After completing a major upset last weekend against Valhalla, the Helix Highlanders continued their late season heroics on Friday night, defeating Scripps Ranch 17-6.
The Highlanders were led by Brandon Lewis, a sophomore playing in his third career varsity game, in the win. Lewis passed 8/18 for just 97 yards and a touchdown but managed to get key first downs with his legs late in the game.
“I’ve been a head coach for sixteen years. This is the most remarkable group of kids I’ve ever had,” head coach Troy Starr said after the game.
Helix, who played in the CIF Finals last season, opened up an early lead on the Falcons scoring on a 15 play, 80-yard drive that was capped of by a 4 yard TD run by Darrion Hancock.
The drive came after a failed Scripps Ranch 51 yard field goal attempt by star kicker Nick Sloan. Once Hancock crossed the goal line with 3:49 to go in the first quarter, the crowd was quieted and would never fully get back into the game.
Hear from coach Troy Starr, Darrion Hancock, Raimont Nailon and Brennan Clay after the jump:
After both teams exchanged punts, Helix DB Jimmy Pruitt picked off a Jake Fish pass and took it 58 yards for the score with 5:52 to go in the half.
Following Pruitt’s interception there was sloppy play to end the half, and to begin the third quarter. Whether it was Scripps Ranch losing nine yards on a busted trick play, or Helix turning the ball over because a wide receiver quit on the route, neither team could make any headway.
Then, late in the third quarter with Scripps Ranch knocking on the door of the endzone, Highlanders’ DB Austin Gonzalez picked off a pass for a touchback and swung the momentum back in Helix’s favor. This marked the true turning point in the game as Helix never looked back.
Some of the more important play coming from the Helix side came from junior RB/LB Raimont Nailon. Nailon came in three times in the first half on third and short situations and got the tough yardage to keep the drives moving.
Later in the game, with Scripps Ranch driving late in the fourth quarter, Nailon picked off a pass from Fish to clinch the win for the Highlanders.
The entire Helix team appeared ready to prove themselves on Friday night. Coming into the game it was supposed to be the running back play of Brennan Clay that was the spotlight of the night, but Darrion Hancock had something to say about that.
Hancock carried the Highlander offense all night rushing for 108 yard and a TD on 20 carries.
Hancock on the play of Clay and what his plan was going into the game:
Brennan Clay was hobbled on a bad ankle against Helix/(619 Sports photo)
Speaking of Brennan Clay, the Oklahoma recruit had to fight and give it his all just to amass 73 yards on 23 carries, far below his usual productivity. Clay has been hobbled by a bad ankle since injuring it in a game in late October against Lincoln High School.
While he would not use the injury as an excuse, but he did admit that it affected the way he played.
Coach Starr and his squad had a definite plan on how to handle Clay:
So will Helix embrace the role of underdog when going up against regional power Oceanside? Just ask Coach Starr:
The players agree too. When asked if he wanted the ball next week against Oceanside, Darrion Hancock simply responded: “Yeah, I’m ready. We’re all ready.”
The stage is set. It will be the David vs. Goliath on Friday night at the Q in the D-II Finals. Who says there is no drama in prep sports?
