SANTEESANTEE — One of the best West Hills High football teams in quite a while on a 10-game winning streak took on a beaten-up Santana squad eliciting tosses from its fourth quarterback of the season yet somehow still winning games.
This was for the coveted Mayor’s Cup of Santee, and the Wolf Pack did not disappoint their homecoming audience, taking a 23-7 victory over Santana in a key Grossmont Valley League game Friday night.
“It feels wonderful,” said Dylan Snyder, who scored the West Hills’ first two touchdowns. “We’ve been working so hard all year for this win, and now we get El Cap for the championship.”
With the win, West Hills (9-0, 5-0) earned a showdown with El Capitan (8-1, 5-0) for its first league championship since 2014 next Friday at West Hills. El Cap’s last title came in 2015.
West Hills entered the contest No. 8 in the San Diego Section Power Rankings for Division III. Santana was No. 5 and El Capitan No. 6. West Hills now has beaten Santana 17 times in the past 21 games.
“We had high hopes for this year, but you don’t expect to be 9-0,” Snyder said.
Santana was playing with its fourth QB, sophomore Alex Rico in his first varsity game. Starter Nick Leger broke his arm and Ethan Wright sustained bruised ribs in a 35-0 loss to El Capitan. Wide receiver Shaun Martin also played QB for a spell.
“I thought he did a pretty good job for his first varsity game,” Santana coach Tim Estes said of Rico.
Rico was 7 of 21 for 108 yards, but Santana was limited to 23 rushing yards. Dylan Anderson was 2 of 2 ing for 73 yards, both coming on trick plays to Reed Robertson.
“We came to play,” Estes said. “We did a great job defensively. We had some opportunities offensively. We just didn’t get it done. I think it was a closer game than the score indicates.”
A hard-hitting first half featured numerous big plays on defense and one big offensive play from West Hills.
In the first quarter, Collin Dill took a pitch from Braden Oberg, faked sweep right and then pulled up to find Snyder open for a 9-yard touchdown and a 7-0 West Hills lead.
West Hills, which came in with a 325-65 scoring advantage, managed only 18 rushing yards and 58 ing yards in the half.
Santana’s Logan Jorden was magnificent on defense with 2½ sacks and a fumble recovery. Rico also had a fumble recovery, and Adler Osborn a sack. Anthony Santiago added an interception of West Hills’ Oberg.
West Hills got an interception in the end zone by Donovan Mjelde to thwart Santana’s best scoring opportunity. Rye Schultz had a key sack as Santana got only 71 total yards, 43 coming on a receiver option from Anderson to Robertson.
Late in the third quarter, Snyder capped a six-play, 68-yard drive with a 33-yard TD run on a sweep right.
Santana answered quickly with another trick play as Anderson took a pitch and pulled up to find Robertson open in the end zone for a 30-yard TD to make it 14-7.
Two minutes later, Dill raced in for a 12-yard TD, and Tyler Haley booted a 36-yard field goal for a 23-7 cushion.
“They played really well, especially in the first half,” West Hills coach Casey Ash said. “They had a good game plan and executed.
“Our kids responded well in the second half; made some plays to tilt it our way.”
Oberg, who came in with 1,002 ing yards and 14 TDs, was 5 of 10 ing for 126 yards and an interception.
As far as being 9-0, Ash said, “We have to go 1-0 next week. That’s all that matters.”
Lindgren is a freelance writer.
Grossmont Valley League
WEST HILLS 23, SANTANA 7
Santana 0 0 0 7 — 7
West Hills 7 0 7 9 — 23
WH — Snyder 9 from Dill (Haley kick)
WH — Snyder 33 run (Haley kick)
S — Robertson 30 from Anderson (Scott kick)
WH — Dill 12 run (kick failed)
WH — FG Haley 36
