Rawhide Nation - La Costa High School Football

Win or go home: Oceanside vs. La Costa Canyon for a ticket to Qualcomm

2011-11-30T23:40:00.000-08:00

Thursday night's semifinal matchup against Oceanside will mark La Costa Canyon's next opportunity to advance to the "Q" for a second CIF final appearance. In only his second year at the helm, Sean Sovacool has built a tough, hard-nosed program, dedicated to running the football and playing stifling defense. Finesse is out the window.

Possibly the most interesting storyline of this game involves the Maverick’s young-gun head coach pitted against arguably the county’s most legendary football coach, John Carroll. The Oceanside Pirates - a program respected nationally - have won 2 state titles and 13 CIF Championships. The pirates have won 7 straight

CIF Championships dating back to 2004. Will this year be their 8^th in a row?

La Costa Canyon (9-2), winners of the Avocado league west, up-ended Oceanside (8-2-1) earlier in the season with a 21-16 victory in Oceanside.

In that game, LCC held Oceanside to under 100 yards rushing and intercepted Oceanside quarterback Tofi Pao Pao twice. La Costa Canyon stormed back from a halftime deficit and held the pirates to only one field goal in the second half, holding off a late Oceanside surge.

Sovacool and his players have surely not forgotten last year’s quarterfinal playoff game against Carroll and the Pirates, which eliminated the Mavericks from playoff contention. Will Thursday’s semifinal end in a similar result, or will the Mavericks pull off a win.

Prediction:

The teams are athletic, aggressive, well coached, and evenly matched on offense and defense. This game will be back and forth, and come down to a big play of special teams in the second half.

La Costa Canyon 24 – Oceanside 21

La Costa Canyon outlasts Westview: Mavericks advance to DII CIF semifinals

2011-11-26T11:14:00.000-08:00

The Mavericks didn't relent in their CIF quarterfinal matchup again Westview. The stingy Wolverines, combined with some blown offensive opportunities for the Mavericks forced a back and forth North County bruiser of a football game.

LCC's snappy runningback, Deon Dickey, led the Mavericks on the ground with with 184 yards on 24 rushes, including runs of 46, 24 and 22 yards.

La Costa Canyon's defensive recorded 6 sacks and limited the powerful Westview offense to only 6 points and under 100 yards rushing.

La Costa Canyon 13-6 win advances them to the DII CIF semifinals, where they will host familiar north county foe, the Oceanside Pirates. The Mavericks have the chance to advance to their second CIF final in school history, and first under coach Sean Sovacool. La Costa won its only CIF championship in 2008 against Escondido.

Read the full game recap here.

The real story behind the La Costa Canyon and Torrey Pines rivalry

2011-11-11T10:06:00.000-08:00

Its rivalry week for the La Costa Canyon and Torrey Pines football squads. This is one of the fiercest rivalries in the county and the stakes are high for both teams. Doug Heflin is a well respected La Costa Canyon High School social sciences teacher who graduated from San Dieguito in 1975. Here is his take on the real story behind the Maverick and Falcon rivalry.

The San Dieguito Union High School District’s almost 40-year history of being a one high school district came to an end with the 1974-75 school year. San Dieguito Union High School in Encinitas dropped the “Union,” while Torrey Pines High School was born in the boonies (at the time) east of Del Mar. Actually, Torrey Pines wasn’t completed in time for the beginning of the school year, so for the first few months, both student bodies used SDHS -- Mustangs in the mornings and Falcons in the afternoons. Still, the North vs. South SDUHSD Civil War had begun!

Torrey Pines didn’t have a stadium for a few years, so San Dieguito had to share its stadium with the new kid. The first football game between the two schools in 1974 was a 41-20 victory for the Mustangs! Of course, the Falcons had the excuse of not having a senior class their first year. 1974-75 was the last year that SDHS’s senior class was from the entire school district.

A lot of SD’s junior varsity football coaches had moved to TP when it opened. Unfortunately, SD didn’t have the best record against their new arch-rivals, except for a little run in the late 1980’s when Ed Burke coached the Mustangs. We did have one player from the ‘80’s make it to the NFL, Keith Kartz, who became a lineman for the Denver Broncos.

Today, the SDUHSD rivalry is kept alive as La Costa Canyon vs. Torrey Pines, with LCC as the new representative of the north beginning in 1996. La Costa Canyon replaced San Dieguito as the main comprehensive school for the northern end to accommodate the growth of the area. San Dieguito shrunk and morphed into the “Academy” that year.

On the football field, the North’s fates didn’t fare much better when the Mavericks replaced the Mustangs. Torrey Pines dominated both squads in the 1990’s, which the Falcons advertised with their “Never in the Nineties” T-shirts. The tide started to turn as new LCC head coach Darrin Brown methodically built a powerhouse program at La Costa Canyon, resulting in the Mavs not only becoming more competitive against the Falcons, but more victorious. As well, LCC currently boasts two former Mavs in the NFL, with lineman Joe Toledo (2000) on the San Francisco 49’ers and Kevin O’Connell (2003) a 2008 rookie quarterback with the New England Patriots.

As we approach this Friday’s “Beach Bowl” showdown and the 35th edition of the district’s North-South rivalry, the Mavericks look to continue their new-found dominance (see 2007: 30-0) in the SDUHSD and retain custody of the Golden Surfboard trophy that goes to the winning team for another year!

Game Preview: La Costa Canyon vs. Oceanside

2011-10-28T15:16:00.000-07:00

No. 10 La Costa Canyon at No. 4 Oceanside

Kickoff: 7 p.m.

Radio: 1090 AM

Records: La Costa Canyon 5-2, 2-0; Oceanside 5-1-1, 1-0

Last meeting: In 2010, Oceanside won 38-14.

