CHULA VISTA – If you saw its first-half performance against Otay Ranch High School, you would say the San Diego High football team deserves a spot among the county top-10.
After the second half, you’d probably agree to give it a bit more time.
The Cavers were impressive, racing out to a 20-point first half lead and then held on for a narrow 20-14 victory to spoil the Mustangs’ homecoming game Friday night in a non-league contest at Otay Ranch.
“We got what we wanted with a win, but it wasn’t a perfect win, it wasn’t even near perfect,” said Cavers head coach Syd Reed. “The long layover for the homecoming halftime show really got to us, we lost composure.”
In that first half the Cavers (3-0) proved they had the talent to be considered among the top teams.
Talented freshman quarterback Jayden Harris got the Cavers started right away. San Diego took the opening kickoff and marched 75 yards in 12 plays for the early lead. Harris completed five-of-six passes, accounting for 70 of the 75 yards on the drive.
The scoring play was a thing of beauty. It came as Harris went deep up the left sideline to favorite target wide receiver Jayden Wade. The senior dove, tapped the ball, it deflected off the defender and he pulled it in for the 28-yard score with 4:55 left in the first quarter.
“I hit it, it went off the defender and I used my long reach to go a get it,” said Wade.
The Mustangs (0-3) followed with a big drive of their own. Starting at their own 11, the Mustangs advanced all the way to the San Diego 23 but the drive stalled and Alejandro Farias’ 40-yard field goal went wide right on the second play of the second quarter.
Harris and Wade made it two scoring drives in a row for the Cavers. This time the 80-yard march ended on a 7-yard TD to Wade at the goal line for a 14-0 lead with 5:34 left in the half.
“it was a quick hitch,” said Harris, who took a year off football last year to work on his grades. “He knew the down and distance and I got it to him.”
In the first half alone, Harris completed 8-of-9 for 129-yards and two TDs. Wade had 58 yards and a pair of touchdowns at intermission.
They would make it 20-0 at the half when a bad snap on a punt gave the Cavers the ball at the 5. Two plays later Morse-transfer Jonah Holloway swept right and cut in for the 5-yard score.
Otay took over in the third quarter.
Less than four minutes into the second half quarterback A.J. Lopez (17 carries, 84 yards rushing) sprinted into the end zone on a keeper left to cut the lead to 20-7.
An interception by middle linebacker David Smith got the Mustangs the ball back at their own 35. Eight plays later Lopez found Joshua Viisser for the 4-yard TD to close to within a touchdown.
With 35 seconds left to play the Mustangs appeared ready to take the lead. However, on a fourth-and-15 from the 16 play saw Johnnie Welborne’s attempt to pull in Lopez’s .pass came loose and hit the ground. A flag flew in, raising claims of interference.
The call turned out to be a personal foul after the play by the Cavers, but the play counted and the penalty was short and San Diego took over on downs to end the game.
Farmer is a freelance writer.
Originally Published: