Week 12: West Hills Wolf Pack 21, Valhalla Norsemen 14

This one was multi-layered:

1) The winner moved on to play Scripps Ranch in the second round of the playoffs.

2) West Hills looked to avenge their Week 2 loss to Valhalla.

3) West Hills set out to prove it belonged in the Grossmont Hills League rather than the second-tier Grossmont Valley League.

All in all, it was a successful game for West Hills.

It didn’t start that way.

The game’s scoring was opened by an option pitch to Valhalla’s Josh Meredith that ended in a touchdown, the only touchdown of the first half.

At halftime, the Norsemen defense looked to be too much, and Valhalla took a 7-0 lead to the locker room.

A different Wolf Pack team emerged.

Steven Cristini, a wide receiver and defensive back, was West Hills’ hero, falling on a second half-opening onside kick by West Hills kicker Otto Geinlenfeldt that would put most NFL kickers to shame.

It would lead to the game-tying West Hills touchdown.

On the very next Valhalla possession, Cristini jumped a Valhalla pass to set up the go-ahead touchdown before finally catching the game-solidifying touchdown from Kole Klingerman to finally reap the rewards of his efforts.

West Hills will travel to Scripps Ranch to face the No. 1-seeded Falcons next Friday.