San Diego High School Football Playoffs : 3-A: Burke, Now the San Dieguito Coach, Will Test Helix Again

Of the three previous times Ed Burke has coached a team in the San Diego Section football playoffs, two have resulted in first-round losses to Helix High School.

But those two seasons, Burke was coaching at Torrey Pines.

For the past three seasons, he has been at San Dieguito, which defeated Helix, 12-6, in the third week of this season.

And Helix again will be the opponent when Burke’s team opens the playoffs tonight at 7:30 at Helix.

Although Burke thinks the teams “are basically the same,” there are two key differences.

San Dieguito will be without Kelly Hockey, a linebacker who was last year’s Palomar League defensive player of the year. Three weeks ago, Hockey was taken off the team for the rest of the season because of disciplinary reasons.

Helix will have wide receiver Todd Sheehan, this season’s Grossmont League 3-A offensive player of the year, who missed the earlier game with an injured ankle.

Sheehan’s return concerns Burke. “That opens it up much more,” he said.

Having Sheehan this time around gives Helix two quality receivers for quarterback Tim Zeddies. Sheehan and wide receiver Eddie Evilsizor continually found openings in Helix’s 16-7 loss to Mount Miguel, the top-rated defense in the county.

Helix also has a solid ground game with running back Spike Mitchell and Zeddies.

“We have to contain Zeddies,” Burke said. “He’s probably more mobile than any of the quarterbacks we’ve faced.”

In the first game between the teams, San Dieguito moved the ball against Helix but lost three fumbles in the first half.

“That has plagued us this season,” Burke said. “Our biggest singular problem has been a penchant to turn the ball over.”

Helix will have to get its offense in gear against San Dieguito. Sheehan either missed or played injured in three games because of his ankle, and Zeddies missed three games late in the season with an injury.

“We’ve got to take some pressure off our defense and score some points,” Arnaiz said. “Our offense has not been in full gear.”

San Dieguito gears its offense around running back Erik Franssens and quarterback Brett Ward. San Dieguito likes to throw to players coming out of the backfield. Franssens has caught 38 passes for 434 yards and 6 touchdowns.

Other 3-A Games

Orange Glen (6-3-1) at No. 9 Chula Vista (6-1-3)--In a matchup of balanced teams, Chula Vista Coach George Ohnesorgen said: “The team that doesn’t make the mistakes is going to win.”

Chula Vista has lost only to No. 5 Sweetwater, 20-0. On offense, Marquis Howard is averaging 102 yards per game rushing, and quarterback Paul Geering is averaging 147 yards per game passing.

But Chula Vista probably will have to rely on its defense against a potent Orange Glen offense.

“We have to find a way to keep our offense on the field,” Ohnesorgen said. “Our defense is really going to have to play well for us to win this game.”

Orange Glen, averaging 23 points per game, is led by quarterback Sean Gousha, who is ranked No. 3 in San Diego with 198.5 yards passing per game.

Granite Hills (5-5) vs. No. 3 Morse (7-3) at Southwestern College--Each team will be trying to stop one of the the top running backs in the county in a game that features Morse’s Larry Maxey, who ranks No. 2 in rushing, and Granite Hills’ Brian Giles, who ranks No. 3.

Maxey is averaging 127 yards rushing per game, and Giles is averaging 115 yards. Maxey has scored 19 touchdowns and Giles 13.

The hard-hitting Granite Hills defense has yet to face a running back of Maxey’s ability. Morse has been matched against several of the best backs in the county, including No. 1 Darrin Wagner of Lincoln.

“We want to take advantage of our quickness and swarm (Giles),” said John Shacklett, Morse coach.

Shacklett also said he talked to his players about overlooking Granite Hills, a third-place team from the Grossmont League. As a third-place team last season, Granite Hills advanced to the semifinals.

Patrick Henry (4-5) at No. 7 Fallbrook (7-3)--Few realize just how far Patrick Henry has come in the last year. Henry, winless last season, reached the playoffs this year despite having a 4-5 record. All five of its losses were to teams that qualified for the playoffs.

“We’re just happy to be in the playoffs,” said Chris Miller, Patrick Henry coach. “I hope our kids aren’t just happy with being in the playoffs and fall on our faces.”

Henry is making its first playoff appearance since losing to Vista, 3-0, in 1983. Henry again opens with a Palomar League team.

Fallbrook won the San Diego Section title last year after finishing third in the Palomar League. This season the Warriors were second and were again led by one of the strongest passing attacks in the county.

Mike Turiace is the county’s top-rated passer, averaging 257 yards passing per game and completing 59% of his passes.

“Your not going to shut it down (the Fallbrook offense) totally,” Miller said. “You just can’t give them the chance to break the big play.”