St. Francis High football relies on defense late to repel Monrovia
LA CAÑADA —Thanks to three fourth-quarter touchdowns and some clutch defense, bragging rights within the West San Gabriel Valley remained on Foothill Blvd.
Despite a fight from visiting Monrovia High, St. Francis owned the game’s final 12 minutes in defeating the Wildcats, 35-13, Friday evening in nonleague play at Friedman Field in a matchup of arguably the two top programs within the West San Gabriel Valley.
PHOTOS: St. Francis defeats Monrovia Wildcats
“Our defense is what led us there at the end,” St. Francis Coach Jim Bonds said. “We had a couple of big plays, but none bigger than the interception in the end zone.”
The Golden Knights (3-0), top-ranked in the Southeast Division, held a slim 14-13 advantage after three quarters, but gave themselves some breathing room after a 53-yard touchdown off a delayed draw to junior running back Areg Nazarian (13 carries for 156 yards and one score).
The point-after with 8:05 left in the fourth gave St. Francis a 21-13 advantage and marked the second ground touchdown of the half for the Golden Knights, who started the third quarter with a five-yard score from Avery Williams.
Monrovia (3-1), which had pulled within a point of the Golden Knights at two previous junctures of the game, drove again on St. Francis and picked up a crucial fourth and one at the Golden Knights’ 13 on a one-yard plunge from senior Jordan Nathan.
With the ball now 12 yards away from the end zone, Monrovia quarterback Asaph Zamora (20 of 35 for 278 yards and one touchdown with two interceptions) decided to go to a familiar spot and tossed a fade into the end zone to wide receiver Octavius Spencer.
At that point, the senior had hauled in seven catches for 165 yards, with his last reception being a spectacular one-handed 19-yard touchdown catch against cornerback Mason Williams with 2:15 left in the third that brought Monrovia within 14-13.
Yet, when the game mattered most, Williams fended off Spencer and intercepted a pass in the end zone to give the Golden Knight possession with 4:42 left in the game.
“They were going at me all game,” Williams said, “but I had to make a play. I knew they were going to [Spencer].”
The vital takeaway was cashed in three plays later on a 55-yard reverse run from junior receiver Dylan Crawford, who put the home team ahead, 28-13, with 3:40 left.
For the game, Crawford finished with three receptions for 115 yards and one touchdown and one carry for 55 yards for another score.
Monrovia tried again to make a charge, but was denied on its next possession when Zamora had a pass batted by lineman Brody Felkel (two sacks) in the air near midfield, picked off and returned 53 yards for a touchdown by senior defensive line Nick Horner for the final dagger.
In a first half defined by big plays and even bigger gaffes, the Golden Knights held a slim 7-6 advantage.
The contest had all the markings of a shootout as St. Francis received first and roared down the field with a two-play, 80-yard scoring drive that took 29 seconds.
Senior quarterback Jeremiah Martin (12 of 17 for 267 yards and one touchdown) began with a 28-yard pass to tight end John Carroll followed by a 52-yard touchdown pass to Crawford that put the Golden Knights ahead, 7-0.
While Monrovia only picked up one first down and punted on its subsequent drive, the Wildcats defense forced the first of two big turnovers when senior cornerback James Jackson forced a fumble at the Golden Knights’ 20.
With a short field, St. Francis’ defense rose to the challenge and held the Wildcats to a 32-yard field goal from Blake Cusick with 7:54 remaining in the first.
Cusick later brought the Wildcats within a point when the senior delivered a 36-yard field goal with 9:05 left, which closed the gap to 7-6.