THE BIG GAME / HELIX-GROSSMONT : Grossmont Tries to Halt Helix String

SAN DIEGO â€”  Since the San Diego Section added a 3-A classification in 1979, no school has had more immediate success than Grossmont High has had this fall making the transition from 2-A to the higher level.

There is a catch, however.

Grossmont, which is 5-0, has played only one 3-A school--Hilltop--and the combined record of its four 2-A opponents is 4-14-1.

The big test comes tonight when Grossmont plays host to rival Helix (3-1-1) at 7:30 in their annual battle for the coveted “Musket� prize.

The game also is the Grossmont 3-A League opener for both schools and the first league game between Helix and Grossmont since the Grossmont Conference split into two leagues in 1986.

Grossmont is 0-10-2 against Helix since 1978, but there are many who say the Foothillers have the advantage this year. Nonetheless, Coach Judd Hulbert is cautious.

“To say we’re the favorites going in, I’d put an asterisk by that,� he said.

Helix could be 5-0 or 4-0-1. The Highlanders tied El Capitan, 7-7, and lost to Point Loma, 10-7. They missed fourth-quarter field-goal attempts in both games.

Injuries have been the Highlanders’ biggest problem. Starters Chris Baker, Abdul Bell, Adam Bright, Ken Carter and Phil Giordano all have missed games because of injuries.

Baker, who broke the little finger on his right hand while shadow boxing with a friend, missed the first four games then showed how much he had been missed. He gained 201 all-purpose yards and three touchdowns in a 40-0 victory over Santana last week.

“The early-season injuries have hurt us,� Helix Coach Jim Arnaiz said. “But we’re pretty healthy now. At least, we’re as close as we’re going to get.�

Grossmont has been healthy. Jason Eskridge is second in the county in rushing with 750 yards and has 10 touchdowns. Receiver/safety Jon Heinrichs has five touchdowns and three field goals.

Heinrichs, also the punter and a kick returner, would have even more points, but Hulbert calls on Tony Sciarrino for conversion kicks. Another player, Peter Wilson, handles kickoffs.

Helix quarterback Gregg Wilbur has received more attention and has thrown for 811 yards and eight touchdowns, but Grossmont’s Tom Karlo has completed nearly 58% of his attempts (41 of 71) for 446 yards and seven touchdowns.

And the key to it all for Grossmont, Hulbert said, has been the line. Left to right, Jason Palmer (6-5, 245), Marc Gallo (6-0, 215), Aaron Bolin (6-3, 225), Bryan Hewitt (6-1, 245) and Ken Loncar (6-6, 270) have been outstanding.

Grossmont, eighth in the county in scoring offense at 28.2 points per game, has scored, in order, 16, 21, 22, 38 and 45 points.

But Helix, which had six shutouts and allowed only 24 points during the regular season last year, has allowed 6.8 points per game, fourth in the county.