CHRISTIAN OPENS WITH VICTORY AT MIRA MESA

Christian High quarterback Gabe Krug has half a season to make a name for himself.

“I wish we had more than five games, but five may be enough for him (to showcase himself),” Christian head coach Danny Mitchell said. “He is something special.

“If someone’s looking for a quarterback, it’s not hard to find one with Gabe. There aren’t many guys in the country that have his ability.”

Krug threw for one touchdown and ran for another to help Christian to a 30-14 victory over Mira Mesa on Friday night at Mira Mesa High.

Both teams showed signs of rust. And why not? Neither team had played a real game in more than 14 months.

“It might have been a little sloppy and we might not have done everything we wanted to do at times,” Krug said, “but it was good to get back out there and work as a team and feed off of each other.”

Krug hit teammate Carson Stroman for a 40-yard gain on the first play of the game. Two plays later, senior running back Jack St. Fleur scored on a 23-yard run. Krug ran in the conversion, and Christian had an 8-0 lead 61 seconds into the game.

If Christian thought this was going to be that easy, the Patriots soon learned differently.

Even after recovering an onside kick on the ensuing kickoff, Christian could not get into the end zone again in the first half.

Mira Mesa’s defense made sure of that, stopping the Patriots once on downs while also blocking a field goal attempt and getting an interception by defensive back Denon Fagan.

Mira Mesa made it 8-8 with 1:17 left before halftime. Running back Lawrence Thompson beat the Christian defense to the right cone for a 9-yard touchdown run, and the Marauders added a two-point conversion.

Christian got going when the teams returned to the field in the third quarter.

Krug made it 14-8 with a 9-yard touchdown run midway through the period. The Patriots boosted their lead to 22-8 on a 10-yard TD run by Nate Bettis before the quarter ended.

A 16-yard touchdown pass from Krug to 6-foot-5 tight end Hunter Provience put the game out of reach. Mira Mesa did close the gap midway through the fourth quarter with a touchdown.

Krug completed 17 of 29 passes for 168 yards. Mira Mesa did get him

Christian 30, Mira Mesa 14

for three interceptions, although one was on a fourth-and-8 heave to the goal line in the game’s final minute.

Mitchell is effusive in his praise for the 6-2, 205-pound Krug, likening his talent to former Bishop’s quarterback Tyler Buchner, the 2019 section Player of the Year, who graduated early so he could be in spring camp at Notre Dame.

“It’s sounds a little crazy, but I would very much compare him to Tyler,” said Mitchell, who coached Buchner three years at Bishop’s before coming to Christian. “He has the ability to make every type of throw. He’s extremely athletic. One of the things that’s underrated is his ability to run. His escapability. He is very intelligent. He runs our offense.”

Krug hasn’t had much opportunity to showcase himself to colleges.

His junior season was limited by a broken collarbone and high ankle sprain. His senior season was, of course, delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The switch from a full fall to an abbreviated spring season meant Krug couldn’t show what he could do to convince a Division I school he was worthy of a scholarship before national signing day came and went.

So Krug gets five games to see if he can open some eyes out there.

Meanwhile, Mira Mesa will be auditioning a pair of quarterbacks — sophomore Alex Needham and junior Alex Zappia — perhaps all season to determine who should run the team in the fall.

Mira Mesa head coach Chris Thompson rotated Needham and Zappia against Christian.

Zappia started and showed glimpses of promise, but it was Needham who guided the Marauders to both of their scores. His 9-yard TD pass to Tajon Evans completed the game’s scoring.

“They’re uniquely different in terms of their approach,” Thompson said. “Zappia is a little bit more cautious, a little more calculating. Needham is a little more let it rip. He’s got a big arm. He’s got a lot of confidence in his abilities.”

While it isn’t a long season, it should be plenty of time to see what his QBS can do.

“It’s a unique situation right now,” said Thompson, speaking not just of the quarterback competition but his team in general. “Obviously, we’re not playing for a CIF title. So how do you use this time to prepare for 2021?”