{"id":499461,"date":"2026-01-07T18:08:15","date_gmt":"2026-01-07T18:08:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/499461\/"},"modified":"2026-01-07T18:08:15","modified_gmt":"2026-01-07T18:08:15","slug":"helix-high-school-grads-seismic-interception-changed-the-college-football-playoff","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/499461\/","title":{"rendered":"Helix High School grad’s seismic interception changed the College Football Playoff"},"content":{"rendered":"

Lekisha Renee Hayes was sitting in Irving, Texas\u2019 AT&T Stadium with family members of the University of Miami football team when the most memorable play of the NCAA football playoffs unfolded.<\/p>\n

Hayes\u2019 son, Keionte Scott, a Helix High School product, intercepted a pass thrown by Ohio State\u2019s Julian Sayin, Heisman Trophy finalist and pride of Carlsbad High School. Scott broke hard on a wide receiver screen, caught the ball in stride and began a 72-yard dash to the end zone, a touchdown that gave the Hurricanes a 14-0 lead on their way to upsetting the Buckeyes.<\/p>\n

In the row in front of Hayes, Miami quarterback Carson Beck\u2019s mother turned to Hayes and cried, \u201cHallelujah!\u201d<\/p>\n

Hayes leaped atop her seat \u2014 \u201cEveryone had to hold on to me,\u201d she said \u2014\u00a0and screamed.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Jesus! Thank you, Jesus! Take it to the house! Take it to the house!\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

Oh my goodness! Keionte Scott jumps the screen and pick 6s it pic.twitter.com\/7b4vNfOItR<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Billy M (@BillyM_91) January 1, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Tenth-seeded Miami will try to continue its magical playoff run on Thursday, when it takes on Ole Miss in the College Football Playoff semifinals held at the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, Ariz.<\/p>\n

Scott\u2019s Ohio State theft caused a tidal wave of reaction in the Helix football family \u2014 and brought back memories of when Scott first caused misery for the Sayin family six years earlier.<\/p>\n

On Nov. 23, 2019, Carlsbad and Helix met at Southwestern College in the CIF San Diego Section Open Division championship game. With the score tied 7-7 in the third quarter, Carlsbad\u2019s Aidan Sayin, Julian\u2019s older brother, aimed a pass to his left. Scott, a senior, intercepted it and sprinted 30 yards to the go-ahead touchdown in what became a 28-21 Helix win.<\/p>\n

Fast forward to eight days ago, New Year\u2019s Eve, the Ohio State-Miami quarterfinal. Former Helix coach Robbie Owens, now the defensive coordinator at Division II Lenior-Rhyne University in Hickory, N.C., was sitting in his living room, taking in the Buckeyes-Hurricanes.<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t miss a second,\u201d said Owens, head coach of that 2019 Helix team.<\/p>\n

When Scott picked off Julian Sayin and headed to the end zone, the first thought to pop into Owens\u2019 mind was, \u201cHe picked off his brother (six years ago).\u201d<\/p>\n

Soon, Owens\u2019 cellphone lit up like stars on a desert night.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was getting text messages from 20 people right after that,\u201d said Owens, who took to X and posted a video of Scott\u2019s heist against Aidan Sayin.<\/p>\n

Of the play and Sayin-Sayin implications, Damaja Jones, Helix\u2019s current head coach and the Highlanders\u2019 defensive coordinator in 2019, said: \u201cThat was dope.\u201d<\/p>\n

Added Kamryn Brown, Helix\u2019s 2019 quarterback who tossed touchdown passes to Scott: \u201cOh, man. That\u2019s the hometown hero right there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"ARLINGTON,ARLINGTON, TEXAS \u2013 DECEMBER 31: Keionte Scott #0 of the Miami Hurricanes celebrates after scoring a touchdown after intercepting a pass from Julian Sayin #10 of the Ohio State Buckeyes in the second quarter during the 2025 College Football Playoff Quarterfinal at the 90th Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic at AT&T Stadium on December 31, 2025 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Stacy Revere\/Getty Images)
\nDelayed Helix arrival<\/p>\n

