M-Town's De'Shawn Ramirez goes 73-yards for his first of three Tds Friday night.
(Temple City)- Big history, big hype, big drama, big hits, big moments, and a big road win all took a back seat to a series of big Monrovia plays in a 38-21 victory over Temple City on Friday night.
“De’Shawn Ramirez had a great night,” said Wildcat head coach Ryan Maddox. “He’s a talented kid, I can’t say enough.”
The sophomore running back answered for M-Town at each turn of the game with touchdown strikes from other area codes.
After Max Ruckle broke off a 47-yard touchdown run, on his first carry of the game with 7:40 to play in the opening quarter, Ramirez responded.
Taking a pass in the flat from Nick Bueno, Ramirez slipped tackles, touched the corner, and was gone 73-yards down the sideline.
In the third, with Monrovia leading 19-14, Temple City went on a nine play drive and reached the Wildcat 32 before Jay Henderson picked off Justin Smith.
Two plays later Ramirez broke one tackle after another going 68-yards to paydirt and a 26-14 M-Town advantage.
“All season,” said Rams head coach Anthony White. “This has been our story all season. The big plays have killed us.”
Down by 12 TC got a big play of its own when David Spratt on a bump and go route got open down the north sideline and hauled in Smith’s perfect pitch for a 37-yard touchdown.
The gap closed to 26-21, Temple City had a shot to turn the game around on the ensuing kick-off when Andrew Tinsley’s boot fell at about the 30 and took a big hop. In a scramble for the ball it was Ramirez who came up with the leather.
Three minutes, seven plays, 66-yards, and a fortuitous pass interference penalty on a third and seven, was punctuated by Derrick “Bubba” Johnson’s (10-65-yds) 2-yard blast into the end zone.
Monrovia’s Dujawn Jones put the ball back in his offense’s hands when he picked off Smith on the next possession.
Two minutes later Ramirez (11-carries 145-yards) went 44-yards for his third touchdown.
“Temple City is a very good football team and they came to play tonight,” said Maddox as his team improves to 2-0 in the Rio Hondo, 7-0 overall. “We have to get better every day, absolutely I’m happy about tonight.”
Causing Maddox to smile was the play of his defense. Particularly along the front lines. The front four consisting of Grant Haggard, John Adams, Ellis McCarthy, and the not-so talkative Josh Lowden limited Ruckle to 76-yards on 12-carries. Only 29 after going for 47 on his first carry.
“We consider him one of the best players in the valley,” said Maddox of Ruckle. “We were talking about him the whole week.”
Following Ramirez’s first touchdown, the Wildcats were still down 7-6 after TC’s John Mendez blocked the point after.
Bueno then led a six minute drive, stretching from the end of the first to the middle of the second, covering 93-yards on 14-plays which he capped with a 1-yard run.
This was followed by the stunner of the game. On Temple City’s next possession Smith, from the shotgun, threw a hitch to Andrew Torres.
The ball appeared to bounce off of Torres incomplete, but there was no whistle. M-Town’s Craig Brown scooped the ball up and returned it 37-yards for the score and a 19-7 lead.
Wildcat assistant Craig Schuster is flanked by thunder (Derrick Johnson #6) and lightening (Ramirez #27).
The first argument was if the official considered the toss a lateral. Impossible because it was out of the shotgun formation. The explanation was then made to White that Torres had possession and fumbled.
Tough pill.
Things balanced in the final moments of the first half when Andrew Torres caught a pass after it pinballed off of two Monrovia defenders for a 47-yard touchdown.
“Monrovia did a great job,” said White as his team dropped to 1-1 in the Rio Hondo, 3-3-1 overall. “You find out the character of your team when things are tough. It’s how you are remembered, we’re gonna find out who has a pride and love for Temple City football.”
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