By David A. Willauer-Contributing Writer-Vista High School-Vista, CA-Friday, September 13, 2024-The Escondido Cougars improve their record to 2-1 under second year coach Steve Dixon. The Cougars last winning season was in 2009 under former head coach Paul Gomes when they with an 8-3-1 and reaching the CIF Football Tournament were eliminated by the Titans of Eastlake by a 35-14.
But today's game was shown on the field at Vista High School's Dick Haines Stadium behind the outstanding arm of quarterback Caden Thompson as he threw for 145 yards with the first touchdown pass of 10 yards to Josh Gonzales who also connected for punt returns of 42 and 90 yards. Cougar teammate Friday Pollard rushed for 67 yards scored on 2 touchdown runs of 18 and 13 yards as they defeated the Vista Panthers by a 47-13 score.
The Panthers got their first point on the board as Brian Campuzano 200 yards passing threw a 14 yard pass to wide receiver Abel Lopez to go within 14 at 28-7.
Caden Thompson threw for 2 more touchdown passes in the second half for 3 total to Josh Gonzales for 30 yards and to Ezekiel McIntyre for 21 yards.
The last Vista Panthers touchdown came in the fourth quarter as Josh Gonzales threw a 5 yard pass to Alex Cosme to make the final score Escondido 47 Vista 13.
Stephen Dixon Head Football Coach at Escondido High School: "Our team is very young squad along with taking steps each day for us to help our squad to improve in each game and to play in the ones that we should win and putting our foot on the gas, for us to do good things mostly on the offensive side of the ball." "QB Caden Thompson has done a great job at quarterback along with our tailback senior running back Friday Pollard who has helped us in the backfield a lot." " My wide receiver Josh Gonzales who you saw tonight is the best athlete on the team he is dynamic at catching and returning the ball also plays defense for us we have a team along with our offensive line as in our defense is flying around were doing some things this year and I am real proud of our squad for their effort."
Escondido will host Oceanside while Vista will be at Westview High School both games are at 7 PM.
But today's game was shown on the field at Vista High School's Dick Haines Stadium behind the outstanding arm of quarterback Caden Thompson as he threw for 145 yards with the first touchdown pass of 10 yards to Josh Gonzales who also connected for punt returns of 42 and 90 yards. Cougar teammate Friday Pollard rushed for 67 yards scored on 2 touchdown runs of 18 and 13 yards as they defeated the Vista Panthers by a 47-13 score.
The Panthers got their first point on the board as Brian Campuzano 200 yards passing threw a 14 yard pass to wide receiver Abel Lopez to go within 14 at 28-7.
Caden Thompson threw for 2 more touchdown passes in the second half for 3 total to Josh Gonzales for 30 yards and to Ezekiel McIntyre for 21 yards.
The last Vista Panthers touchdown came in the fourth quarter as Josh Gonzales threw a 5 yard pass to Alex Cosme to make the final score Escondido 47 Vista 13.
Stephen Dixon Head Football Coach at Escondido High School: "Our team is very young squad along with taking steps each day for us to help our squad to improve in each game and to play in the ones that we should win and putting our foot on the gas, for us to do good things mostly on the offensive side of the ball." "QB Caden Thompson has done a great job at quarterback along with our tailback senior running back Friday Pollard who has helped us in the backfield a lot." " My wide receiver Josh Gonzales who you saw tonight is the best athlete on the team he is dynamic at catching and returning the ball also plays defense for us we have a team along with our offensive line as in our defense is flying around were doing some things this year and I am real proud of our squad for their effort."
Escondido will host Oceanside while Vista will be at Westview High School both games are at 7 PM.
