By Duane Barker
(Covina) Mayfair Monsoon Evan Tomich blew through Covina District Field accounting for all of his teams six touchdowns and leaving the Northview Vikings in his wake Friday night in a 39-28 victory.
Although it was a warm fall evening with clouds (and a little smoke) in the skies there really wasn’t much of a threat of storms until late into the first quarter of the game. After a couple of penalties put the Monsoons back on their own 25 with a third and thirty, lightning struck when Tomich found Nick Adimora out of the backfield and in the seam. Adimora did the rest out racing the Viking defenders to paydirt. Jake Snow added the extra point for the 7-0 lead with 3:10 remaining in the first.
It wasn’t much longer before Mayfair extended its lead. On the first play of the ensuing drive, Northview quarterback James Arellanes threw a pass over the middle that was easily picked off by Mayfair’s Jackson Zylstra who returned the ball to the Viking four. Three plays later Tomich found Leroy Pelu in the endzone for the score.
Early in the second period, Erik Saiz got loose on a 35-yard punt return that set up Northview at the Monsoon 15. One play later Cheo Medina busted free and scampered 15-yards for the touchdown. Joseph Gutierrez booted through the extra point to cut Mayfair’s lead to seven.
The Monsoons responded on the ensuing drive with another score of their own with Tomich capping a seven play 80-yard drive with a 5-yard run.
Saiz set the Vikings up with great field position taking the ensuing kickoff 80-yards down to the Mayfair 18. Disaster struck however as on the first play Lewis Madrigal coughed up the ball and it was recovered by the Monsoons at their own 12.
The Viking defense held however and forced a Monsoon punt that went out of bounds at the Mayfair 38. Four plays later Medina got his second score of the night on a 19-yard run.
The 20-14 score would remain as the teams headed for the locker rooms at the half.
Northview cut the lead to four with 9:45 remaining in the third. Tomich started his run out of the backfield on an apparent option play. Adimori didn’t appear ready for the pitch and the ball bounded through the endzone and out for a safety.
Midway through the third the Monsoons extended their lead back to eleven when Tomich got his second rushing touchdown on a seven yard run.
As time was running out in the third quarter, the Vikings got on the board on an 8-yard pass from Arellanes to Steven Carlin. Northview went for two but could not convert leaving the Vikings still with a five point deficit.
The deficit went right back to 11 on the Monsoons next drive. Tomich found his brother Owen on an 8-yard slant to cap a 62-yard drive.
Arellanes third interception of the evening set Mayfair up again in Viking territory. Three plays later Tomich was again in the endzone and when Snow added the extra point, the lead was now 39-22.
Northview showed some life late and as time was winding down, Arellanes found Saiz over the middle and in the endzone for the score as time ticked down to zero.
Things don’t get much easier next week for the Vikings as they go on the road to face Bonita.
The Monsoons will be back at home next week to take on a winless Firebaugh team in their final tune up before league play begins.
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