At a glance: La Costa Canyon has won four in a row, outscoring opponents 141-15. Isaac Maquet (583 yards) and Deon Dickey (374 yards) lead the ground attack. QB Jake Sesti has completed 43-of-74 passes for 837 yards and eight TDs. ... Oceanside has outscored its opponents 169-90. QB Tofi Paopao has completed 61-of-108 passes for 797 yards and has thrown just one interception. RBsRyshaud Keegan (353 yards) and Thai Cottrell (308 yards) are the op rushers. The Pirates have found ways to win games with defense and special teams.

Prediction: Oceanside 24, La Costa Canyon 21

Read John Maffei's full North County Times prep preview article here.

Mavericks fall to Tritons 58-7

2011-09-17T11:14:00.001-07:00

The San Clemente Tritons showed why they are one of southern california's best, gaining nearly 500 yards in offense against La Costa Canyon in Friday's non league matchup. LCC runningback Isaac Maquet finished with 82 yards rushing and a touchdown on 17 carries. The Mavericks (1-2) will face Redlands next week.

Mavericks face tough test against Southern Section Tritons tonight

2011-09-16T15:46:00.000-07:00

La Costa Canyon, who fell to a good Poway team a week ago, faces a tough test against the San Clemente Tritons. The Tritons have a bunch of athletes and solid coaching, which is why they are ranked #5 in Orange County. Should La Costa pull out with a "W," this would be an impressive victory for North County against the Southern Section. It won't be easy. See the video highlights from last year's game here.

Here is the preview capsule from the North County Times.

No. 9 La Costa Canyon at San Clemente

Records: La Costa Canyon 1-1; San Clemente 2-0

Kickoff: 7 p.m.

Last meeting: In 2010, San Clemente won 28-21.

At a glance: La Costa Canyon gave up two touchdown in the final nine minutes in a 28-14 loss to Poway last week. ... Junior quarterback Jake Sesti has been solid in his first two games, going 19-for-34 for 388 yards. ... San Clemente, which has outscored its first two opponents, 78-16, and is ranked No. 5 by the Orange County Register, returns quarterback Travis Wilson who threw for 314 yards in last year's win over the Mavericks.

Prediction: San Clemente 35, La Costa Canyon 17

— Tom Sheridan

Tonight's La Costa - Poway Game in Question After Blackout

2011-09-09T12:12:00.000-07:00

Tonight's game is in question after transportation issues have arisen for the Poway Titans due to the county-wide power outage on Thursday evening and early Friday morning. The power outage has disrupted many businesses and community events, including Prep Football.

UPDATE @ 12:30PM - The game is ON and will be played tonight at La Costa Canyon stadium

Preview: Marina vs. La Costa Canyon

2011-09-02T16:02:00.000-07:00

Football is back!

La Costa Canyon kicks off its 2011 campaign, and year 2 of Sovacool's tenure, vs. Hungtington Beach Marina.

Here is the North County Times game preview...

Huntington Beach Marina at No. 5 La Costa Canyon
Kickoff: 7 p.m.
Last meeting: Never played
At a glance: La Costa Canyon was 7-5 last season, the first for coach Sean Sovacool. ... The Mavericks have eight returning starters, including Michigan-bound left tackle Erik Magnuson and four starting receivers. Slotback Corbin de Waal is the top returner with 30 catches for 319 yards. ... Marina was 3-7 last year.
Prediction: La Costa Canyon 21, Marina 14

— Terry Monahan

CIF Playoff Preview: La Costa Canyon vs. Oceanside

2010-11-26T08:44:00.000-08:00

For La Costa Canyon and Oceanside, its do or die in tonight's second round CIF playoff matchup as the Mavericks will travel to the new home of the Pirates and clash, with a CIF semifinal birth on the line.

For a program with a brand new coach, coming into the year, many might of considered La Costa Canyon's chances of making a deep run into the playoffs a longshot. Many called it a "rebuilding year." Skeptics claimed coach Sean Sovacool was too young, and too adolescent in his coaching career to field a serious competitor his rookie season.

Here's reality: the Mavericks could easily be 9-1, but that doesn't matter. What matters is tonight they look to dethrone the controlling death grip Oceanside has held on DII football for years. The Mavericks are not only competing for a win, but competing for every other team in DII who has succumb to Oceanside coach John Carroll's excellence in the past 10 years.

Credit to the Pirate coaches, players, and fans, but its time for a change. This has not been a normal "run the table" year for Oceanside, who has won an astonishing 6 straight CIF championships... their last playoff loss in 2003 to Monte Vista.

The Mavericks carry the momentum after upsetting after three straight wins against El Camino, #5 Torrey Pines, and Hilltop in the playoff opener. LCC's last defeat came at the hands of the Oceanside Pirates, a 38-14 chippy grudge match. Both teams played sloppy, and LCC had numerous penalties and stupid turnovers.

While longtime North County fans might give Oceanside the auto nod to advance into the semifinals, they face a big test in contatining LCC quarterback Garrett Krstich, who has arrived as arguably the county's best quarterback, throwing for a county leading 24 touchdowns.

La Costa's offensive has been explosive since their win over Torrey Pines. The line is blocking well and LCC has shredded opposing defenses in past weeks. A group of wide receivers: Jake Jackson, Corbin De Waal, Frankie Wims, and Nick Frausto have stepped up and made plays in high pressure circumstances.

For the Mavericks, tonight's game will come down to a couple things: the defense's ability to consistently shutdown the short passes and force turnovers, and La Costa Canyon o-line's ability to protect Krstich and allow him to gun the ball down field to his receivers.

La Costa will try to establish a rushing presence with Erick Nelson and Isaac Maquet. They have to gain some yards to control the clock and keep Oceanside's explosive offense weapons - QB Tofi Pao Pao and RB Anthony Mount - off the field.

This will not be a methodical game for either team; it will come down to who hits harder, protects the ball better, and wants the victory more.

