Rancho Bernardo keeps winning, tops El Camino to improve to 7-0

by Tim Meehan

RANCHO BERNARDO — The last time Rancho Bernardo High School was undefeated this far into the season, Eric Weddle was in his 10th NFL season, enjoying a Pro Bowl campaign for the fourth time in a career that appears headed for the Hall of Fame.

The year was 2016, and son Gaige Weddle was in first grade.

There may be some extra Weddle magic in the air this year at RB.

The No. 8 Broncos used a quick-strike offense and a stingy defense to dispose of visiting El Camino, 24-6, on Friday to run their perfect record to 7-0.

But they’re nowhere near a complete team yet.

“We have a standard, and that’s in everything we do,” said Eric Weddle, who will hear in December if he’s elected to the Class of 2026 College Football Hall of Fame. “On and off the field. The way we live our lives. The way we are as teammates. The way we treat people. There’s an expectation, and I don’t feel like we’re playing to that standard, especially on offense, which I oversee.”

Sophomore quarterback/safety Gaige Weddle is the composite No. 1 athlete in the Class of 2028 by 247Sports. And he showed why Friday.

On El Camino’s second play of the game, Weddle intercepted a tipped pass at the Wildcats’ 24-yard line. Five plays later, he scrambled and found senior wideout Hugo Gonzalez at the goal line for a 19-yard touchdown.

Weddle had three touchdowns on the night, giving him 17 total TDs on the season. He completed 11 of 22 passes for 131 yards. He scored on a run from 26 yards out and connected with senior wideout Christian Gonzalez for a 46-yard TD late in the second.

He finished with 101 yards on the ground on 12 carries.

“Football’s all about momentum, right?” said Gaige Weddle, who has offers from Miami, USC, Tennessee, ASU, BYU, Washington, SDSU and dad Eric’s alma mater Utah. “When the momentum swings your way, there’s not much that can stop you.”

The Broncos (2-0 Avocado East) also got 61 yards on the ground from Max Marshall.

The Wildcats (2-5, 0-2) couldn’t find a rhythm on offense. They used three different quarterbacks in the first half — four if you include a trick play — and only managed two Adam Spencer field goals (one from 45 that would have been good from 55). Sophomore running back Ryan Hamilton had 83 yards on 12 carries.

The Broncos ran a fake punt on 4th-and-5 from their own 37 with a direct snap to Marshall for a 23-yard gain in the second.

The remaining schedule is challenging for the Broncos. They’ll host Oceanside and then have road matchups against No. 3 Mission Hills and 10th-ranked Poway. Could an undefeated season be in the cards?

“We could be 30-0, coach Weddle always expects the highest from us, and that’s why we keep moving,” said senior captain Lucas Winkler, who had a sack. “No matter what we have, no matter what we are, it’s just our heart and our camaraderie. We love each other. We’re a family out here and we play like it. We protect each other always. We pick each other up always, and that’s what’s going to get us far.”