Monrovia's Wildcats Battle this Saturday, December 10 for CIF Championship Game Title
The Monrovia Wildcats ninth successive win is sending Monrovia to next Saturday's championship game against the San Gabriel High School Matadors. Wildcats won Friday's semi-final Playoffs game against the Covina Colts by a score of 41-27. Anthony Craft, Wildcats defensive back determined how the game was going to be played and showed the Colts who was the boss in the semi-final face-off game. Craft lit up Covina's receiver Andrew Carillo after he caught a short pass. Carrillo's helmet flew off, the Wildcat's sideline went wild and the crowd let out a loud "ooooh" simultaneously. At this point, the Colts were going to endure hard work and pain even though the score was only 7-7.Junior quarterback, Blake Heyworth threw for 253 yards and three touchdowns to lead the defending champion Wildcats over # 1 seed Covina 41-27 in Friday's semifinals at Covina District Field.De'Shawn Ramirez caught two touchdown passes and ran for another score, and Marquise Bias rushed for 90 yards and two touchdowns as the Wildcats improved to 10-3.
Monrovia Coach Ryan Maddox said, "We are playing our best football and the team is doing an excellent job. The offensive line did a good job controlling the ball and each week we get better." After Livingston's 9-yard pass to Vinny Venegas for a first down, Ainsworth ripped through the middle for 42 yards to the Wildcats' 31. Venegas ran for a first down on fourth and short, Livingston connected with Andrew Carillo over the middle for a 19-yard touchdown to stake the Colts to a 7-0 lead, finishing an 11-play, 80-yard drive. Heyworth delivered passes of 31, 9, and 18 yards, setting up Bias' 9-yard touchdown run to tie the score 7-7 with 4:24 left in the 1st quarter.
Monrovia extended its 13 point lead by at half by converting a fake punt on fourth and 11 from its own 25 yard line with punter Mason Bryan going on his own 20 yards and a first down.With 6:43 left in the third quarter, Heyworth led with a 26 yard touch down pass to De'Shawn Ramirez which put Monrovia 34-14. Gevontray Ainsworth, running back rushed for 102 yards and 1 touchdown. Billy Livingston, Covina quarterback, threw for 226 yards and three touchdowns, but the Colts (11-1) continually hurt themselves with penalties and received flags several times on back-breaking pass interference calls. Covina was seeking its first title since 1995. Monrovia High School won CIF Southern Section Mid Valley Division last year behind quarterback and division player of the year Nick Bueno. Monrovia has one more game to win and will receive another CIF Championship ring.
Jennifer Boone sharjoyimages@yahoo.com
