Reaching into his bag of tricks, Carlsbad coach Thadd MacNeal loaded four receivers wide to the right. With a quick count, quarterback Julian Sayin pulled up, jumped and hit tight end Luke Ferrelli, who was lined up in a tackle-eligible position.
Ferrelli pulled in the pass for the winner as the No. 2-ranked Lancers edged No. 5 Mater Dei Catholic 36-35 in double overtime Friday night in Carlsbad’s season opener.
“It’s one of our trick plays, we ran it last year against Torrey Pines,” said Sayin. “Same thing happened then, it worked.”
After Mason Walsh went in from a yard out, MacNeal opted instead of kicking the tying point and force another overtime, he would end the game one way or another.
“I was always going for two,” said MacNeal. “I’ve always got that play in my bag. It wasn’t league, we were on the road, why not?”
Early on, it didn’t look like extra points would be critical as Carlsbad raced out to a 21-0 barely five minutes into the second quarter.
Then the Crusaders (0-2) woke up, cutting the deficit to 21-20 in the third quarter when QB Dominic Nankil scrambled and found Jerry McClure in the corner of the end zone.
Carlsbad seemed to right the ship by opening a 28-20 lead on Sayin’s 9-yard strike to Justin Johnson five plays into the fourth quarter, but Nankil hit McClure with a TD pass to tie the game with eight seconds left.
Nankil then hooked up with McClure again, flipping the ball back across his body as he was going out of bounds and McClure grabbed it in the middle of traffic for a 2-point PAT.
In the first overtime, neither team scored. In the second, Mater Dei Catholic took its only lead of the game when Nankil and McClure connected on a 10-yard fade in the corner.
Sayin was 13 of 22 for 215 yards. Nankil was 27 of 35 for 257.
Corona Centennial 42, No. 1 Cathedral Catholic 7: Ranked ninth in the nation by MaxPreps, Centennial (2-0) routed Cathedral (1-1) for the second year in a row. The Huskies beat the Dons 57-14 last season. The seven points were the fewest Cathedral has scored since the 2018 opener, a span of 43 games.
No. 2 Carlsbad 36, No. 5 Mater Dei Catholic 35 (2 OT)
No. 3 Madison 35, Steele Canyon 7: Madison (2-0) had 398 yards total offense, rushing for 283. Tyson Bryant led the way with 12 carries, 96 yards while Mike Porter had seven for 83 and James Tivao four for 53. Reggie Johnson completed 9 of 20 passes for 115 yards and two TDs. Sean Webb caught TD passes of 42 and 7 yards. Alex Sola led the defense with 14 tackles, two for losses. Keyon Bean had two sacks, and Titus Toilolo had an interception. Madison stopped four Steele Canyon drives inside the 20. Major Givens gained 225 yards on 30 carries for the Cougars (1-1).
Mission Hills Bishop Alemany 14, No. 4 Lincoln 7: LB Jerome Bennett had 17 tackles for Lincoln (1-1). DE D.J. Peevy recovered two fumbles, had two sacks and a TD catch. Chris Feewell blocked a punt. Lincoln had three TDs called back by penalties.
No. 6 Helix 52, Otay Ranch 0: TE Quincy Herron had two TD receptions in the first half, giving him six TDs this season, while Adren Parker also had a pair of TD receptions, all from QB Ryland Jessee. Kevin Allen rushed for two touchdowns. Jackson Daniels had two interceptions for Helix (2-0), returning one for a touchdown.
No. 7 Mission Hills 31, Lawndale 7: QB Keaton Smith threw for a pair of TDs, hitting Santiago Salas on a 21-yarder and Henry Davis with a 14-yarder, and ran for another as Mission Hills improved to 2-0. LB Mason Shane had an interception. Jon Class blocked a punt which Fernando Soto recovered for a TD. Lawndale was ranked No. 94 in the state.
