San Diego, CA
Chiefs win another nail-biter for 9th straight AFC West title, defeating Chargers 19-17
For the 9th time in as many years, the Kansas City Chiefs have won the AFC West. But it was the first division title to come with a doink.
The Chiefs defeated their division rival, the Los Angeles Chargers (8-5), with a last-second field goal, which bounced off the goal post and in, securing the win for the second time in three weeks. The final score was 19 to 17, the exact same score as the score between the Chiefs and Las Vegas Raiders last week on Black Friday.
The 12-1 reigning champs have won 10 of their games by a touchdown or less, and haven’t won a game a by more than seven points since October.
Kansas City’s nine straight division titles are two short of the New England Patriots’ NFL record of 11.
After the game, cornerback Chris Jones saw his team’s close wins as a positive, saying they keep the team prepared for the playoffs.
“We know that every game is going to be tight,” Jones said. “We know that every game is going to be a similar atmosphere.”
“It may come down to a field goal to end the game,” he added.
The Chiefs led 13-0 at halftime after the Chargers punted on their first five possessions, but Justin Herbert and LA woke up in the second half, scoring on each of their three drives. Cameron Dicker’s 37-yard field goal put the Chargers ahead 17-16 with 4:35 left.
Mahomes then went to work, hitting Xavier Worthy for 14 yards on third-and-10 and scrambling for another first down. After the two-minute warning, Mahomes scrambled, dodged a would-be tackle and lobbed a throw to a kneeling Travis Kelce that allowed the Chiefs to run the clock down to zero.
Mahomes was 24 of 37 for 210 yards and threw a 9-yard pass to DeAndre Hopkins late in the first half for Kansas City’s only touchdown.
Herbert went 21 of 30 for 213 yards and a TD.
Mahomes was sacked three times and has taken 13 sacks over the past three games, the most of any three-game stretch in his career.
The Chargers opened the second half with a 13-play, 79-yard drive that concluded with Gus Edwards’ 3-yard touchdown run. Following a Chiefs punt, the Chargers then went 74 yards on four plays, aided by 39-yard pass interference penalty on Justin Reid, to take a 14-13 lead. Herbert found Quentin Johnson for a 4-yard touchdown, the Chargers’ first TD pass in 13 quarters.
The Chiefs responded with Wright’s third field goal, this one from 50 yards after an unsportsmanlike-conduct penalty against Trey Smith pushed Kansas City back.
The Chiefs settled for Wright’s 47-yard field goal on their opening drive, during which Mahomes passed Dan Marino for the most passing yards in the first eight years of a career.
Late in the second quarter, Herbert was hit by Kansas City linebacker Nick Bolton, forcing him to miss a play and leading to the Chargers’ fifth punt. The Chiefs responded with a 9-play, 77-yard drive that ended with Hopkins’ TD catch.
Kansas City’s halftime lead was its largest of the season and it shut out an opponent in the first half for the first time.
Receiving royalty
Kelce finished with 45 yards receiving and has 12,010 in his career, trailing only Tony Gonzalez and Jason Witten among tight ends.
Injuries
Herbert missed only one play after the hit by Bolton after trainers looked at his left leg. Taylor Heinicke replaced him. … TE Will Dissly left the game with a right shoulder injury in the third quarter. … WR Jalen Reagor was hurt in the third quarter.
Chiefs T DJ Humphries left in the fourth quarter with a hamstring injury.
Up next
Chargers: Host Tampa Bay next Sunday.
Chiefs: At Cleveland next Sunday.
San Diego, CA
Man fatally struck by hit-and-run vehicle in San Diego
A man in the Mission Bay Park community of San Diego was fatally struck Sunday morning by a hit-and run vehicle, authorities said.
The victim was also struck by a second vehicle and that motorist stayed at the scene to cooperate with officers, the San Diego Police Department reported.
The initial crash occurred at about 2:20 a.m. Sunday in the area of West Mission Bay and Sea World drives.
The pedestrian was in the southbound lanes of the 2000 block of West Mission Bay Drive when he was struck by a silver vehicle also in the southbound lanes. That vehicle fled the scene, continuing southbound, police said.
A 28-year-old man driving his vehicle southbound ran over the downed pedestrian.
“That driver remained at the scene and is not DUI,” according to a police statement. “The pedestrian was pronounced deceased at the scene.”
Anyone with information regarding the initial crash was urged to call Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477.
San Diego, CA
Here are the 9 San Diego County communities that set or tied heat records
San Diego County is known for having wet, cold weather in February. But it had numerous hot spells this year. And when the month ended on Saturday a high pressure system produced heat that broke or tied temperature records in nine communities from the desert to the sea, the National Weather Service said.
