SPRING VALLEYSPRING VALLEY — No current player was even born when Santana last won a league football championship, and the Sultans have never claimed a San Diego Section title.
That could all change this year. They’re feeling it. They’re breathing it. This is a talented and deep team with a terrific senior class hungry to make history.
Santana took a giant step toward those goals on Friday night with a convincing 56-21 victory over Mount Miguel in the opening game of the Grossmont Valley League.
“They were the superior team,” Mount Miguel coach Troy Starr said. “They’re well-coached. They have smart football players, and they execute.”
Nathan Temple sure did. The senior quarterback ed for seven touchdowns as the Sultans piled up 502 total yards to improve to 7-0 for the first time since 2011 – when they were 8-0 before losing to Mount Miguel.
Temple was 14-of-22 ing for 310 yards and three TDs. He also rushed 10 times for 55 yards and four scores.
His TD es went 67 yards to Nathan Hughes, 25 yards to Randy Smith and 22 yards to Jared Forster, who caught four es for 82 yards.
“That was an awesome game,” Temple said. “We use all our weapons. There’s not one guy we lock onto. We use everyone.”
Brooks Moutaw carried 13 times for 100 yards and a TD, plus he caught four balls for 86 yards.
“This feels good,” Santana coach Tim Estes said. “I’m really happy with everything – offense, defense, special teams. All the kids stepped up and played great.
Santana’s last league title came in 1999, when Jerry Ralph was the coach and D.J. Busch the QB. Mount Miguel had won the past seven meetings between these two.
While Santana is the No. 1-rated team in Division IV, the much-improved Matadors (3-3) were rated second among the Grossmont Valley teams.
Junior quarterback J.D. Laverdiere came in averaging 300 ing yards in his first 15 games. He completed 18-of-35 attempts for 228 yards and one TD, but Santana intercepted four es – two by Cameron La Riccia and one each by Dawud Saddler and Forster.
Mount Miguel senior wideout Jahiem Allen-Pompey was among the national leaders with 41 catches for 989 yards. He finished with 11 receptions for 112 yards.
Santana 14 14 14 14 – 56
Mount Miguel 7 7 7 0 – 21
S –Nathan Temple 6 run (Nathan Hughes kick)
S – Brooks Moutaw 6 run (Nathan Hughes kick)
MM – Kojo Miller 15 from J.D. Laverdiere (Axel Aguilar kick)
S – Nathan Hughes 67 from Nathan Temple (Nathan Hughes kick)
MM – J.D. Laverdiere 1 run (Axel Aguilar kick)
S – Randy Smith 25 from Nathan Temple (Nathan Hughes kick)
S – Nathan Temple 17 run (Nathan Hughes kick)
S – Nathan Temple 7 run (Nathan Hughes kick)
MM – Pat Chima 8 run (Axel Aguilar kick)
S – Nathan Temple 1 run (Nathan Hughes kick)
S – Jared Forster 22 from Nathan Temple (Nathan Hughes kick)
Lindgren is a freelance writer.
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