Prediction: La Cost Canyona 31 - Oceanside 28

La Costa Canyon Rolls Over Hilltop in Tuneup for Oceanside Pirates

2010-11-20T13:41:00.000-08:00

La Costa Canyon's offense and defense fired on all cylinders as the Mavericks hosted the Hilltop Lancers in the first round of the Division II CIF playoffs and won 35-13. LCC quarterback Garrett Krstich was hyper efficient, connecting on 10 of 11 passes for 191 yards and 3 touchdowns. Offensively, WR Corbin De Wall led all receivers with 67 yards and 2 touchdowns. Running back Isaac Maquet also found the endzone 2 times, rushing for 65 yards.

The La Costa Canyon defense was phenomenal and pressured Hilltop quarterback Omar Hernandez all night. Rarely did he have a chance to get a pass off without Ian Seau, Erik Nelson, Wade Bartholme, or Spenser Laughter in his face causing problems and forcing rushed throws. The defensive unit held to Lancers' rushing game to -6 rushing yards. Yes that's right, -6 rushing yards. The Lancers only gained 81 total yards on the night. Gang Green's speed and athleticism clearly created challenges for the undermatched Lancers from Chula Vista.

Redemption will be the name of the game next week in the 2nd round, as LCC has a chance to get revenge against the Oceanside Pirates, who embarrassed La Costa on their home turf in week 7 of the regular season.

The Mavericks are playing well right now and Oceanside lost their final game against El Camino, and have had a week off to think about it. Oceanside skipper John Carroll was at the game last night and will surely have his troops ready for battle. Expect a fantastic North County playoff battle in Oceanside in round 2.

Quest to the "Q" begins Friday night: Hilltop vs. La Costa Canyon

2010-11-18T23:45:00.000-08:00

And just like that, its mid-November and evening temperatures are dropping into the low 50s. That must mean one thing in San Diego; its time for CIF playoff football. Only the best 12 remain in each division, and champions must be crowned.

The regular season went by in a snap, with the Mavericks finishing the season 6-4, (really 7-3 excluding a lame forfeit).

For the La Costa Canyon Mavericks, the season kicked off with two impressive wins over Chula Vista and Poway (a playoff team). Wide receivers Nate Rudnick and Corbin De Waal established an early connection with gunslinger quarterback Garrett Krstich, scoring on big receptions and piling up the receiving yards. The defense had only given up 7 points after 2 games.

In weeks 3 and 4, the Mavericks played two memorable battles early in the season against South Section teams San Clemente and Redlands, both ending in tight losses in the last minutes of play for LCC. Quarterback Garrett Krstich stepped into the limelight and never looked back.

La Costa Canyon got back on track in week 5 with an impressive win over Fallbrook. Fearing the collapse and disappearance of any running game heading into league play, the offensive line and two-way player (LB/RB) Erick Nelson rejuvenated the rushing attack. Nelson scored two touchdowns in the game and clearly set the tone. Isaac Maquet assisted Nelson and LCC ran for over 200 yards.

At 3-2, the Mavericks caught momentum and punished both Carlsbad (winning the rotary cup trophy) and Rancho Buena Vista. With the win streak at 3, LCC prepared for a huge Avocado League West showdown against Oceanside.

Taking the lead early, La Costa Canyon was plagued by the turnover bug and an aggressive Oceanside Pirates defense. The Mavericks fell to the pirates in a sloppy game 38-14, and potentially lost the league title.

Looking for answers and focusing on eliminating mental breakdowns during the game, LCC rebounded against a feisty El Camino Wildcats club. A rough victory set the stage for a head-to-head showdown with undefeated arch rival Torrey Pines in the final game of the season.

The game featured two prolific offenses that battled back and forth. Like a heavy weight slug fest, La Costa played to its strength putting the ball in the air behind Krsitch. Frankie Wims, Jake Jackson, and Corbin De Wall make acrobatic plays in clutch situations. Torrey Pines pounded the ball on the ground.

When the smoke cleared, WR Nick Frausto caught the go ahead game winning touchdown in the back of the end zone with under 2 minutes to play. The LCC defense started to bend on the final drive but did not break. Mike Arkans picked the last second Torrey Pines 9-route out of the sky, and LCC handed TP their only regular season loss.

If the final half was of the regular season was an indicator of things to come in the Division II playoffs, it will be predictably unpredictable. With undefeated Helix and Oceanside potentially looming in the 2nd and 3rd rounds en route to the "Q," LCC hosts the Hilltop Lancers in the first round.

Light the stage and open the curtains, the quest for a 2nd CIF championship begins Friday night.

Prediction: LCC 38 - Hilltop 14

Division II Playoff Bracket

La Costa Canyon, Oceanside, Helix, placed on same side of D-II CIF playoffs bracket

2010-11-14T11:27:00.000-08:00

LCC hopes to ride its winning momentum into the playoffs all the way to the "Q"

The road to Qualcomm will not be easy, at least on the side of the division II bracket that includes Helix (1), Oceanside (4), and La Costa Canyon.

You can make the argument that its never easy to make it to through the CIF playoffs to the stadium, but for some reason the other side of the bracket seems a little less intimidating and includes Steele Canyon (2) and Mission Hills (3) as the top 2 seeded teams.

The Mavericks, coming off a huge win against rival Torrey Pines, will host Hilltop this coming Friday in the 1st round of the playoffs.

Hilltop, an unfamiliar team to North County footballers and fans, finished their season 5-5, and compete in the Metro South Bay league with other teams such as San Ysidro, Mar Vista, and Southwest.

The winner of this game will play Oceanside at Oceanside in the 2nd round, who doesn't look as scary after a shellacking by El Camino in the final week of the regular season. LCC fell to Oceanside in a fairly one-sided game earlier in the season, 38-14.

In Division I, Eastlake was the unanimous #1 seed after finishing the regular season 10-0. They are the favorites to win CIF for the second year straight. Torrey Pines claimed the #2 slot, finishing the season 9-1 with their only loss suffered last week from La Costa Canyon. Vista, also 9-1, is the #3 seed. Mira Mesa, 5-5 on the regular season, shockingly claimed the #4 seed, ahead of 6-4 Poway.

Here are the rest of the seeds and matchups...

