West Covina celebrates back to back Southeast titles
Even though it was only one touchdown, there was the feeling that when Chris Solomon scored on a 27 yard run on West Covina’s first play from scrimmage, it was over. Before the seats at Cal High were warm the Bulldogs were up 28-0 and cruising to their second consecutive CIF Southeast title.
San Gabriel played with Monrovia for a half. The Matadors had taken a couple of shots from the Wildcats but responded right back each time. Monrovia scored at the beginning of the third quarter and you expected SG to answer again. Then the bad snap happened. Monrovia recovered at the Matador eight yard line and it was basically game over.
“You could just see the morale drop after that turnover,” said former San Gabriel linebacker Kevin Harris.
“We shouldn’t have lost by that score,” said San Gabriel assistant Daniel Bernard.
De’Shawn Ramirez talked continually through out the game specifically to the guy lining up opposite him- Alex Villalobos. But Ramirez was the first to console Villalobos after the game.
Marquis Bias numbers in the Final: 31 carries for 265 yards and three touchdowns…and no turnovers.
You just knew a highlight play from Ramirez was coming. And it happened late in the fourth quarter on a 66 yard touchdowns run. Speed, stiff arms, breaking tackles…it was a thing of beauty.
Villalobos numbers: 12 catches for 160 yards and two touchdowns. “Number one (Villalobos) is a great football player,” said Monrovia Coach Ryan Maddox.
The San Gabriel fans were loyal to the end chanting “SG YOU KNOW!” while the players and coaches gathered at mid field for the trophy presentation after the game.
West Covina outscored its four playoff opponents 240-75 including a record setting 84 point performance in the CIF Final victory over La Serna.
Jimmy Frazier just scored again.
West Covina threw the ball only three times against La Serna and one of them was a touchdown pass by Solomon to Lonzell Barnett.
With Monrovia and West Covina repeating as Mid-Valley and Southeast Division Championships, we are proposing the Mid Valley Sports Bowl between the two champions to be played next Saturday night at a neutral site. “We’ll see you there next week,” said Monrovia assistant Mike Minter.
A local writer suggested that he would rather go down in the Semi Finals than be blasted in the Finals like La Serna. I disagree. The Lancers got a chance to compete for a championship. It didn’t go as they planned but heck, they weren’t expected to be there anyway. Give me a CIF Finals appearance any day.
The only thing wrong with playing the Final at Cal High was the parking. There was plenty of seating to accompany the fans. The second set of stands brought in for the West Covina side wasn’t even filled to capacity. But yeah the parking was bad. Of course it wasn’t much better in M-Town. Oh and hey Monrovia! What’s with squeezing the media five bucks for parking? I mean I didn’t pay it but it forced me to put on my hiking boots. I have a call out to Darvin Jackson.
Cal Coach Jim Arnold called the grass “dormant.” It wasn’t dead…just dormant.
Solomon just scored again.
I was called out in the second half for picking Monrovia 42-10 in “Game Night.” It was kind of quiet in the fourth quarter.
With that being said, at the risk of sounding like Andy Villathedevil, “The game was closer than the score indicated.”
Ryan Maddox in four years at Monrovia: Three CIF Finals appearances, two Championships and a semi finals appearance. How do you like that resume?
Mike Maggiore has now won three titles at West Covina.
Monrovia’s Wayne Tao is the best local stat keeper in the business.
Andy Guerrero threw for 164 yards and rushed for 56 – in the first half.
Is there a reason the CIF Finals game starts at 7:30 on a Saturday night instead of like say 6:00?
La Serna’s Frankie Palmer. Yeah I know what happened but he led his team to the Finals as a sophomore. So yes Frankie Palmer.
Aaron Salgado just scored again.
Monrovia’s Brett Walsh made plays offensively and defensively. Doesn’t he always?
Cedric Ho should be named officially to the San Gabriel coaching staff.
Mason Bryant continually forced San Gabriel to start from its own 20 yard line by booting the ball out of the end zone and his 35 yard field goal in the fourth quarter cleared with plenty of room to spare.
With three more touchdowns Saturday night Ramirez finished the season with 23 including 11 in the four game playoff run.
Monrovia outscored its four playoff opponents 185-69. Yeah that Mid Valley Sports Bowl looks good
Bradley Ojala just scored again.
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