Monarchs pass, win thing of beauty
- Updated: March 27, 2021
Monte Vista running back Lamonta Jenkins carries against West Hills on Friday night. / Vic Carano
Monte Vista’s Deron Whitley. / Vic Carrano
2021 EAST COUNTY PREP FOOTBALL
EastCountySports.com staff report
SPRING VALLEY – The Monte Vista Monarchs completed a touchdown pass on Friday night and it was a thing of beauty.
The 28-yard aerial from Jayson Mikha to Brandon Deacy behind the defender near the right front pylon was the Monarchs’ only regular completion of the night (on two attempts), but the beautifully timed hookup put the final emphasis on a 36-6 win over the visiting West Hills Wolf Pack.
“That’s called a touchdown,” Mikha said. “We’ve waited so long now, we’re out here working, and winning games.”
The rest of the Monarchs’ usual power game was its aesthetically-pleasing self, rushing for 356 yards.
Monte Vista jumped out to a 15-0 lead.
Lamonta Jenkins had a 3-yard touchdown run to open the scoring. Jenkins had 112 yards on 18 carries.
Deron Whitley added the second touchdown – from six yards out – although the conversion was actually Monte Vista’s first completion of the night, as Mikha hit Jenkins for two points.
Whitley had a 13-yard touchdown run in the second half to make it 22-6, then scored his third touchdown of the night on a 45-yard jaunt in the fourth quarter.
The Monarchs threw down a couple of sacks for good measure in the game’s waning moments.
“You can’t underestimate your opponent,” Adrian Ortiz said. ” These are whole different teams than last year. It was close in the first half but we executed in the second half. We picked it up and pounded it down the field. We just have to open up these holes and as long as we block like this, we can keep winning these games. It’s a five-game season so you have to make every game count. ”
Braden Oberg threw a 31-yard touchdown pass to Dylan Snyder in the second half, as Snyder caught the pass and couldn’t be brought down until after he reached the goal.
Donovan Dorsha had a 62-yard run for the Wolf Pack in the second half.
Dylan Snyder carries for West Hills. / Vic Carano
Max Conaway had a fumble recovery for West Hills in the second half.
“Monte Vista basically does what they always do when they wear you down,” West Hills head coach Casey Ash said. “We did have a spark of life in the second half but we just have a lot of guys playing in just their second varsity game.”
Ash cited the play of offensive linemen Nathan Sanchez, Trevor Imbimbo, Gavin Condon, and Ashton Callan.
The Monarch defense held West Hills to 34 yards outside of the two longest of the Wolf Pack plays.
West Hills will face El Capitan in Lakeside on Friday at 7.
Monte Vista will host El Cajon Valley on Thursday.
SWEETWATER 22, EL CAJON VALLEY 6 – The Red Devils defeated the visiting Braves on Friday night, although Joe Malone passed for 141 yards and a touchdown to Clarence Johnson.
Johnson had 123 yards of total offense, including four receptions. He also had a team-high seven tackles, along with forcing a fumble.
Wendell Walcott Jr. added five stops for the Braves.
Malone had a pair of fumble recoveries.
