Valley Rings Up a Win in Rivalry With Pierce

Pierce College can put away the brushes and buckets. The Brahmas won’t be repainting the victory bell this season.

Valley made sure of that Saturday night, defeating Pierce, 29-13, in a Western State Conference Southern Division game at Pierce, thus retaining the rights to the bell, the two-tiered hunk of metal that annually goes to the Valley-Pierce winner.

Valley leads the series, 14-9.

For good measure, Valley’s Terrance Smith and James Keyes paraded the bell, painted in Monarch green and white, across the field to the Pierce side following the game, ringing it all the way.

Valley trailed Pierce, 10-7, at halftime, then tied the game, 13-13, on Donald Dozier’s 10th touchdown of the season, a five-yarder late in the third period. Dozier added the two-point conversion, and Valley led, 15-13, with 2:54 left in the third quarter.

The Monarchs (4-4, 3-0 in division play) added two fourth-quarter touchdowns to put the game out of reach.

Valley quarterback Trendell Williams threw a pass in the flat to Marcus Bridges, who went 58 yards for a touchdown on the first play of the fourth period.

The Monarchs scored again on a 20-yard run by reserve tailback Robert Augustus.

Tailback Cliff Robinson led Valley with 107 yards in 17 carries. Valley had 418 offensive yards to 273 for Pierce (3-5, 2-1).

Pierce quarterback Jamie Grossman, a surprise starter still nursing a knee injury incurred two weeks ago, completed 13 of 30 passes for 196 yards and one touchdown. He threw one interception.

Valley took the opening kickoff and drove 76 yards to a touchdown. The Monarchs stayed on the ground 10 times during the 10-play drive, and Dozier scored the first of his two touchdowns on a four-yard run. Jim Harper kicked the extra point, and Valley led, 7-0, with 9:02 left in the first period.

Pierce got a break early in the second period when Lamark Allen mishandled a Pete Pistone punt and Mike Bargerstock recovered for Pierce at the Valley 28-yard line. The Brahmas were unable to move the ball, however, and settled for a 41-yard field goal by Mike Burns, trimming the deficit to 7-3 with 13:11 left in the second quarter.