No. 8 Poway 14, Eastlake 6: Conner Rath opened the game with a 5-yard TD run for Poway (2-0), but Marco Gonzalez booted FGs of 39 and 33 yards for Eastlake (0-2). Rath’s 13-yard TD in the third quarter proved to be the winner as he rushed 26 times for 167 yards. Poway’s Johnny Butler had an interception and a forced fumble while Gabe Taylor recorded 10 tackles. Blake Schweer had 12 tackles and Christian Gerbella had nine while playing both ways as Eastlake had just 105 yards on offense.
No. 9 Ramona 34, Rancho Bernardo 6: Azlan Enriquez scored three TDs — two rushing, one receiving — for Ramona (2-0). QB Colin Lester threw for 153 yards with a TD to Jamil Kassab. Ryan Dutra rushed for 54 yards and a TD. Rancho Bernardo (0-2) had 60 yards total offense as Ramona’s Zach Stene dominated the DL and Robert Timanus, Enriquez and Kassab had interceptions. Wesley Hoehner led RB with 12 tackles.
San Clemente 28, No. 10 Torrey Pines 17: Alex Taylor rushed 27 times for 106 yards and scored both TDs for Torrey Pines (0-2). He also had an 11-yard reception. QB Remi Baere was 7 of 8 for 67 yards and Peyton Rodgers kicked a FG. San Clemente is 2-0.
Rancho Buena Vista 51, Morse 35: RBV went to 2-0 as Gino Trapasso rushed 25 times for 262 yards and four TDs. He also scored a pair of 2-point PATs. In two games, Trapasso has rushed 42 times for 514 yards and nine TDs. Max Granados, Connor Underhill and Elijah Oshima scored TDs for the Longhorns, who had 924 yards total offense in two games.
San Pasqual 44, Olympian 12: San Pasqual (2-0) rolled up 389 yards total offense — 282 rushing on 40 carries. QB Eli Griffin led the way with 13 carries for 81 yards and two TDs as nine San Pasqual players got carries. Wes Parker, Noah Snyder and Luke Olson had rushing TDs. Griffin also threw a TD pass to Snyder. Olympian (1-1) was held to minus-2 yards rushing, but QB Kristian Noriega threw for 171 yards and two TDs, one an 87-yarder to Javon Jordan.
El Camino 41, Grossmont 7: El Camino (2-0) QB Carson Howard ran for a score and threw a pair of TD passes to Tate Reid. Ray Taele, Zuriel Eatmon and Pisa Tinoisamoa ran for scores. Grossmont is 0-2.
St. Augustine 27, Oceanside 24 (2 OT): St. Augustine freshman QB Brady Palmer completed 13 of 24 for 174 yards and two TDs. RB Humble Fa’alave-Johnson rushed for 77 yards and two TDs in the second half and two OT periods, including the 5-yard winner. Oceanside (0-2) QB Sa’le Thompson was 22 of 33 for 240 yards and a TD. RB Joseph Garcia had 53 yards and two TDs rushing and 65 yards receiving. Geordan Beamon had a pair of sacks.
Mira Mesa 28, San Marcos 21: Ravel Cato intercepted two passes, returning one for a 55-yard TD for Mira Mesa (1-1). Noah Chiw and Micah Vanta had two sacks. Makei Thompson gained 207 yards from scrimmage, rushing for 151, including a 90-yard TD. He scored three TDs. San Marcos (1-1) got down 28-0, cut it to 28-21, but threw an interception on a tipped ball with two minutes remaining. Knights’ QB Kreet Makihele threw for 350 yards had three TD passes. Jase Nix had 10 receptions and Brady Pohl caught four passes for 106 yards and a 77-yard TD.
San Ysidro 31, Tri-City Christian 0: Freshman A.J. Logan piled up 179 yards, including a 64-yard punt return for a TD as well as a 31-yard scoring reception as San Ysidro (1-1) romped. Angel Garcia gained 105 yards on 11 carries, including a score.
Sweetwater 9, Coronado 7: Sweetwater (1-1) converted an onside kick after failing on a 2-point conversion and Julian Ramos booted a 27-yard field goal with three seconds remaining for the come-from-behind victory. Gabriel Gomez’s 3-yard TD run set up the dramatic finish.