S.D. SECTION CHAMPIONSHIPS

DIVISION I

First Round—Nov. 19

(1) Eastlake (10-0) bye

Otay Ranch (6-4) at El Camino (5-5), 7

San Diego (6-3-1) at Grossmont (8-2), 7

(4) Mira Mesa (5-5) bye

(3) Vista (9-1) bye

Granite Hills (5-5) at Poway (6-4), 7

San Pasqual (4-6) at Carlsbad (5-5), 7

(2) Torrey Pines (9-1) bye

Quarterfinals— Nov. 26

Otay Ranch-El Camino at Eastlake, 7

San Diego-Grossmont at Mira Mesa, 7

Granite Hills-Poway at Vista, 7

San Pasqual-Carlsbad at Torrey Pines, 7

Semifinals—Dec. 2

Finals—Dec. 6, 7:30 p.m. at Qualcomm Stadium

DIVISION II

First Round—Nov. 19

(1) Helix (10-0) bye

Mt. Carmel (5-5) at Valhalla (5-5), 7

Hilltop (5-5) at La Costa Canyon (6-4), 7

(4) Oceanside (7-3) bye

(3) Mission Hills (8-2) bye

Bonita Vista (3-7) at Rancho Bernardo (8-2), 7

Morse (6-4) at Scripps Ranch (5-4-1), 7

(2) Steele Canyon (8-2) bye

Quarterfinals—Nov. 26

Mt. Carmel-Valhalla at Helix, 7

Hilltop-La Costa Canyon at Oceanside, 7

Bonita Vista-Rancho Bernardo at Mission Hills, 7

Morse-Scripps Ranch at Steele Canyon, 7

Semifinals—Dec. 2

Finals—Dec. 6, 4 p.m. at Qualcomm Stadium

DIVISION III

First Round—Nov. 19

(1) St. Augustine (8-2) bye

San Marcos (4-6) at Montgomery (7-3), 7

Castle Park (6-4) at Lincoln (4-6), 7

(4) Ramona (5-5) bye

(3) Cathedral Catholic (5-5) bye

El Capitan (5-4-1) at EC Southwest (7-3), 7

Point Loma (7-3) at Mar Vista (7-3), 7

(2) Mount Miguel (8-1-1) bye

Quarterfinals—Nov. 26

San Marcos-Montgomery vs. St. Augustine, 7

Castle Park-Lincoln at Ramona, 7

El Capitan-EC Southwest at Cathedral Catholic, 7

Point Loma-Mar Vista at Mount Miguel, 7

Semifinals—Dec. 2

Finals—Dec. 6, 1 p.m. at Qualcomm Stadium

DIVISION IV

First Round—Nov. 19

(1) Valley Center (10-0) bye

Mission Bay (2-8) at Palo Verde (5-5), 7

Escondido Charter (5-5) at Coronado (8-2), 7

(4) Santa Fe Christian (6-4) bye

(3) Madison (9-1) bye

Imperial (5-4-1) at Santana (6-3-1), 7

La Jolla (2-8) at Brawley (8-2), 7

(2) Olympian (9-1) bye

Quarterfinals—Nov. 26

Mission Bay-Palo Verde at Valley Center, 7

Escondido Charter-Coronado vs. Santa Fe Christian, 7

Imperial-Santana vs. Madison, 7

La Jolla-Brawley at Olympian, 7

Semifinals—Dec. 2

Finals—Dec. 6, 10 a.m. at Qualcomm Stadium

DIVISION V

First Round—Nov. 19

(1) Bishop’s (10-0) bye

Army-Navy (4-6) at Holtville (6-4), 7

SD Calvary Christian (5-4) at Tri-City Christian (9-1), 7

(4) Christian (5-5) bye

(3) Francis Parker (4-6) bye

Calipatria (4-6) at La Jolla Country Day (7-3), 7

Mountain Empire (5-5) vs. Foothills Christian (6-2), 7

(2) Horizon (6-3) bye

Quarterfinals—Nov. 26

Army-Navy-Holtville vs. Bishop’s, 7

SD Calvary Christian-Tri-City Christian vs. Christian, 7

Calipatria-La Jolla Country Day at Francis Parker, 7

Mountain Empire-Foothills Christian vs. Horizon, 7

Semifinals—Dec. 3

Finals—Dec. 10, 7 p.m. at Mesa College

Undefeated No More: Mavericks Down Falcons 24-21 in a North County Barn Burner

2010-11-13T00:23:00.000-08:00

Undefeated season - see ya later.

Facing adversity after forfeiting a game due to an ineligible player against Chula Vista in week 1, the Mavericks roared into Del Mar and stunned the polls, Del Mar, and the previously undefeated 9-0 Falcons. The Mavericks captured the beach bowl surf board in dramatic fashion, scoring the go-ahead touchdown when Garrett Krstich connected with WR Nick Frausto with 1:55 left in the game, and holding off the Falcons on a last minute drive.

The back and forth slug fest began with a Torrey Pines touchdown on the second drive of the game, when runningback John Wilson scooted in for TD and a 7-0 score after the PAT. The Falcons rushing game cut through the Mavericks defense like a hot knife through butter, and the La Costa Canyon faithful feared a long night ahead.

The Mavericks stormed back with a methodical drive led by Senior leader and quarterback Garrett Krstich, culminating in a 2-yard touchdown run by runningback Isaac Maquet.

After a defensive stop, La Costa Canyon got the ball back in their own territory with under 4 minutes left in the half and engineered a drive deep into Torrey Pines territory. Kicker Garrett Greenway kicked a 27-yard field goal as time expired.

It would only get better.

Torrey Pines received the second half kickoff and shifted momentum, driving down the field and scoring the go-ahead touchdown on a 1-yard John Cabot run. The drive mirrored Torrey Pines first possession of the game, bulldozer running action out of the "T" formation.

