High School Football : Grossmont Wins Last Picture Show, 20-6

Now Judd Hulbert, Grossmont’s football coach, has some films he can enjoy. And it’s all thanks to his spirited running back Rick Daynes, who rushed 19 times for 148 yards Saturday at Valley Stadium to lead Grossmont (3-2) to a 20-6 victory over Christian (3-2).

Hulbert decided to switch to the running game after the passing game proved inconsistent in the first halt.

And the films?

Let’s just say strategy for this game began long before kickoff. Lynn Cole, Christian’s coach, was at Grossmont two years ago. He decided to switch coaching positions because his son, Brent, was a freshman football player at Christian, but he still teaches physical education at Grossmont.

Hulbert approached Cole at school this week, requesting a film swap. Cole politely declined.

“He wanted them,” Cole said, laughing. “But I wouldn’t give them to him.”

All in fun, Cole said. But Hulbert wasn’t all that amused.

“I thought it was kind of a cheap shot,” he said.

Cheap or not, Cole, who has several of Grossmont’s football players in his PE classes, appears to be in the less enviable position. He had players asking him all week what his game plan would be. He has to face the opposition all next week in class. And now they have bragging rights.

“It’s difficult from the standpoint that you know the kids on both sides and they’re all good kids,” Cole said. “I can’t win either way.”

And he didn’t. Either way.

Grossmont decided wisely to scrap its passing game on the first possession of the second half and drove 83 yards on seven consecutive rushes. Daynes had 27 on one carry, Jim McQuade had 24 on another. Then, with 8:26 remaining in the third quarter, Erik Weichelt bolted up the middle for 12 yards and a touchdown.

Neither team was able to do much in the first half, which was expected by both coaches, who said the game would likely be a defensive struggle. But in the end, it was offense that won it.

“The credit goes to out offensive line,” Hulbert said. “We just decided to go back on the ground and take it to them.”

That suited Daynes.

“We just decided we weren’t going to fiddle around in the air, and we’d just play Grossmont ball,” Daynes said.

Grossmont quarterback Trevor Hanks completed just 4 of 14 first half passes, but he threw a perfect 41-yard touchdown pass to his favorite target, Tom Liles, with 1:47 remaining in the first quarter for the first half’s only points. That capped a seven-play, 73-yard drive.

Hanks tried repeatedly for more long strikes in the second quarter, but he was plagued with overthrows.

Christian’s only real excitement on offense in the first half came midway through the second quarter, when quarterback David Jeremiah swept around right end and raced 48 yards to the Foothillers’ 21. An incomplete pass and two subsequent runs gained just 4 yards, giving Christian a fourth and 6 from the 27. Jeremiah kept on fourth, gaining 3 yards and Christian turned the ball over.

Christian’s only score came on a 5-yard Shawn Anderson run with 1:55 remaining in the third quarter. Grossmont’s other second half touchdown came on a 7-yard pass from Hanks to McQuade.

--DON PATTERSON

Late Friday:

Oceanside 34, Carlsbad 14--Pirate quarterback Jerry Garrett threw three touchdown passes to lead the county’s No. 1 team past host Carlsbad (0-2, 3-2). Oceanside (2-0, 5-0) meets No. 2 Rancho Buena Vista (2-0, 5-0) Friday in a county and Avocado League showdown at Oceanside. Defensive back Joel Henry and linebacker Junior Faavae recovered fumbles in the end zone to score for Oceanside.

Mt. Miguel 20, Santana 14--Matador running back Gene Ethridge rushed for a career-high 238 yards on 31 carries to lead Mt. Miguel (0-0, 3-2) over visiting Santana (0-0, 3-2). Steve Cardoza rushed 18 times for 87 yards for Santana.

El Cajon Valley 24, Mt. Empire 3--El Cajon’s wide receiver Ron Johnson scored on a 42-yard pass play from quarterback Fred Ernst for the final score in the third period at Monte Vista. El Cajon (1-4) won its first game of the season; Mt. Empire dropped to 1-4.

CETYS 14, Clairemont 13--The Chieftians led 13-6 in the third quarter, but CETYS scored in the final period and won its second straight game in San Diego county on a 2-point conversion. Clairemont dropped to 1-4.