Tigers end Monarch D5 dynasty quest

By Ramon Scott
Updated: November 22, 2025

2025 EAST COUNTY PREP FOOTBALL – SEMIFINALS

DIVISION 5: MORSE 50, MONTE VISTA 12

EastCountySports.com

SAN DIEGO – Monte Vista’s bid to defend its Division 5 championship ended Friday night in Southeast San Diego, where the Monarchs ran into a buzz saw named Superior Garror and a Morse squad that played its most explosive game of the season.

The Tigers rode a wave of early takeaways, breakaway runs, and big-play strikes to defeat Monte Vista 50–12 in the semifinals, ending the Monarchs’ season at 6–6.

Despite the lopsided final, the Monarchs put together a commendable season—one built on resilience, a young roster that matured quickly, and a defense that repeatedly delivered in big moments throughout the fall. Their trademark opportunistic style carried them back to the semifinal round, but on this night, they simply ran into the section’s most dynamic all-purpose player.

Garror, wearing No. 0, was unstoppable from the opening whistle. His 32-yard touchdown run put Morse up 7–0 just minutes into the contest, and on Monte Vista’s next possession he stepped in front of a pass, returning the interception deep into Monarchs territory and setting up his own 10-yard scoring run.

By the time the first quarter ended, Morse led 14–0 and had seized every ounce of momentum. The Tigers continued piling on through a barrage of takeaways.

A Monte Vista fumble early in the second quarter resulted in a Morse field goal, and another scoop-and-score—this one a 38-yard return by Garror—made it 23–0 with 11:23 still left in the half.

Garror wasn’t done: he added a red-zone interception and then De’Velle Green capped the half with a 36-yard touchdown reception from quarterback Ethan Esmailian, sending the Tigers into halftime with a commanding 30–6 lead.

Still, Monte Vista showed its fight.

Quarterback Derrick Taylor connected with junior receiver Naithen Smith for a 24-yard touchdown just before halftime to put the Monarchs on the board.

In the second half, the Monarchs found more rhythm offensively, as standout running back Deon Hunter punched in a score and Monte Vista’s effort never waned—despite playing most of the fourth quarter with a running clock and navigating a rash of personal foul penalties that repeatedly pushed them backward.

But Morse kept the pressure on, adding touchdown runs from Alex Smith and another sweeping score from Garror, who finished with four total touchdowns in a performance reminiscent of a one-man highlight reel.

Smith and Esmailian complemented him with efficiency, and the Tigers’ defensive front capitalized on short fields and Monte Vista miscues to stretch the lead to 50–12 by the end of three quarters.

While the Monarchs could not match the firepower of the Tigers—especially on a night when mistakes snowballed early—the season as a whole still reflected the program’s trademark grit under head coach Paige Culver.

Monte Vista returned to the semifinals behind a senior core that included Taylor, Hunter, and defensive playmakers who helped the team rack up takeaways all year, including last week’s trio of interceptions that powered the quarterfinal win.

This group may not have duplicated last year’s championship magic, but they upheld the standard Monte Vista football has built: toughness, defense, and continual improvement. The Monarchs weathered an up-and-down opening month, developed a young roster into a playoff-ready unit, and once again finished among the final four teams standing in Division V.

In the end, they simply ran into a Morse team hitting its peak at the perfect time—and ran into Superior Garror, whose superstar performance proved to be the difference.

Monte Vista’s season ends with pride intact and a foundation strong enough to make another push next fall, as the Monarchs turn the page with experience gained, key underclassmen stepping forward, and a legacy of competing deep into November.