Revenge Not Sweet in Football Playoffs

So much for the ol’ second chance.

Five of the eight quarterfinal football playoff games this past weekend featured rematches of regular-season games. None featured revenge.

All five were won by the team that won the first time around.

Vista beat Morse. Chula Vista downed Castle Park. Point Loma shut out Helix. El Camino routed Oceanside. And San Pasqual “upset” San Marcos again.

All but Vista increased their margin of victory.

Including the first round and the eight-man championship, the initial winner has won the rematch game six of seven times in the playoffs.

Santa Fe Christian, which defeated La Jolla Country Day in the eight-man final, was the exception.

Milestone: E.J. Watson of La Jolla became the sixth player in section history to rush for more than 2,000 yards in a season. With a career-high 250 yards in 23 carries in the Vikings’ 12-7 victory over Escondido, Watson now has 2,035 yards with at least one game remaining.

Incidentally, all six rushers who surpassed 2,000 yards did so in the past six years.

Record Called Back: According to the San Diego Section record book, Gary Taylor appeared to have broken the career rushing record on Friday as Taylor finished his two-year career at Morse with 4,505 yards.

O.J. Hall of Rancho Buena Vista is listed first in the record book with 4,486 yards from 1987-89, but Hall’s one-time record was surpassed last season by RBV’s Markeith Ross, who finished his three-year career last season with 5,305 yards.

Ross’s mark was either never submitted for record consideration or it was inadvertently omitted. Ross is, however, listed 10th with 3,045 yards from 1988-89.

As it should be, Ross is first, Taylor is now second and Hall third.

Perfect Trivia: Should Vista and La Jolla--both 12-0--win their respective class titles, it would mark only the second time both the 3-A and 2-A champions finished with perfect records.

Name the two schools which finished the 1984 season with perfect marks and section championships.

Wild Wildcats: El Camino’s defense, which allowed the fewest points during the regular season, has scored seven touchdowns in two playoff games.

El Camino’s 113 total points in those two playoff games are more than six teams scored during the entire regular season.

Don’t Worry, Be Happy: Although Mira Mesa eventually held onto its lead and squeaked out a 15-14 victory over Orange Glen in the 3-A quarterfinal on Saturday, the suspense was apparently too much for one fan. Mira Mesa Coach Brad Griffith’s wife answered the phone at their residence at approximately 10:30 and was asked about the final score.

“I don’t know,” said a frazzled Griffith. “I left with five minutes to play. Mira Mesa had just thrown an interception and I couldn’t stand to watch any more. I had to leave.”

Trivia Answer: In 1984, Sweetwater won the 3-A and El Camino the 2-A with 13-0 records, the only time in section history both champions finished with perfect marks.

Upsets?: Monte Vista scored a pair of, let’s say, impressive victories over the weekend in the Norsemen/Warhawk boy’s basketball tournament, beating two defending section champions.

The Monarchs defeated 1991 Division IV champion Lincoln, 74-66, on Friday, then returned to down 1991 Division I champion Poway, 58-53, on Saturday. Monte Vista’s Marty Ellis and Aaron Elliott scored 37 and 35 points respectively in the two games.

More Hoops: Rebounding from its opening loss to Monte Vista, Lincoln became the first team in the county top 100 points, routing Bonita Vista, 105-68, on Saturday.

By outscoring Mt. Miguel, 13-3, in the fourth quarter, El Capitan defeated the Matadors, 41-40, on Friday. Justin Shands made a three-point shot with seven seconds left to give El Capitan its first lead.

In girls’ basketball, University City defeated City Western League rival Kearny, 45-43, in overtime. UC’s Jenny Gross sent the game to overtime with a three-pointer at the buzzer. Gross finished with 30 points, seven assists and seven steals.