The most notable temperature occurred in Borrego Springs, which reached 99, five degrees higher than the previous record for Feb. 28, set in 1986. The 99 reading is also the highest temperature ever recorded in Borrego in February.
Escondido reached 95, tying a record set in 1901.
El Cajon reached 92, three degrees higher than the record set in 2009.
Ramona topped out at 88, five degrees higher than the record set in 2009.
Alpine hit 88, four degrees higher the record set in 1986.
Campo reached 87, four degrees higher than the record set in 1999.
Vista hit 86, four degrees higher than the record set in 2020.
Chula Vista reached 84, one degree higher than the record set in 2020.
Lake Cuyamaca rose to 76, four degrees higher than the record set in 1986.
Forecasters say the weather is not likely to broadly produce new highs on Sunday. Cooler air is moving to the coast, and on Monday, San Diego’s high will only reach 67, a degree above normal.
San Diego, CA
Francis Parker captures Open Division girls basketball title
OCEANSIDE — The Frontwave Arena scoreboard showed 23 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. Up 16, Francis Parker’s win over Westview High School for the CIF San Diego Section Open Division girls basketball championship was secure.
“No, no, no!” Parker head coach Courtney Clements screamed to freshman guard Jordan Brown, telling her there was no need to score.
So Brown walked the ball up the floor, from the backcourt, across midcourt, a 1,000-watt smile etched across her face.
With no Wolverines defending her, Brown dribbled from side to side across the logo. Then, a fraction of a moment before the final buzzer sounded, Brown flung the basketball high toward the rafters, then was engulfed by teammates.
The job was complete. Parker’s first Open Division title in program history was secure, the final reading 66-50 on Saturday night.
Of those final seconds, said Brown, who scored 23 points. “It was a surreal moment, knowing we worked for this all year long. It’s amazing.”
One reason it was amazing was because the top-seeded Lancers (21-7) were a decided favorite, but were stressed by the sixth-seeded Wolverines (20-9). Led by UC Santa Barbara-bound senior guard Sarah Heyn (18 points in the first half), Westview led 35-28 early in the third quarter.
“I just knew I had to do whatever it took to win,” said Brown. “Whether that was defense or offense. I just wanted to win, period.”
Sparked by its defense, Parker closed the quarter on a 14-0 run. Westview’s final 11 possessions of the quarter ended with five missed shots and six turnovers.
Still, the game wasn’t over. Heyn cut the deficit to 48-44 with just over six minutes to play on a bucket. But with 5:47 to play, Heyn was whistled for her fifth foul on a reach-in.
“Knowing their best player fouled out, we sealed the win,” said Brown.
As for Heyn, who finished with 23 points, she sat on the bench and pulled her jersey over her eyes, hiding tears.
Clements’ thoughts when Heyn fouled out? “I hope we can put this game away now.”
That the Lancers did, outscoring Westview 18-6 down the stretch.
The Lancers’ players and coach were effusive in their praise for Heyn, a four-year starter.
“She’s a great player,” said Brown.
“She played phenomenally,” said Clements. “She played the way you would think a senior would play in a championship game. She played desperately. She played every possession like it was the last 20 seconds of the game. She was extremely impressive. (Heyn buried five 3s, missing only once from deep.) She should be proud of herself.”
Clements was proud of her team for another reason. After blowing out two-time reigning Open Division champion Mission Hills by 26 in the semis, some thought Parker might cruise in the title game.
“I figured it was going to be a fight, and it was,” said Clements. “It was good that our girls had to come together, had to stick together. That’s what this is all about, developing character via the sport of basketball. When the kids face adversity, they have to make a decision. Who do they want to be? They showed the best version of themselves. That’s what I want to remember from a game like this.”
Francis Parker’s primary color is brown, which is fitting for the girls basketball team. They are led not only by the freshman Jordan Brown, but also junior Brieana Brown, a strong, aggressive and athletic 5-foot-11 wing.
Brieana Brown scored 25 points and yanked down a team-best eight rebounds.
About the team in brown being led by the Browns (who are not related), Jordan Brown said: “It’s super cool. I love Bri and our story. So many people think we’re related, that we’re siblings. In reality, we’re not, but we play like it.”
Francis Parker and Westview both will advance to the Southern California Regionals.
Earlier in the season, Clements — who was dressed in all black for the championship game — confessed she wasn’t crazy about Parker’s primary color. Her mood shifted Saturday night.
“Brown’s doing well for me now,” she said.
Asked if Lancers’ Brown squared tandem represents the best one-two girls basketball punch in the San Diego Section, Clements gave the questioner a “What do you think?” smirk.
“That,” said the coach of the Open Division champions, “is a no-brainer.”
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