SPRING VALLEYSPRING VALLEY — The upper tier of the San Diego Section Division I playoffs is like déjà vu all over again.
On Friday, a pair of Grossmont Hills League teams were slated to open the postseason exactly a week after they both completed underperforming 3-7 regular seasons against each other.
On the same field, no less.
Thanks to Trenton Giles’ cool demeanor and 238 ing yards that led to Joe Garcia’s 32-yard game-winning field goal with 40 seconds remaining, Grossmont edged Steele Canyon, 17-14, a week after losing to the Cougars, 23-10.
And the winning prize? No. 9-seed Grossmont (4-7) advances to the quarterfinals to face top-seeded Helix (6-3) and standout back Christian Washington for the second time in a less than a month. The Highlanders beat the Foothillers 29-14 on Oct. 22 en route to the league championship. Washington has rushed for nearly 1,400 yards and 19 TDs.
“You don’t get many opportunities like this,” Grossmont coach Chris Holmes said. “Playing teams you know very well versus traveling to a team you don’t know, it’s a great opportunity.”
The Foothillers took advantage of that opportunity on Friday as Giles shook off a pedestrian first half to complete 16 of 27 es, plus he ran for a 7-yard TD. Seven completions and 128 yards went to Giovanni Burns.
“I’ve never experienced anything like (playing a team twice in a row),” Giles said. “But I think it helped us. It was like we had two weeks to prepare for them.”
Major Givens rushed 37 times for 242 yards and two TDs, including a 14-yard score with 8:37 left to give Steele Canyon a 14-7 lead. He carried all seven times on the 75-yard drive.
But Grossmont countered quickly. Giles hit Burns for a 53-yard gain and after a interference penalty, Giles scored three plays later to make 14-14 with 7:03 left.
The Foothillers’ defense stopped the Cougars on downs on the next possession and took over at the 49-yard line with 4:47 left. Giles completed his next five es — mostly underneath tosses — and the Foothillers worked to set up a late field goal.
Garcia’s kick was perfect.
“I just knew I needed to take a deep breath and do what I do best,” Garcia said. “I knew it was good, and this is awesome. I like this feeling.”
Holmes called Giles’ play in the fourth quarter his best of the year.
“A younger Giles would have tried to put everything on his shoulders,” Holmes said. “Those last two drives he showed were incredible.”
Steele wasn’t rolling over, however. ing QB Matt Barton took over and promptly found Nate Gillis for gains of 45 and 8 yards. But on fourth down from the 27-yard line with 0:12 left, the Cougars attempted a fake field goal with its other QB, Jacob Manzo. His downfield was slightly overthrown.
“Kudos to them,” Cougars coach Scott Longerbone said. “Absolutely great defensive plan by them. And that quarterback (Giles) will be first team all-league.”
On the sixth play of the game, Grossmont’s Cristian Espino stepped in front of an errant Cougars’ and raced down the right sideline for a 60-yard interception return touchdown for a 7-0 lead.
And that was it for scoring in the first half.
“I just saw the ball, grabbed it and took off,” Espino said. “I honestly thought I was going to get caught from behind, but my guys got the blocks so I could make it.”
Steele Canyon had the ball inside the Foothillers’ 10-yard line twice in the second quarter but came up empty both times. Givens was stopped on the 1-yard line on a fourth-down attempt, and the Cougars’ missed a 24-yard field goal to end the half.
Givens had 119 yards on 19 carries in the first half, but the ing game was blanked.
Grossmont ran only 14 plays in the half and netted only 48 total yards.
The Foothillers were aided by sacks from Scott Roberts, Josh Smith and Brennan Sanders.
In addition to Burns’ big game, Grossmont’s Elijah Williams caught four es for 41 yards and Ryan Rodieck hauled in three for 37 yards.
Giles has now thrown for 2,045 yards.
No. 8-seed Steele Canyon finished 3-8 and Givens with 1,511 rushing yards. And Grossmont gets Helix once again.
A switch from the playoff committee to avoid a logjam of Grossmont teams in the same tier would have been difficult since Granite Hills was the No. 10 seed.
Lindgren is a freelance writer.
Division I first round
GROSSMONT 17, STEELE CANYON 14
Grossmont 7 0 0 10 — 17
Steele Canyon 0 0 7 7 — 14
G — Espino 60 interception return (Garcia kick)
SC — Givens 7 run (Martinez kick)
SC — Givens 14 run (Martinez kick)
G — Giles 7 run (Garcia kick)
G — FG Garcia 32