Heading into the 4th quarter, the Torrey Pines student section appeared confident, pointed and shouted "scoreboard" across the field to the LCC fan base, garnished with "Beat TP" shirts. With Torrey Pines leading 14-10 heading into the 4th, the LCC fans feared dropping to a dismal 5-5 record (after the forfeit). Maybe they were unprepared for arguably the best 4th quarter in the history of the San Dieguito-LCC-Torrey Pines North County rivalry.

Torrey Pines received the ball early in the 4th quarter deep in their own territory. In a tough evenly-matched game, the turnover monster wrecked havoc on the Falcons, giving La Costa Canyon fantastic field position. Star runningback and linebacker Erick Nelson ran into the TP endzone for the 9-yard score.

Game on --- with LCC up 17-14 with about 8 minutes to play. With a TP win, the Falcons would potentially vault into the #1 seed for the Division I playoffs. An LCC loss could decimate team morale and position La Costa with a low playoff seed.

The Mavericks held the lead for about one minute and thirty seconds when Torrey Pines pulled a rabbit out of the hat launching a halfback pass -- as the LCC corner bit hard -- and connecting for a huge 60+ yard gain deep into LCC territory. The Falcons recaptured the lead on a Kevin Cuff run with 6:42 remaining in the game.

With LCC down, enter playmaker Garrett Krstich.

Krstich and the LCC offense executed a methodical 12-play 80-yard drive, converting on a key 4th down play deep in TP territory, and taking the lead with 1:55 remaining on a beautiful pass and catch from Krstich to WR Nick Frausto. The Mavericks would not look back.

The Falcons regained possession but fell short, the game ending with a Mike Arkans interception deep in LCC territory.

The white shirts stormed the field and LCC stole the Falcons' undefeated season -- game over.

Krstich finished the game 23-of-35 for 277 yards and a touchdown. Erick Nelson put in a solid effort, rushing 13 times for 63 yards and a touchdown. Jake Jackson and Frankie Wims stepped up big during all quarters, Jackson catching 6 receptions for 89 yards, and athletic Frankie Wims coming up with big plays on third downs, capturing 5 receptions for 74 yards.

Give the La Costa Canyon offensive line big credit, providing protection and opening up running lanes when the Mavericks needed it most, on critical 3rd and 4th downs. LCC's defense battled a good rushing offense and forced the critical turnover right when it needed to, late in the 4th quarter. Finally, props to head coach Sean Sovacool and LCC's coaching staff for calling the right plays and motivating the players to come out like champs.

It's too bad the teams will not have the chance to brawl in the playoffs because it was a hell of a game.

We will wait to see the playoff fates of both teams after tomorrow morning's CIF playoff seeding meeting.

Week 10 Preview: La Costa Canyon vs. Torrey Pines

2010-11-11T22:02:00.000-08:00

The season comes down to a final regular season duel between bitter North County Rivals when La Costa Canyon (5-4, LCC forfeits 1 game) visits the undefeated Torrey Pines Falcons, who aims for perfection.

Since recent seasons, the roles seam reversed with LCC coming into the game an underdog against Torrey Pines. The rivalry matchup will carry big implications for the CIF playoffs. The Mavericks, led by first year coach Sean Sovacool, will battle for a 6-4 record and a possible 1st round bye in the playoffs, although news of the 1-game forfeit may destroy these chances completely. Torrey Pines will battle Eastlake for the #1 seed in the Division 1 playoffs.

Click here for history of La Costa Canyon - Torrey Pines rivalry.

The storied North County rivalry has roots grounded in San Dieguito high school. San Dieguito's Mustangs football team challenged Torrey Pines each year for the San Dieguito Union High School district crown from from the 70s until La Costa Canyon High School's inception in 1996. Some of the Mustangs best years came in the late 80s when Ed Burke, legendary Falcons coach, led San Dieguito's football program. Another interesting fact --- the Falcons played their first season on San Dieguito's turf before its Del Mar stadium was finished.

LCC QB Garrett Kristch is one of the top quarterbacks in San Diego county with 1,409 passing yards and 22 TDs. The Mavericks rushing game has proved itself inconsistent this year, but are led by Isaac Maquet and Erick Nelson. The defense is anchored by big play DB Brendan Bock, DT Cody Williams, and linebackers Erick Nelson and Ian Seau.

The Falcons are loaded on offensive and have put up big points in nearly every game this year. Quarterback John Cabot is a gritty player, who can turn nothing into something. Runningback John Wlson has rushed for a team high 864 yards. Torrey Pines is averaging 35 points per game.

Analysis: Torrey Pines, the 2010 Palomar League champions, field its best post-Ed Burke team and can control the line of scrimmage and gain yards on the ground. The best team Torrey Pines has played is Rancho Bernardo, beating the Broncos 20-13. Two of La Costa Canyon's losses came to Oceanside (7-2) and San Clemente (7-2), two teams that are likely better than both La Costa Canyon and Torrey Pines if you've seen them play football this year. It'll be a pretty even matchup, but likely be determined by turnovers and big special teams plays.

La Costa Canyon 28 - Torrey Pines 27

Mavericks tame the Wildcats, top El Camino 28-15, undefeated Torrey Pines looms

2010-11-06T15:57:00.000-07:00

La Costa Canyon rebounded from its first league loss against Oceanside to beat the other team from Oceanside, the El Camino Wildcats on Friday, 28-14.

Mavericks quarterback Garrett Krstich took to the air, throwing for 143 and 3 touchdowns. Krstich connected with two-way player Ian Seau on a 22-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter to put the Mavericks up 14-0. Bredan Gaughan and Josh McMahon also connected with Krstich for toucdhown receptions.

The Mavericks rushed for just under 100 yards with Isaac Maquet the leading rusher, running on 10 carries for 48 yards and a touchdown.

La Costa Canyon Brendon Bock continued with his usual ways, intercepting El Camino twice. Bock has emmerged as one of the top producers on La Costa Canyon's defense.

El Camino lost the possession battle 29 minutes to 18 minutes, and managed to gain just over 200 total yards. La Costa Canyon's defense did a great job at forcing turnovers and limiting the Wildcats rushing game to only 67 yards.