El Capitan 9, Hilltop 7: Aden Ramirez kicked the go-ahead FG from 25 yards out with 3:58 to go. El Capitan (2-0) scored on a 34-yard pass to Julian May from Bruce Newland earlier in the fourth quarter to draw the Vaqueros to within 7-6. Mason Vaquero scored on a 5-yard pitch for Hilltop (1-1). QB Jorge Garcia was 8 of 12 for 171 yards in addition to rushing for 62 yards.
Calexico 48, Castle Park 33: Sergio Cobos caught eight passes for 120 yards and three TDs for Castle Park (0-2). Jeremiah Similer scored on a 90-yard kickoff return and had 12 unassisted tackles.
Fallbrook 21, Santa Fe Christian 0: Fallbrook (1-1) got a pair of TDs from Chris Bausch, who rushed 30 times for 140 yards. The Fallbrook defense held Santa Fe Christian (1-1) to 133 yards, had seven tackles for a loss and three sacks, two by Kaleb Collings, who also caught three passes for 81 yards and a TD. Charlie Sawyer had 11 tackles and an interception and Dane Lee had 12 tackles for SFC.
Army-Navy 24, Clairemont 0: Nehemiah Brunson Jr. had three carries for 124 yards and two TDs, one for 91 yards as Army-Navy improved to 2-0. Landon Schrom caught a TD pass and had an interception. Ratumana Balabalavu had three sacks and four tackles for a loss. Clairemont is 0-2.
La Costa Canyon 43, Vista 13: Every eligible player got in the game for LCC (1-1). QB Connor Annicharico completed 7 of 10 passes for 136 yards and a score. Backup QB Jack Splavec completed 5 of 8 for 94 yards and two scores. Andrew Maese rushed 12 times for 112 yards and two TDs. Vista is 0-2.
Montgomery 6, Santana 0: Jordan Benton caught a 23-yard TD pass from backup QB Nate Ong above a pair of defenders with 1:28 to go in the game as Montgomery (1-1) beat Santana (0-2) for the first time in the last eight meetings. Benton finished with five receptions for 84 yards. Gideon Baraka led the Aztecs with 12 tackles, including five for loss. Santana’s Logan Ellis recorded four sacks and recovered a fumble, while teammates Hayden Sheehan and Keith Mizell had interceptions.
Granite Hills 59, Valhalla 6: Granite Hills’ Joaquin Thomas Jr. returned the opening kickoff 81 yards for a TD, then the Eagles’ No’Koi Maddox blocked a punt and teammate Daniel Netto fell on the ball for a TD. Nico Tomasello completed a 30-yard TD pass to Colin Riley and a 6-yard TD pass to Thomas Jr. De’sean Floyd had a 1-yard TD run for Granite Hills (1-1). Jordan Glaze had a 34-yard fumble return for the Eagles. Alten Finner had a 55-yard TD for Valhalla (0-2).
Valley Center 27, Brawley 21: Brawley (1-1) blocked a punt with a minute to play, but Valley Center (1-1) got a QB sack at the 8-yard line on the game’s final play. Noe Vasquez had a 34-yard TD run for Valley Center. Colton Paxton hit Jamal Solis with a 62-yard scoring throw.
Christian 27, Bishop’s 0: QB Shane Bailey had rushing TDs of 10 and 1 yards for Christian (1-1). Hunter Provience caught a 20-yard TD from Bailey in the fourth quarter. Aiden Hypes added a rushing TD. Bishop’s is 1-1.
Mount Miguel 29, Chula Vista 0: Davion McGowan scored on a 7-yard TD run and Antreall Burbidge added a 5-yard TD. Jeremiah Castillo added a 6-yard TD reception from Matthew Barton. Mount Miguel (2-0) recorded a second straight shutout for the first time since 2015. Chula Vista is 0-2.
Del Norte 47, University City 41 (OT): QB Jack Schneider was 10 for 33 passing for 323 yards and five TDs. Chris Guzman scored the game-winning TD on an 8-yard run in OT as Del Norte (2-0) downed University City (1-1). WR Ty Olsen caught eight passes for 170 yards and four TDs. University City QB Samuel Cooper rushed 12 times for 182 yards and two TDs.
