Blanton, Sparks Account for 8 Mater Dei Touchdowns

The only flaw in Mater Dei’s 58-31 victory over Long Beach Poly Friday night in the opening round of the Division I football playoffs was a singled missed extra point.

But thanks to quarterback Billy Blanton and running back Derek Sparks, kicker Cliff Roberts had plenty of opportunities to make amends--seven more PATs and a 32-yard field goal--as the Monarchs (6-5) earned a second-round meeting with top-seeded Rialto Eisenhower, a 27-7 winner over Ocean View.

Blanton completed 16 of 20 passes for 243 yards and five touchdowns, two to David Gonzalez. Sparks rushed for 213 yards and three touchdowns in 21 carries.

After Blanton threw an 81-yard touchdown pass to Rick Ellis just 32 seconds into the game, Poly (6-5) came back with a no-huddle offense to drive 59 yards on seven plays, scoring on Mark Faraimo’s seven-yard run. But the extra point attempt failed, leaving the score at 7-6.

Mater Dei pushed the score to 31-18 at halftime, but Poly closed to within 31-25 on Faraimo’s 74-yard scoring run. The Monarchs then put the game away with four consecutive touchdowns.

“I knew we would have a conditioning edge,” Mater Dei Coach Bruce Rollinson said. “But we were a little rattled because of their no-huddle offense. And when it was 7-0 and they came right out and scored, I thought, ‘Oh, man.’

“But Derek Sparks, man, he starts running like that--he’s running possessed right now.”