CHULA VISTA – Football players love playing football on Thanksgiving – especially when it means they're still alive in the playoffs.

The Grossmont Foothillers will be adjusting their holiday activities to include practice Thursday after upsetting Bonita Vista 23-21 last night in the San Diego Section Division II opening round at Southwestern College.

“Apologize to your families, I'm going to screw up your Thanksgiving plans,” Grossmont coach Ron Murphy said to his team.

The Foothillers (5-6) advanced to meet third-seeded Helix in the quarterfinals on Friday night.

“I never have played on Thanksgiving before, but it won't bother me, I'll be doing what I love best – playing football,” said Grossmont quarterback Tyler Mutter.

Going into the second half, Bonita Vista (6-5) held a 13-10 lead. But the third quarter looked like neither team wanted to be late for their turkey dinner. A total of two first downs were made between the teams. The only score in the quarter came when Robert Carlos tackled Mutter in the end zone for a safety and a 15-10 Barons lead.

“The whole third quarter it seemed like it would never end,” said Barons coach Carl Parrack. “They tried to give us chances, but we just couldn't take advantage of it.”

Things came alive in the fourth quarter. The alarm seemed to sound when Mutter (14-of-28, 174 yards, TD, interception) connected with John Sharpe in the right corner of the end zone on a 23-yard score with 7:41 left to give Grossmont a 16-15 lead.

“We saw their safeties were coming up so we called a fly pattern behind a sweep action,” said Mutter. “I got hit and never saw the catch, but I saw everybody jumping around after it.”

The Foothillers upped their lead to 23-15 with 4:47 remaining after a 50-yard sweep by Dominique Childress (5 carries, 66 yards) set up Dominique Bradley's second TD of the game on a 1-yard TD run.

Bonita wasn't finished, driving 78 yards in eight plays. The drive was capped off with a little trickery. Andrew Grimes took a handoff on a reverse and threw a perfect 35-yard strike to Greg McGhee for the TD with 1:38 to play.

Two special teams plays sealed the game for the Foothillers.

First, they turned away the Barons' pass on the extra-point attempt to maintain the two-point advantage. Then receiver Brett Etherton (5 catches, 63 yards) probably made his biggest catch of the year, grabbing the ensuing Bonita Vista onside kick attempt.