At 6-3 the Mavericks head into the final regular season game against Torrey Pines, a solid squad that is 9-0 and ranked #3 in North County. La Costa Canyon will go into the game as the underdog, and will need to find a way to get some sort of rushing production in order to control clock and keep the ball out of the potent Falcon's offensive hands.

Week 9 Preview: La Costa Canyon vs. El Camino

2010-11-05T14:11:00.000-07:00

El Camino at No. 10 La Costa Canyon

Records: El Camino 4-4, 1-1; La Costa Canyon 5-3, 2-1

Last meeting: In 2005, La Costa Canyon won 33-12.

At a glance: La Costa Canyon, which has won the last four meetings, leads the series 6-4. ... El Camino comes in off a 38-24 win over Rancho Buena Vista. ... QB Josef Ferrick has keyed the Wildcats offense, going 76-for-154 passing for 912 yards, six TDs and five INTs. ... La Costa Canyon, which dropped last week's first-place showdown with Oceanside 38-14, is also drive by QB Garrett Krstich, who has completed 104-of-177 passes (58.7 percent) for 1,266 yards, 19 TDs and seven INTs, but three interceptions came last week. WR Jake Jackson has taken over for team leader Nate Rudnick (21-287), who injured a knee several weeks ago. Jackson has 20 catches for 267 yards and four TDs. ... LCC has been outscored 39-13 in the fourth quarter this year.

-Terry Monahan, North County Times

Some might consider tonight's game a "must win" for La Costa Canyon. After dropping a critical league game to Oceanside last week, the Mavs take on a beatable El Camino team before taking on undefeated Torrey Pines next week. In other words, if LCC wants to avoid a low seed and have to take on a top rated seed in e first round of the cif playoffs., they better give it their all tonight.

Prediction: La Costa Canyon 38 - El Camino 14

Mission Hills stuns #1 Vista in a nail biter, wins 31-28

2010-10-30T01:45:00.000-07:00

Mission Hills went on a hunting trip for wild panthers Friday night in San Marcos, and walked away with a trophy prize. Mission Hills (6-2) kicked a late field goal to upset Vista (7-1). More importantly, Mission Hills takes a one game advantage over Vista in the Avocado League East, with a couple game to play.

Read the full story here.

Oceanside proves why its still the team to beat in DII, pounds La Costa Canyon 38-14

2010-10-30T01:39:00.000-07:00

La Costa Canyon was looking for a victory over a North County super power that would boost morale and rocket the Mavericks into season ending games against El Camino and rival Torrey Pines. The Mavericks forgot to take flight, and Oceanside had something to do with it.

The Oceanside Pirates proved why they are still the Division II team to beat, at least in North County, handing La Costa Canyon a 38-14 shellacking on La Costa Canyon's home turf.

La Costa Canyon looked impressive for a quarter and a half, with Garrett Krstich passing happily for 2 touchdown passes. La Costa Canyon built a 14-7 advantage early in the 2nd quarter. Things looked positive until turnovers paralyzed the Mavericks attack and offered the Pirates fantastic field position on multiple occasions deep in LCC territory. John Carroll's squad turned these opportunities into scores.

Coming out of half with Oceanside firmly in control 28-14, things turned chippy as the players and fans got riled up. Yellow flags littered the field and the refs broke up multiple scuffles. The flags were the products of two competitive teams fighting for every advantage in the game, and a lead in the Avocado League West standings.

Let's not portray it differently than what it was. The Mavericks had some bright spots, but in the end, endured a good old fashioned smack down by a very athletic and well-coached team that picked up many penalties but was able to executive extremely well on short screens and counter runs, which pierced holes in the Maverick defense.

Oceanside finished the game with 326 total yards, 199 of which were rushing yards. Pirate's running back Anthony Mount was quick and tough to bring down on first attempt. The Mavericks gave up the ball 4 times on a lost fumble and 3 interceptions. This was the story of the game and put momentum on the side of Oceanside.

If La Costa aims to take some positives out of the game, they now understand the type of team they must strive to become to beat a well coached squad like Oceanside in the playoffs.

Week 8 Preview: #6 Oceanside vs. #8 La Costa Canyon

2010-10-29T10:56:00.000-07:00

It may be slightly premature to form conclusions about league championships and playoffs seedings in week 8, but undoubtedly, the North County game of the week pins Oceanside vs. La Costa Canyon, and a rumble in the Canyon is sure to follow. Looking at the rest of the competition in the Avocado League West, we may have a league championship game on our hands tonight at 7pm in La Costa.

Although Oceanside has been around quite a bit longer than La Costa Canyon, they've engaged in some classic battles in the past 10 years with games that have gone down to the wire. Unfortunately for LCC, most of these previous battles have gone in favor of the Pirates. Oceanside is 7-1 in the series.

In the 2007 CIF semifinals, Oceanside scooted past La Costa 14-10 with a late 4th quarter 1 yard rushing touchdown by Armani Taylor. Oceanside advanced to the CIF finals.

La Costa Canyon (5-2) is coming off three straight wins against Fallbrook, Carlsbad, and Rancho Buena Vista. Oceanside (5-2) has won 2 straight against Rancho Buena Vista and Ramona.

The biggest questions from the LCC faithful: will the rushing game be able to drive the ball, and can the La Costa Canyon defense slow the Oceanside offensive assault of quarterback Tofi Pao Pao and WR Demario Coleman? Pao Pao has thrown for about 1,400 yards and 14 TDs. Coleman is quick and has ability to bust open the big play. Defensive backs Mike Arkins, Jordan Marinez, Brendon Bock, and Josh Johns will have their hands full.

For Oceanside, will the defense be able to contain LCC quarterback Garrett Krstich, who has thrown for 17 TDs? LCC's top WR Nate Rudnick is out. Wide receivers Corbin De Waal, Jake Jackson, and Brendan Gaughan will look to step up and make some plays.

