Friday's game started off with pregame fireworks, and Marcos de Niza didn't stop lighting them off the entire game as the Padres took down Seton Catholic, 26-6, on the Padres' homecoming night.

The Padres (4-2) took an early lead on a 31-yard run by junior Jacob Irick. They attempted a two-point conversion that failed, but the early touchdown set a tone for the game.

"Momentum," said Marcos defensive coordinator Giovann Melendez.  “We wanted to get up on them early.”

The Padres shut down the Sentinels (4-2) and took a 13-0 lead into halftime.

“We didn’t do anything right,” Seton coach Pete Wahlheim said. 

Wahlheim also acknowledged that his team was simply not ready to play Friday night, while giving all of the credit to Marcos.

“They've got a lot of good players,” Wahlheim said.

Seton did not score until there was 7:15 left in the fourth quarter when Joey LaLicata connected with wide receiver Aidan Kenneally on an 8-yard touchdown pass.

The star performers for the Padres were running back Yakeen Baylis and defensive end Dante Kircher-Myton. Baylis ran for 188 yards while Kircher-Myton totaled three sacks against his former team.

Kircher-Myton is a senior at Marcos de Niza who transferred from Seton after his freshman year. He was filled with emotion after beating his former team.

“It felt real good, it was real nice to see a lot of old faces again,” Kircher-Myton said.

Melendez has a lot of faith in Kircher-Myton and his ability to be disruptive in the backfield.

“I just let him do his thing,” Melendez said.  “He knows his responsibilities.”

On top of the three sacks, Mircher-Myton also helped pressure the Seton quarterback into many incompletions.

The Padres will put their three-game win streak on the line next Friday when they host Poston Butte (3-3).

The Sentinels will host Arcadia (5-2) on Friday.