Scott was born in San Diego but played just one year of high school football here, in 2019.<\/p>\n

Scott spent much of his childhood in Las Vegas. His mother was raised in Southeast San Diego but moved to Nevada as an adult, she said, because she didn\u2019t want her children influenced by the gang culture she was surrounded by in her youth.<\/p>\n

But much of Hayes\u2019 family still resides in San Diego and she lived here on and off during\u00a0 Keionte\u2019s childhood. Hayes said she wanted Keionte to go to school at Helix because of its academic and football pedigree.<\/p>\n

In the spring of 2019, Scott\u2019s cousin, Sammy Stewart, kept telling Owens and others at Helix that his cousin was coming to play for the Highlanders. The summer and 7-on-7 tournaments came and went. Still no Scott.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt got to be like the boy who cried wolf,\u201d said Owens. \u201cI flat got tired of hearing about Keionte Scott.\u201d<\/p>\n

The day before practice began in 2019, Scott showed up. His mother said her son\u2019s arrival was delayed because they were waiting for Scott to be accepted into the charter school. The first day at practice, it became obvious Helix had landed a talent.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was just the way he moved. The way he carried himself,\u201d said Owens.<\/p>\n

\u201cSome kids are just naturally smooth and (have) good ball skills,\u201d said Jones. \u201cEven without pads, you knew right away this kid could play.\u201d<\/p>\n

Owens, the head coach who also served as offensive coordinator, and Jones, the defensive coordinator, argued for a bit about what side of the ball Scott would play on. They decided they\u2019d share him as a DB\/pass catcher.<\/p>\n

Scott also excelled on special teams, particularly kickoff coverage. There was talk about getting him some rest, taking him off the kickoff team.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe can\u2019t do that,\u201d insisted Owens. \u201cHe makes every tackle. He never came off the field.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"HelixHelix High School defensive back Keionte Scott, seated, celebrates with his teammates after winning the CIF San Diego Section championship. (Damaja Jones)
\n\u2018One of my all-time favorite players\u2019<\/p>\n

Scott\u2019s senior season at Helix was a big one. He caught 36 passes for 563 yards and 10 touchdowns. He rushed six times for 91 yards and two scores. He intercepted four passes. He averaged 35 yards on kickoff returns, bringing one back for a touchdown. He earned first team All-CIF honors as a defensive back.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne of my all-time favorite players,\u201d said Owens. \u201cJust a tremendous kid. He has an infectious personality. He\u2019s always got a smile on his face. He\u2019s one of those kids who kind of glows.\u201d<\/p>\n

Said Jones: \u201cSometimes you get a kid who\u2019s super talented but they don\u2019t necessarily have the best attitude and approach because they know they\u2019re really good. Keionte was the exact opposite. He wasn\u2019t standoffish. He fit in like he was there forever.\u201d<\/p>\n

Scott played at two high schools in Las Vegas, including Andre Agassi\u2019s Democracy Preparatory Academy. Jones said some of Scott\u2019s classes didn\u2019t transfer to Helix, and because of academic issues, he didn\u2019t qualify at Division I schools. Scott played two years at Snow College, a community college in Ephraim, Utah.<\/p>\n

Scott earned All-American honors at Snow, then transferred to Auburn, where he started 23 games across three seasons.<\/p>\n

When the NCAA granted an additional year of eligibility to athletes who played at a junior college, Scott transferred to Miami.<\/p>\n

His final college season has been a memorable one. Despite missing two games with a foot injury, Scott is tied for fourth on the team in tackles (58), tied for second in tackles-for-loss (13) and third in sacks (five). At 6 feet and 195 pounds, Scott\u2019s a physical defensive back who can play near the line of scrimmage.<\/p>\n

Both of his interceptions were returned for touchdowns.<\/p>\n

\"MiamiMiami defensive back Keionte Scott celebrates after their 24-14 victory over Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025 in Arlington, Texas. The 10th-seeded Hurricanes advanced to the College Football Playoff semifinals. (Photo by Alex Slitz\/Getty Images)
\nInspiring a Helix teammate<\/p>\n