Analysis: The most intriguing figures in the matchup are the turnover figures for both schools. La Costa Canyon has only 3 turnovers on the year and Oceanside has 18 turnovers. If Oceanside comes out passing, expect some La Costa Canyon interceptions. Pao Pao has thrown 8 interceptions. In a tight battle, all it takes to swing the game one way or the other is a costly turnover. If I were La Costa Canyon coach Sean Sovacool, I would come into the game with a blitz heavy defensive strategy. Pao Pao has had a decent year but is prone to turning the ball over. For a young quarterback, consistent pressure and knocks to the ground can lead to errors and lapses in judgment. Also, don't think that Oceanside alumnus Junior Seau hasn't been talking smack to his nephew Ian Seau all week. This will fire Seau up and he will have a monster game.

This game is absolutely huge for Division II and will separate the 1st tier from 2nd tier teams. Expect the game to go down to the wire.

Prediction: La Costa Canyon 24 - Oceanside 21

La Costa Canyons rolls over Rancho Buena Vista, 48-25

2010-10-22T23:59:00.000-07:00

La Costa Canyon Mavericks two-way starter Erick Nelson is looking like the most talented athlete on the field. A runningback with a linebacker mentality, Nelson stepped it up big and led to 4 touchdowns against the Rancho Buena Vista Longhorns en route to a 48-25 victory Friday night.

Tue Mavericks seemed poised for the Avocado league showdown of the year, Oceanside at La Costa Canyon one week from today.

Week 8 Preview: La Costa Canyon vs. Rancho Buena Vista

2010-10-21T22:19:00.000-07:00

La Costa Canyon rides a 2-game winning streak into Vista to take on the Rancho Buena Vista Longhorns.

The Mavericks (4-2) have played well in their last two games, handily beating Fallbrook and Carlsbad. The Longhorns (2-4) have fallen on tougher times. In the past two weeks, Torrey Pines and Oceanside put up a combined 112 points against the silver and maroon.

Mavericks senior quarterback Garrett Krstich is arguably the best passer in North County. He has a 61% completion percentage and has thrown for 905 yards and 14 touchdowns. The Mavericks running woes continue. After a breakout game against Fallbrook 2 weeks ago, LCC fell back into their old ways against the Lancers, rushing for under 100 yards.

Frank Manzo is the Longhorns leading rusher and passer, contributing 8 touchdowns, and forming the backbone of the option attack.

Analysis: These teams are on different paths heading into week 8. RBV will have a very challenging time stopping the Mavericks passing attack, even though LCC's top wide receiver Nate Rudnick appears to be out for this week's game with a knee injury. Expect Corbin De Waal to step it up big this week and lead the team in receiving. Krstich will throw down field and pick up over 200 yards. The big question remains; can LCC find a way to get the rushing game on track? It will be extremely tough for La Costa Canyon to do anything in the playoffs - let alone beat Oceanside next week - if they can not establish a consistent rushing presence, especially against good teams (and RBV isn't one of those good teams, at least not so far this year).

Prediction: La Costa Canyon 42 - RBV 14

La Costa Canyon lances Carlsbad in 34-15 victory

2010-10-15T22:37:00.000-07:00

With cross town bragging rights on the line and a homecoming game at stake, La Costa Canyon trounced Carlsbad at home in a one-sided victory against the Lancers. The Mavericks claimed their first home victory, a comforting feeling for a team who has won 2 straight and stays in the early hunt for the Avocado League West title.

A host of La Costa Canyon players contributed to the victory included wide receiver Frankie Wims, who had a breakout game with a handful of critical catches and LCC's first touchdown of the game.

Quarterback Garrett Krstich played in normal form, efficient and productive, throwing 16-of-22 for 214 and 2 touchdowns.

Kicker Garrett Greenway nailed 2 field goals, both over 30 yards, and converted all 4 extra point attempts.

The La Costa Canyon defense forced two interceptions in the third quarter, providing La Costa fantastic field position. Sam Willon had a 48-yard interception return to take the ball to the Carlsbad 2 yard line which set up runningback Erick Nelson for the diving goaline rushing touchdown. Nelson, who has emerged as LCC's most reliable power RB, finished the night 2 rushing touchdowns. Linebacker Michael Gennusso added a diving interception on a Carlsbad botched halfback pass.

Analysis: After Carlsbad stormed down the field on their first possession to tie the game 7-7, the Mavericks defense stepped up and held a very good Carlsbad rushing team to 164 yards on the ground. Sovacool will take this all day long. On the offensive side, the screen passes on 3rd and longs allowed Erick Nelson to use his speed in space. The third quarter interceptions dashed any chance of Carlsbad gaining momentum for a comeback. The La Costa Canyon special teams units played well, especially the punt team, which forced a turnover in Carlsbad territory when Hunter Christensen nailed the return man.

This was a big win as it was against a rival, but more importantly it was the first league game in the Avocado West, which also houses a powerful Oceanside team who will surely challenge other league members for the league Championship. La Costa Canyon (4-2) hosts Oceanside in 2 weeks.

Week 7 Preview: Carlsbad vs. #8 La Costa Canyon

2010-10-15T00:19:00.000-07:00

To the victors of Carlsbad goes the spoils. The Carlsbad rotary trophy is up for grabs when La Costa Canyon (3-2) hosts the Carlsbad Lancers (3-2), in a cross-town league opening battle royale.

For C-bad and LCC, every league game here on out is critical to making the playoffs and determining tournament seedings. The players and coaches will challenge for town bragging rights, but more importantly, an early advantage in the newly realigned Avocado West.

This North County rivalry commenced in 1996 with the opening of the new Carlsbad school, La Costa Canyon High School. Long time Coach Bob McAllister, responsible for 6 league titles and 3 CIF championships, guided the Lancers to 8 straight wins over the Mavericks in the first 7 years of the matchup. The Mavericks first victory against Carlsbad came in 2003 with a 34-16 at the old Swede Krcmar Field.

