of the night on a 9 yard run.
John Wilson caught a 15- yard pass to the end zone for a Falcon touchdown in the fourth quarter. “If we keep working hard, the sky is the limit for our team. We are going to keep staying focused at every practice, work hard and that is all that we can do, one day at a time,” said Cuff.
