By William Hernandez
The Huskies football team got off to a fast start blowing out the Los Angeles Valley College Monarchs 40-13, giving first-year Head Coach Steve Mojarro his first win.
Mojarro said after the game that the victory was “huge for his players after all the preparation leading up to it.”
Mojarro is the beneficiary of inheriting second year starting quarterback and last season’s Mountain Conference player of the year Aaron Cantu. “Cantu os the vocal leader of the Huskies, in the huddle and off the field,” Mojarro said.
Cantu completed 28 passes of 44 attempts racking up a total of 275 yards with two touchdowns in which Mojarro critiqued as “an average performance (for him).” Cantu is that good.
The game got off to a fast start when Monarch starting quarterback Bradley Hunt completed a quick screen to his receiver Antonio Jones. Jones dashed up the field for 57 yards that set the Monarchs up on their own 25-yard line.
Valley got into the end zone on the same drive when Hunt fumbled the ball on a quarterback keeper at the three-yard line.
The ball rolled into the end zone where the Monarchs fell on it for six points. The Huskies would block the PAT (point after touchdown) to make the score 6-0, Valley.
The Huskies would go three-and-out on their first offensive series. The Huskies however reposnded by stopping the Monarchs on 4th and 1 at midfield.
East Los Angeles College would then capitalize on their field position that would start on their own 41-yard line. After a couple dink and dunk passes by Cantu to his receivers the Huskies found themselves inside the red zone.
Sophomore running back Preston Oliver ran for an eight-yard touchdown run. After the successful PAT by kicker Allen Infante, the Huskies had their first lead of the season, 7-6.
The Monarchs were stopped on two consecutive offensive series. The Huskies front-seven stuffed Valley’s running back Malcom Thomas for loss of yards in both of the series.
ELAC racked up six points when Cantu completed a pass to Oliver for 16 yards on 4th and 9. Infante’s PAT was blocked and the Huskies had to settle for a 13-6 lead.
Huskies’ defense would slip up and Valley quickly evened the score at thirteen. Valley’s second string quarterback, Kwhame Davis completed a quick pass to his wide-out Spencer Elrod for a 63 yard touchdown off two missed Husky tackles.
The Huskies saw their lead and momentum dwindle by the end of the half consistently plagued by six first half penalties in which Mojarro said are “ultimately on me.”
The second half was another story. The Huskies breezed through the Monarchs defense scoring 27 points, surrendering zero points on defense.
The Huskies defense at the end of the game stood superior stopping the Monarchs on eight consecutive series in the second half.
Freshman defensive back Kenneth Moore scooped up a fumble and ran it back for a touchdown. Hunt was decked in the backfield by Sophomore defensive lineman Demetrius Campbell. As a result, Hunt coughed up the ball.
Husky Freshman defensive lineman Shaun Montecino after the game explained how the month and a half of preparation helped the Husky defense. “When their backup quarterback (Davis) was in, we knew it was a run because that’s what they did last year. When the starting quarterback (Hunt) was in, it was a pass.”
Huskies look to continue riding their eight-game winning streak that dates back to September 24, 2011 when they welcome Santa Barbara City College to Weingart Stadium for their home opener.
- The 2012 East LA College Pep Squad takes time out to pose at the 40-13 win over LA Valley College. CN/Tadzio Garcia