Both teams trounced the Fallbrook Warriors in their last games. La Costa reactivates from the bye week, with a 28-10 victory over Fallbrook 2 weeks ago. Carlsbad beat up the ailing Warriors (0-5) last week, 48-21.

Mavericks quarterback Garrett Krstich has thrown for 691 yards and 11 touchdowns this season, with only 4 interceptions. Isaac Maquet leads all LCC runningbacks with 307 yards. Erik Nelson has added 2 rushing touchdowns on the year, with his breakout performance coming last week when Nelson led the charge and ignited a previously dormant LCC rushing game. On the season, Nate Rudnick leads all receivers with 17 receptions for 243 yards and 2 TDs.

Lancer quarterback Cory Pinner isn't afraid to launch the ball; he threw for over 200 yards last week with 2 touchdowns. Carlsbad fields an explosive rushing attack. Runningback Ashton Frechette is one of San Diego's best, with 577 total rushing yards and 4 touchdowns.

Analysis: Expect a balanced attack from both offenses, but Carlsbad will try to dominate the ground early. La Costa Canyon will attempt to counter with last week's experiment with work horse Erik Nelson. They both will try to pound the ball on the ground and try to establish momentum in the running game. Carlsbad has some opportunity on the playaction pass as La Costa Canyon's secondary has fallen victim to the occasional long pass in multiple game against passing teams this season. Short wide receiver screen plays and stop routes have also exposed LCC's defensive vulnerabilities. Expect LCC's Nate Rudnick and QB Garrett Krstich to establish a connection and create big plays. Rudnick's speed can be leveraged to create some space from the cornerbacks and safeties. The big matchup in this game is between the LCC rushing defense and the Carlsbad rushing offense. Whichever team controls the line of scrimmage on more occasions will win the game.

Prediction: La Costa Canyon 34 Carlsbad 24

Here is one of Carlsbad and La Costa Canyon's more memorable playoff battles from 2008 season...

Week 6 Preview: Oceanside Pirates on Upset Alert vs. Mission Hills

2010-10-08T00:55:00.000-07:00

Will Mission Hills pull off the upset against Oceanside?

As La Costa endures a bye week, a couple matchups standout on Friday's San Diego football calendar.

#10 Mission Hills at No. 6 Oceanside

Records: Mission Hills 3-1; Oceanside 2-2

Last meeting: In 2009, Oceanside won 28-7 in the CIF San Diego Section Division II semifinals.

Analysis: Mission Hills is on is determined not to lose for the second straight time at Oceanside. The Grizzlies attempt to avenge their 2009 playoff loss to the Pirates, as Oceanside will host its first game in its newly renovated stadium. The project cost about 5 million and the new stadium can hold 4,000 fans. If you haven't driven by it on the 5 South, take a look. It is very aluminum and a significant upgrade from the old junker. For a storied program like Oceanside, its good to see them play in a top-notch facility. Oceanside looks to heal the bruises from a 27-21 loss to #1 Vista last week. Mission Hills has a 2 game winning streak, sporting two recent victories against Dana Hills and Rancho Bernardo. Expect a close game. Mission Hills is rarely a push-over, and has a lot of balance to their offense this year, meaning they can score by ground or air. A typical Oceanside blowout of the opponent would be a good fit with the new stadium and all, but I'm going against the grain. I predict a shocker that will put the Pirates under the .500 marker for the first time in a LONG time. Mission Hills has all the momentum right now.

Prediction: Mission Hills 28 - Oceanside 24

#1 Vista vs. El Camino

Internet: HiTekRadio.com

Records: Vista 4-0; El Camino 2-2

Last meeting: In 2009, Vista won 31-7.

Analysis: Vista attempts to continue the momentum after downing Oceanside a week earlier. Panthers runningback Shakeel Marshall is a sick athlete and racked up 184 yards rushing with 2 TDs last week against a good Pirates defense. Expect another big game out of him. El Camino attempts to turn the corner, a program that lost legendary section coach Herb Meyer in 2003 to retirement. Meyer, the most victorious coach in California high school football history won 8 CIF championships at the helm of El Camino. The program has been trying to rally to a competitive level ever since. A win against #1 Vista could be the perfect catalyst for a Wildcats program that is rich in tradition and generally fields a pretty athletic team. El Camino comes off a win against Westview 28-7 last week.

Prediction: Vista 38, El Camino 14

Vista Panthers retain #1 ranking, Valley Center vaults to #5, La Costa Canyon moves to #9

2010-10-04T23:42:00.000-07:00

Vista RB Joey McFadden

The North County Times football released their week 6 San Diego Section football rankings.

First-place votes in parenthesis, last

Team Record Points Week

1. Vista (15) 4-0-0 203 1

2. Eastlake (4) 5-0-0 182 2

3. Helix (2) 5-0-0 176 3

4. Torrey Pines 4-0-0 133 5

5. Valley Center 5-0-0 115 6

6. Oceanside 3-2-0 110 4

7. Steele Canyon 4-1-0 88 7

8. Mount Miguel 5-0-0 41 -----

9. La Costa Canyon 3-2-0 40 10

10. Mission Hills 3-1-0 23 ----

Others receiving votes: Ramona (20), Rancho Bernardo (12), Grossmont (9), St. Augustine (4).

21 sportswriters, sportscasters and CIF representatives from throughout the county vote in the weekly poll. This year's panel includes: John Maffei, Terry Monahan, Tom Sheridan, Rick Hoff and Tom Saxe (North County Times), Alan Kidd and Steve Brand (Hall of Champions), Nick Pellegrino (East County Sports.com), Steve Dolan and Rick Hill (East County), Rick Willis (KUSI-TV), John Kentera. Mark Chlebowski, Ted Mendenall, Bob Petinak (XX Sports Radio 1090), Bruce Ward, (San Diego City Schools), Jeff Kurtz and Andrew Jensen (kbcsports.com), Craig Elsten (619sports.net), Dave Axelson (Coronado Eagle & Journal ), Anthony Gentile (sandiegoreader.com).