Saturday Morning Quarterback: Defending champion Monrovia looks the part in 41-27 win over Covina; West Covina heading back to title game after 63-34 thrashing of La Mirada

By Fred J. Robledo, Staff Writer
COVINA
— Monrovia High School won its first CIF-Southern Section Mid-Valley Division title last year behind quarterback and divisional player of the year Nick Bueno.
Blake Heyworth looks like that guy this time.
The junior QB threw for 253 yards and three touchdowns to lead the defending champion Wildcats over top-seed Covina 41-27 in Friday’s semifinals at Covina District Field. It was the Wildcats’ ninth straight win, sending them to next Saturday’s championship against the winner of tonight’s other semifinal between San Dimas and host San Gabriel. (To continue click thread).

No PrepXtra Live tonight: Sorry everyone, we had to cancel the show because the Tribune still has no power since Wednesday night. All our staffers are working from home or other satellite offices.

Aram column on Monrovia-Covina: There often are plays early in a game in which one team establishes who’s boss and how it’s going to be for the rest of the night. In Monrovia High School’s 41-27 rout of Covina on Friday, that play came from Wildcats defensive back Anthony Craft just about eight minutes into what was supposed to be a semifinals showdown but gradually turned into a laugher.

Friday’s semifinal results and stories
Southeast Division

West Covina 63, La Mirada 34 — When is the last time you watched a team dominate the division so easily? They still have one to go for their second straight title, but looks like a formality now.
La Serna 28, Muir 3 — Shocking that the Mustangs could only muster three points in such a big game. I really thought they would punch their ticket to the title game, but you have to give it up to La Serna, who goes against the Bulldog Beasts next.
Mid-Valley Division
Monrovia 41, Covina 27 — This was not the same Monrovia team I watched earlier. QB Blake Heyworth was steady and they have one talented receiver after another. Ellis McCarthy absolutely dominated the middle and guys like Marquise Bias, De’Shawn Ramirez, Anthony Craft and George Frazier are game-changers. I don’t care who wins between San Gabriel and San Dimas, the Wildcats are too good for whoever they get.

BREAKING NEWS: San-Dimas-San Gabriel game back at San Gabriel, Sat., 7:30 p.m.


De’Shawn Ramirez caught two touchdowns and ran for another. Marquise Bias rushed for 90 yards and two touchdowns as the Wildcats improved to 10-3 and can smell the finish line.

“Absolutely, we’ve been getting better each week,” Monrovia coach Ryan Maddox said. “We’re going to have to do it again. But we’re playing our best football when it counts, that’s what it’s all about.”

Monrovia extended its 13-point lead at half by converting a fake punt on fourth and 11 from its own 25, punter Mason Bryant going on his own for 20 yards and a first down.

That eventually led to Heyworth’s 26-yard touchdown pass to Ramirez to go up 34-14 with 6:43 left in the third — a drive that sucked the air out of the Colts.

“It was a big play,” Maddox said of the punt. “As far as (Heyworth), he’s played that way all year. I mean, he had to get his feet underneath him at one point, but he gets rid of the ball and see’s the field.”

Covina quarterback Billy Livingston threw for 226 yards and three touchdowns and running back Gevontray Ainsworth rushed for 102 yards and a touchdown, but the Colts (11-1) continually hurt themselves with penalties and got flagged several times on back-breaking pass interference calls.

“They did a good job of getting their receivers the ball,” Covina coach Darryl Thomas said. “They threw a lot of short stuff and they ran well after they caught it. Penalties hurt us too, but I’m not blaming the refs. In the first half we only got two stops, that was disappointing.”

Covina was hoping for its first title since 1995, but it wasn’t to be.

“It’s difficult,” Thomas said. “We had a goal to reach the championship but we didn’t reach our goal. But I’m proud of the kids and how they played their season.”

Both teams came out firing.

After Livington’s nine-yard pass to Vinny Venegas for a first down, Ainsworth burst up the middle for 42 yards to the Wildcats’ 31.

After 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.

The Wildcats answered on the ensuing drive.

Heyworth delivered passes of 31, 9, and 18-yards, setting up Bias’ nine-yard touchdown run to tie the score, 7-7 with 4:24 left in the opening quarter.

After a Colts three-and-out, Heyworth went back to work, hooking up with Luke Williams for a tricky 21-yard pass play to the Colts’ 13. That set up Heyworth’s 10-yard touchdown strike to Ramirez to put the Wildcats on top 14-7 with 44 seconds left in the opening quarter.

Covina’s Nicholas Simons took a handoff and threw a 34-yard pass to Nick Hynes to the Wildcats’ 18. Facing fourth-and-three at the 11, Venegas took it all the way for an 11-yard score to tie it, 14-14, with 10:36 until half.

Monrovia needed only three plays to go back in front.

After Heyworth’s 32-yard pass to George Frazier and an unsportsmanlike penalty, the Wildcats quickly moved to the Colts’ 10. Ramirez took it from there, scoring his second TD of the half on a 10-yard run to go back up, 21-14.

Anthony Craft caught a 12-yard touchdown pass to extend the Wildcats’ lead to 27-14 with 49 seconds left till the break.

fred.robledo@sgvn.com
twitter.com/SGVTribPreps
626-962-8811, ext. 2161

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