Escondido Charter 57, O’Farrell Charter 3: Escondido Charter QB Skylar MacMahon threw TD passes of 9, 8, 30 and 25 yards while also rushing for 40 yards and a score. The White Tigers are 2-0, O’Farrell is 0-2.
La Jolla Country Day 33, Crawford 14: Charlie Gooding caught two TD passes from QB Bito Bass-Sulpizio as well as intercepting two passes, returning one for a TD for LJCD (2-0). Bass-Sulpizio and Jaden Mangini each ran for a TD. Crawford fell to 1-1.
Southwest-San Diego 13, Mountain Empire 7: Mountain Empire (1-1) scored first, but Southwest (2-0) scored a few minutes later. A second rushing TD for Southwest with eight minutes left in the third quarter proved to be the winner. This is the first 2-0 start for Southwest since 2011.
Las Vegas The Meadows School 37, Francis Parker 28: QB Chris Williams rushed 72 and 28 yards for TDs for Parker (1-1), and he caught a 44-yard TD pass from Jackson Giek.
Mt. Carmel 28, Patrick Henry 21: Caprece Pressley gained 184 yards on 21 carries for Henry (0-1). QB Malachi Ghitman passed for 135 yards and rushed for 30. Linebacker Hassan Noureddine had eight tackles. Mt. Carmel (1-1) QB Joshua Bell was 22 for 29 for 232 yards and three TDs, two of which went to Drew Ventimiglia, who caught eight passes for 156 yards.
Kearny 35, Monte Vista 21: Brodie Stump completed 20 of 27 passes for 340 yards and four TDs, plus rushed 12 times for 76 yards and a score for Kearny (2-0). Isaiah Sutton had five catches for 131 yards and a TD, plus intercepted a pass. Max Vaughn caught seven passes for 95 yards, scored two TDs, plus had a sack. Enrique Padua had six catches for 97 yards and a TD. Monte Vista is 1-1.
San Diego 35, Westview 21: San Diego QB Casey Kotcher-Smith passed for 322 yards and three TDs, plus ran for a score for the Cavers (1-1). Damien Whitfield scored two TDs. Eric Walker and Kaden Petrucelli had 70-yard TD catches. Westview is 0-2.
Imperial 21, West Hills 3: Seth Shaw returned a fumble 77 yards for a TD and rushed for TDs of 9 and 2 yards Imperial (1-0). Tyler Haley booted a FG for West Hills (1-1).
La Jolla 28, Scripps Ranch 21: QB Jackson Diehl threw for 275 yards and four TDs for La Jolla (1-1). Four receivers caught TD passes. Safety Tommy Castronovo had 10 tackles and an interception. Scripps Ranch is 0-2.
El Cajon Valley 56, Hoover 0: El Cajon (1-1) recorded its second-largest shutout victory in the program’s 67-year history. Kal-el Gordon scored five touchdowns and rushed for 128 yards to lead the Braves. Paris Dixon had an 89-yard kickoff return for a touchdown to open the second half and had an interception, which he returned 44 yards and a 33-yard punt return.
Escondido 56, Orange Glen 22: Escondido (1-1) scored 50 points in a game for the first time since 2018. Orange Glen (0-2) QB Cash Herrera was 10 for 14 for 174 yards and a TD. Axel Rivera caught five passes for 144 for the Cougars (1-1).
Central Union 30, Point Loma 14: Charlie Sullivan rushed 10 times for 143 yards and two TDs to lift Central (2-0) past the Pointers (1-1). Damian Rodriguez was 15 of 19 passing for 180 yards and TDs to Sullivan and Skylar Cook, who had three catches for 52 yards and eight tackles.
Palo Verde Valley 41, Coachella Valley 21
Victory Christian Academy 34, Los Angeles Sotomayor 6
St. Joseph Academy 36, San Pasqual Academy 28
Warner at The Rock Academy, late Saturday
Classical Academy at Maranatha Christian
Mission Bay at Mar Vista
Staff writer John Maffei and freelance writers Don Norcross, Terry Monahan, Steve Brand, Ramon Scott, Adam Paul and Rick Hoff contributed to this report.
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