Losing at home is never a good feeling.
Last year, No. 2 Cathedral Catholic lost to Helix by two touchdowns at the Dons’ stadium on Del Mar Heights Road.
Nearly 12 months to the day later, Cathedral had different plans on the way to a 28-0 home victory Friday night.
“Our defense played ridiculously outstanding,” Dons coach Sean Doyle said after the game. “They play so hard and they’re starting to believe in each other across the board. They’re doing their jobs really well and our defensive front is tremendous. We have six guys up there that can play and put pressure on the quarterback.”
Senior Luke Westfall had the team’s lone sack on the second defensive set, while junior cornerback Aidan Smith-McGlynn intercepted a on Helix’s first drive of the second half.
The Dons took a 7-0 lead in the first quarter, when quarterback Brady Palmer found fellow junior Hunter Harrington for a 67-yard touchdown.
In the second half, Palmer found Harrington two more times in the end zone.
After a Helix targeting penalty that got the Dons into the red zone, Palmer found Harrington for a 14-yard score to make it 14-0.
Six minutes later, the two hooked up again. This time, it was a 12-yard touchdown that made it 21-0.
“Me and Brady have been working hard ever since he stepped on the field for us,” Harrington said. “We’re working hard in practice, working on our routes, working on staying crisp.
“Tonight, it all paid off.”
Palmer completed 12 of 24 es for 166 yards and three touchdowns. He also carried the ball four times for 62 yards.
Harrington caught five es for 115 yards and three touchdowns.
Doyle said the connection between Palmer and Harrington began long before Week 1.
“It’s 7-on-7 in the summer,” Doyle said. “We’ve had a handful of games of them together to get that timing down and the belief and all that stuff. So, it’s starting to happen like we thought it would happen.”
Cathedral sealed the game with four minutes left, when senior Jake Funderburg scored a 64-yard touchdown run.
Funderburg had 12 carries for 151 yards and a touchdown. Jonathan Solomon added seven carries for 34 yards as a fullback.
“Jake Funderberg, Jonathan Solomon, they run the ball hard, which made (Helix) condense, and they put everybody in the box,” Doyle said. “That put Hunter and our other receivers in a one-on-one situation most of the time.”
Helix was led by senior running back Isaiah Jackson, who had 21 carries for 86 yards. Sophomore wide receiver Braylen Ross led the way with four receptions for 40 yards.
Both teams are idle next week. On Oct. 4, Helix hosts Huntington Beach Edison while Cathedral opens Western League play against rival St. Augustine at Mesa College.
No. 2 Cathedral Catholic 28, Helix 0
Helix 0 0 0 0 — 0
Cathedral Catholic 7 0 7 14 — 28
C — Harrington 67 from Palmer (Eastlack kick)
C — Harrington 14 from Palmer (Eastlack kick)
C — Harrington 12 from Palmer (Eastlack kick)
C — Funderburg 64 run (Eastlack kick)
