ESCONDIDO–On a night when Escondido’s Ricky Seale set the San Diego Section career rushing record, it was La Costa Canyon’s dominant ground game that set the tone for a 44-24 victory at Wilson Stadium. The 2nd ranked Mavericks (8-0, 3-0 Avocado League) rolled up 407 yards on the ground in a team effort, overcoming the singular brilliance of Seale, who carried 39 times for 212 yards and two touchdowns.
Seale electrified the boisterous home crowd in Escondido by eclipsing the section rushing record on the game’s first series, scampering 28 yards for a touchdown. That gave him 50 yards for the game and 5,651 yards for his career, one more than Demetrius Sumler of Cathedral Catholic. But while Seale kept the 5th ranked Cougars (6-1-1, 1-1-1 Avocado) close, once running 10 straight times on a drive out of the wildcat formation, eventually he wore down. After carrying 26 times for 178 yards in the first half, Seale was held to just 34 yards in the second half by the athletic “Gang Green” defense of LCC.
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Ricky spoke about setting the section rushing record after the game:
Hear more from Seale, Seth Hanson, Weston Manor, LCC head coach Darrin Brown, Escondido head coach Paul Gomes, and Kenny Stills after the jump:
The Mavericks split their rushing workload between longtime teammates Seth Hanson and Weston Manor, and with the help of a dominant effort at center and both guards, the backfield duo found repeated running room up the middle. Hanson carried 15 times for 171 yards and a touchdown, while Manor contributed 15 carries, 171 yards and three scores.
Most fans in attendance thought of the Cougars as the better running team, but Hanson told 619 Sports postgame that the LCC run game has been overlooked:
Kenny Stills was mostly used as a decoy on this night, catching 2 passes for 75 yards and a TD/(619 Sports photo)
The first half was an offensive clinic for LCC, which came out in a hurry-up offense that had Escondido baffled. The Mavericks needed only 11 plays over four first-half series to rack up 229 total yards and four touchdowns. Known for their explosive passing game, the Mavs threw just once in the half, a 64-yard bomb to coveted senior wide receiver Kenny Stills.
Escondido kept the game close with a pair of time-consuming first-half drives. On the first, Seale carried ten straight times out of the wildcat, including a fourth-down plunge from the one-yard line to stop a run of 20 straight Mavericks points and make it 20-14 LCC. Then, after Hanson’s 36 yard scoring run made it 27-14, Escondido chewed up the final 7:26 of the half with a sixteen play, 59 yard drive. Joey Altimarano’s 38 yard field goal cut La Costa Canyon’s halftime lead to 27-17.
In the second half, LCC abandoned the hurry up and ground out the yardage. The Mavericks got the ball first in the third quarter and drove 50 yards, but looked to be stopped at the Cougars’ 30 yard line. On fourth and eight, Mavericks quarterback Garrett Kristich somehow escaped about three different sacks before scrambling 11 yards to keep the play alive. Four plays later the Mavericks were in the end zone again on Manor’s second touchdown of the night, a one-yard plunge.
Coach Brown called the scramble by Kristich his personal play of the year:
Weston Manor, who scored three touchdowns for the Mavericks, said he and Seth Hanson have a special bond in the backfield:
Seth Hanson carried 15 times for 171 yards and a TD/(619 Sports photo)
It was 37-14 LCC early in the fourth quarter when Escondido got one more look at the game. The Cougars’ rally started with an 80 yard catch-and-run touchdown pass from Cruz Navarro to Tim Zier. The Escondido fullback was wide open, caught a wounded duck up the left sideline, spun out of a tackle, then made about three different cuts over the final 55 yards to close out a big score.
When the Mavericks fumbled the ensuing kickoff, Escondido took over on LCC’s 28 yard line with a chance to cut their deficit to six points. The Cougars drove to the four yard line, but Navarro fumbled on a busted keeper to turn the ball right back over to La Costa Canyon.
A second opportunity after another LCC fumble led to the game’s only controversial call. On a 4th-and-8 from the Mavericks 20, Seale rolled right and looked to throw, firing a strike into the end zone which was caught by Bubba Novis for a touchdown. However, a questionable offensive pass interference call turned the ball over to the Mavericks, who found the end zone one more time on Manor’s 39 yard touchdown run to cap the scoring.
Escondido head coach Paul Gomes was miffed by the offensive PI call:
Ricky Seale set the career section rushing record but wanted a win/(619 Sports photo)
This was the last regular season opportunity for Ricky Seale and Kenny Stills to go head-to-head on the football field. There is always the possibility of a rematch in the Division I championship game at the Q later this fall, but on this night, the two future college stars relished the chance to play against each other on both sides of the football. Ricky Seale compared their friendly rivalry to one of the NBA’s most famous:
Stills said he got upset before the game when he saw the Escondido pep rally featured on TV, calling it a lack of respect for an LCC team that is now 8-0:
While Paul Gomes and the Cougars know they might get another shot at the Mavericks, there’s no denying that LCC is a deep and balanced team:
Escondido head coach Paul Gomes/(619 Sports photo)
The win all but cinches the Avocado league for La Costa Canyon, as Fallbrook and Torrey Pines come to their home field. In fact, LCC will undoubtedly have home field advantage throughout the playoffs as well, so their next road game might be at Qualcomm Stadium. Escondido finishes the regular season with games at Mission Hills and home against San Pasqual.
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AUDIO BONUS COVERAGE
Listen to Darrin Brown’s complete interview with 619 Sports:
Listen to Seth Hanson’s complete interview with 619 Sports:
Listen to Weston Manor’s complete interview with 619 Sports:
Listen to Kenny Stills’ complete interview with 619 Sports:
Listen to Ricky Seale’s complete interview with 619 Sports:
Listen to Paul Gomes’ complete interview with 619 Sports:
