Monrovia Begins Playoff Journey With Win Against Santa Fe

A dominant 41-0 shutout on Friday allows Wildcats to advance to the second round

After a dominant regular season in which they went a perfect 4-0 against league competition, the Wildcats were placed in the 2019 CIF Southern Section Division 9 Playoff Bracket. Their first matchup was against the Santa Fe Chiefs, who went 1-3 in their league play.

The Wildcats displayed their dominance from the beginning, as the first quarter was nothing short of brilliance from the Wildcats. All season senior quarterback Nick Hernandez has led his squad to prosperity, throwing for well over 2,500 passing yards and accumulating 32 touchdowns compared to five interceptions.

The supporting cast wasn’t too bad for Monrovia either, as senior players such as running back Tyree Myles and receiver Mario Minor had exceptional seasons. While defensive captains such as Hunter Nicely and Jeremy Cruz-Sailor held down the fort for their defense.

It has seemed that all season the team has fired on all cylinders, and the first quarter was a dominant 34-0 run which essentially iced the game in the first 12 minutes. By the start of the second half that 34-point lead remained, and the Wildcats ensured their victory even further with a late fourth-quarter touchdown, solidifying the 41-0 final score.

The shutout will now send this Monrovia team to the second round of the playoff bracket to play the Newport Harbor Sailors. The Sailors have had a strong season, going 8-3 throughout their campaign. However, they are coming off of a tough playoff contest against St. Anthony where they escaped with a 35-32 win. 

Last season it was a disheartening first-round loss to the Palm Desert Aztecs that pushed them out of the CIF Playoff picture, and the year before they were conquered by the Yorba Linda Mustangs, once again in the first round.

With all of this being said, certainly, a first-round victory for head coach Chris Williams and his squad is a satisfying hurdle which they were able to jump over. Nevertheless, the team must remain humble and continue to fight adversity throughout their playoff journey in order to see the ultimate glory, which would be a CIF Southern-Section Championship; a first in program history since the team’s dominant run in the early 2010s.

The contest against the Sailors will be an away contest with kickoff taking place at Newport Harbor High School. The game will be on Friday, Nov. 15 with the time yet to be determined.

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