Football Cathedral Catholic opened regular season play with a bang, and the Dons finished it the same way.
Cathedral Catholic secured the No. 1 seed in the San Diego Section Div. III playoffs with a 70-37 thrashing of Eastern League rival Scripps Ranch of San Diego on Nov. 14.
The Dons, who are defending Div. III champions, improved to 10-0 overall for the season and concluded league play at 5-0. They extended their winning streak going back to last season to 17 games.
Their amazing run has been almost entirely without drama. The Dons opened their season with a 48-7 thrashing of Steele Canyon of Spring Valley on Sept. 5 and have from one week to the next won by similarly lopsided margins. They've outscored their opponents by a combined 506-81 - an average victory margin of 42.5 points per game - in wins that were all decided by double digits. Cathedral Catholic's 31-21 league victory over Mira Mesa on Oct. 24 was the closest thing to a squeaker the Dons experienced.
The Dons get a first-round playoff bye, and will open their title defense on Nov. 28 in a Div. III quarterfinal game against the winner of a Nov. 21 first round game between Point Loma (5-4-1) and Castle Park (7-3).
Tyler Gaffney rushed for 241 yards and seven touchdowns to lead the Dons in the Scripps Ranch game. He scored three touchdowns, highlighted by scoring runs from the 51 and 41 in a decisive third quarter, when the Dons outscored their opponent 35-0, extending a 28-21 halftime edge to an insurmountable 42-point lead.
Torrey Pines lives to play another day despite suffering a tough 41-10 Avocado League loss to La Costa Canyon of Carlsbad on Nov. 14 in a regular season finale for both teams.
The Falcons fell to 3-6-1 overall for the season and 1-3-1 in league, but made the playoffs in large part because of their strength of schedule. They will play Carlsbad (5-5) on Nov. 21 in a first-round Div. I playoff game at a site to be determined.
The Falcons are one of just two Div. I playoff teams with a losing record. Fallbrook (4-6) is the other.
The Falcons broke a scoreless deadlock early in the second quarter, when placekicking standout Alberto Aroeste connected a 40-yard field goal. But it was all LCC after that, as the Mavericks went on to score 41 unanswered points.
The Wolverines improved to 8-2 overall for the season and finished tied for third in league with Valley Center.
Westview will play host to Hoover of San Diego in a Div. II playoff game on Nov. 21.
San Diego Jewish Academy experienced a 71-47 loss to Maranatha Christian of San Diego in a non-league regular season finale for both teams on Nov. 13.
The freelance Lions fell to 5-2 overall for the season.
Lions running back Ilan Bielas rushed for 189 yards on 19 carries and Hunter Spiegel rushed for 112 yards on 15 carries.
Volleyball Santa Fe Christian easily defeated Palo Verde of Blythe, 3-0 (25-5, 25-12, 25-16) in a first-round San Diego Section Div. IV playoff game on Nov. 14.
The red-hot Eagles appear to be peaking at precisely the right time as they seek to defend their Div. IV state title. They've won their 11th straight match as they improved their overall record for the season to 20-2. They extended their streak of matches in which they haven't lost a game to 10.
Victoria Adelhelm had 12 kills and two blocks to lead the Eagles, and setter Taylor Johnson had 24 assists.
Torrey Pines cruised to an easy 3-0 (25-10, 25-17, 25-18) victory over Grossmont in a Div. I playoff opener.
Boo Schroeder had 12 kills and 13 digs to lead the Falcons and Alexa Armstrong added eight kills. Falcons setter Jenny Woolway had 36 assists.
Torrey Pines improved to 20-8 overall for the season.
Cathedral Catholic defeated University City 3-0 (25-8, 25-6, 25-8) in a Div. III playoff opener on Nov. 14.
Taylor Milton and Kelly Reeves each had 10 kills to lead the Dons and Lexi Williamson added eight kills.
Dons setter Rachel Oemcke had 28 assists.
The Dons improved their overall record for the season to 24-2.
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