Stunning Comeback: Hillers Shock Marauders to Advance in CIF Playoffs

At halftime, with their team trailing 25-0 against Mira Mesa High School, about 200 Grossmont fans had reason to look forlorn. The Marauders, who beat the Foothillers in a double-overtime thriller a year ago, were poised to prevail again.  But the Hillers didn’t get the memo.

In an unforgettable sequence of events, sophomore quarterback Anthony Lawrence made up for throwing two interceptions by leading the offense to five touchdowns in the second half Friday night and beating host Mira Mesa 33-25.

The 6-4-1 Hillers thus advanced to Friday’s quarterfinals in the CIF San Diego Division I football playoffs. They'll travel to No. 4-seeded San Pasqual High School in Escondido, which had a first-round bye. Grossmont’s Ryan Davis-Tucker (2-point conversion) and Lawson Medeiros (pickoff) helped propel the upset.

Both teams sported blue-and-gold colors and identical 5-4-1 season records going into the match in nothern San Diego, which veteran East County sportswriter Bill Dickens forecast as a 27-20 Marauder victory.

But after halftime talks, the Hillers recovered a fumble on the Marauders’ first play from scrimmage, resulting in a Lawrence TD pass to junior receiver Ryan Green. With about 4 minutes left in the third quarter,  Lawrence was intercepted. But the Hillers recovered a Mira Mesa fumble 2 minutes later at the opponents’ 16-yard line.

Despite a Grossmont fumble in the fourth quarter, the defense held yet again, and came back to go ahead 26-25. An interception by senior defensive back Marcus Phillips sealed the deal, leading to an insurance TD. And coach Ron Murphy’s Hillers savored their latest comeback victory.

If Grossmont upsets the Eagles, they would likely meet No. 1-seed Poway High School on Dec. 1.  A victory over the Titans would put the Hillers in Qualcomm Stadium for the Division I title game—probably against Eastlake, which handed Helix Charter High School its only loss of the year. The challenge is high—but so was the mountain the Foothillers climbed Friday night.