St. Francis Lancers Gallop to All-California Title

03.15.2026HS Boys

Tried but happy St. Francis celebrates their win.

Author: Alex Goff

The St. Francis Lancers made it two All-California HS titles in a row as they torched Torrey Pines 60-41 in a wild, high-scoring championship match.

"We were outgunned," said Torrey Pines Head Coach Matty Sandoval. "We stuck to the game plan and for the most part it worked. We just don't match up with their attack."

St. Francis continually made movements that looked like they were going to be a slow slog down the field into quick attacks with multiple offloads.

Their carriers dummied, changed direction, and usually had support. Down 3-0 they took the lead when flanker Isaiah Porter capped off a long sequence where the Lancers challenged every tackler.

Torrey Pines answered with a nice break, and then the forwards pressuring off the lineout. It took them a while but finally flanker Ewan Hope-Bell scored on a pick-and-dive.

It wasn't until about halfway trough the first alf that we saw any more points. Another long sequence ended with fullback Naia Alatino altertly tapping quickly on a penalty and breaking through a tiny gap to score for St. Francis.

Soon thereafter Torrey Pines threatened with a lineout deep in the Lancers' 22. The ball went long and St. Francis No. 8 Deion Jackson snagged it and thundered on for 15 meters. Quick ball and it was out to flyhalf Uate Pifeleti in an outside channel. The lanky #10 took off and went about 70 meters before he was desperately dragged down. Wing Jason Schuyler was in support, got the pop off the deck, and was over.

Torrey Pines did get back down into scoring position, helped along by a penalty. Prop Eddie Lavis scored off a pick-and-go, but it was slow going. Still, it was now 19-15 for St. Francis and we had a ballgame on our hands.

Hardworking flanker Gabriel Garcia then nudged the Falcons ahead with a determined leg drive.

But, with their speed St. Francis is always in scoring position, and with time up in the first half the Lancers opted to run out of their own 22. Pifeleti ghosted through a gap, found Motu Keanaaina, who shipped it to his brother Vita, and the wing just put on the jets.

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So now it was 26-22 at the halftime break, with St. Francis holding a tenuous lead.

Moments into the second half Alatino blazed out of his 22, made a few tacklers miss, and finally passed to Schuyler, who finished his second in the corner.

Torrey Pines did get one back with Finn Johnson taking a wide pass and cutting back. Now it was 31-29.

Once again St. Francis found themselves backed up. Torrey Pines likes to kick and uses the boot to control field position. But St. Francis is shifty and not fazed when up against several defenders. They handled that kick well enough, got it to Porter, who broke a tackle and passed to Judah Halapua, and the flanker was gone.

Up 36-29 St. Francis got some insurance off the restart as Jackson wasn't held in the tackle, got up and kept running. The big flanker was finally dragged down and quick ball went out to Schuyler, who popped it back inside to Motu Keanaaina for the try.

And more insurance came as center Kaimani Keanaaina bumped off a tackler and sped up the middle to score under the posts.

Fifteen minutes to go, and St. Francis now led 46-29.

But Torrey Pines wasn't quite done. Center Andrew Taich carried hard into a wall of defenders and pushed them all over the line for a try.

St. Francis stayed in front, though, and reserve Maamaloa Tuieila took a pass from Pifeleti and would not be stopped. St. Francis 53-34, and right off the restart captain Kaimani Keanaaina sped through and around to finish it off under the posts.

Torrey Pines got one more through workhorse Shay Farkash.

But St. Francis was dynamic, fast, fit, and looked supremely comfortable with each other.

"Ten tries, and I think every one started in our own half," said Scharrenberg, and he was just about right on that.

This team has talent all over and Pifeleti, the Keanaaina brothers, and Alatini were all electric. But they also got some breakout performances, with Schuyler making some massive hustle plays, and the back row of Porter, Halapua, and Jackson especially influential.