Scott\u2019s winding road \u2014 from Las Vegas to Helix to a JC in Utah to Auburn to Miami to the verge of playing for a national championship \u2014 has inspired at least one of his former Helix teammates. Brown, the Highlanders\u2019 quarterback on the 2019 team, is pursuing a master\u2019s degree.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s resilience,\u201d Brown said. \u201cIt\u2019s definitely something that bleeds through him. I see it running through his veins. That resilience is definitely a motivating factor for me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Scott has been at his best during the playoffs, immediately after sitting out two games with the foot injury. In the Canes\u2019 10-3 win at Texas A&M, he posted a team-high 10 tackles, plus three tackles for loss, two sacks and a forced fumble.<\/p>\n

Then came his memorable Pick 6 in Miami\u2019s 24-14 win against Ohio State.<\/p>\n

About breaking so hard on the screen pass, Scott told reporters after the game, \u201cShot my shot and the ball went in my hands.\u201d<\/p>\n

Carlsbad coach Thadd MacNeal was at AT&T Stadium for Scott\u2019s memorable play, and like the former and current Helix coaches, the first thing he thought of was: \u201cNot again.\u201d<\/p>\n

A former Carlsbad quarterback himself, MacNeal said both interceptions were not Aidan nor Julian Sayan\u2019s fault. In the 2019 Open Division title game, the Lancers bunched three receivers right, leaving Scott 1-on-1 with a tight end on the left.<\/p>\n

With a linebacker to the tight end\u2019s inside, MacNeal said the tight end was supposed to run an out route. Instead, the tight end ran five yards and turned in. Aidan Sayin threw to the outside, right into Scott\u2019s hands, who returned the pick 30 yards for a touchdown.<\/p>\n

Against Ohio State, the Buckeyes lined up three wide receivers to the left. All-American Jeremiah Smith missed a block on Scott, who jumped the screen pass and was gone.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou could go out there and make that play,\u201d MacNeal told a 69-year-old reporter with artificial hips.<\/p>\n

Later, MacNeal said of Scott: \u201cGive him credit. Without a doubt, he\u2019s a playmaker. What a great moment for that kid.\u201d<\/p>\n

On his way down the sideline toward the end zone, Scott cast a glance at the Ohio State bench.<\/p>\n

\u201cI took a little moment to peek at the sideline and look at everybody and let them know what was going on,\u201d Scott told reporters.<\/p>\n

Thinking back to the one-time teenager who played for him, Owens, the former Helix coach, said: \u201cHe kind of has a swagger about him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Five days after the game, Lekisha Renee Hayes, who goes by \u201cMomma Scott,\u201d was still shining love on her son, who wears number zero.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s so cool,\u201d she said. \u201cSo super cool. We got zero. He knows how to rock the crowd. He\u2019s a baller.\u201d<\/p>\n

Great Scott<\/p>\n

A look at San Diego native Keionte Scott\u2019s circuitous route to stardom:\u00a0<\/p>\n

2017-18:<\/strong> Plays high school football in Las Vegas.<\/p>\n

2019:<\/strong> Stars on Helix\u2019s CIF San Diego Section Open Division championship team<\/p>\n

2020-21:<\/strong> Becomes JC All-American at Utah\u2019s Snow College.<\/p>\n

2022-24:<\/strong> Starts for three years at Auburn.<\/p>\n

2025:<\/strong> Is a starter on Miami team that\u2019s one win from the national championship game.<\/p>\n

College Football Playoff semifinals: No. 10 Miami (12-2) vs. No. 6 Ole Miss (13-1)<\/p>\n

What:<\/strong> Vrbo Fiesta Bowl, Glendale, Ariz.<\/p>\n

When:<\/strong> 4:30 p.m. Thursday<\/p>\n

TV:<\/strong> ESPN<\/p>\n

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