EAGLES SOAR PAST HIGHLANDERS IN REUNION GAME
LA MESA, CA — The Granite Hills Eagles (7-2) squared off against the Helix Highlanders (3-6) in a Thursday night showdown that featured an intriguing subplot between former teammates. Before the matchup, Eagles' star Maxwell Turner revealed he and former teammate Pablo Jackson, now playing for Helix, had placed a friendly wager on who would rack up more rushing yards, adding extra spice to an already heated rivalry.
Turner emerged victorious in both the personal duel and team battle, leading the Eagles to a 35-21 win while adding three more touchdowns to his school record. His dominant performance included 200 rushing yards with two ground scores and a receiving touchdown. Despite being on the losing side, Jackson made his presence felt with two touchdowns for the Highlanders. The Eagles' ground attack was unstoppable, amassing a season-high 380 rushing yards.
The Eagles' defense proved equally impressive, with Trevor Smith, Logan Vance, and Parker Vance each recording interceptions in a stellar team effort. The victory highlighted the diverging paths of these programs this season - Granite Hills has won five of their last six games, while Helix's struggles continued having lost four of their previous five contests. This was the Eagles' third straight win over Helix. The last East County team to beat the Highlanders three straight years was Monte Vista from 1997 to 1999.