Montclair Prep Routs St. John’s Behind Pair of 100-Yard Rushers

Montclair Prep was heavily favored against St. John’s in Friday night’s playoff game at Pierce College. But the Mounties were coming back from a two-week layoff and, in the second quarter, lost standout running back Eliel Swinton because of a hamstring injury.

So this game had all the elements of an upset, right?

Naaaah.

In a contest that was never close, Montclair Prep scored a 42-0 victory that carries the Alpha League champions into the semifinal round of the Southern Section Division X football playoffs.

Swinton ran 16 times for 109 yards before the injury. His replacement, Kimo Atkins, gained 123 yards in nine carries and scored three touchdowns.

“This gives up a big boost for the rest of the playoffs,” Atkins said. “We needed it.”

St. John’s, meanwhile, goes home with unpleasant memories of its last game. The Saints (7-4) were held to 155 yards, turned the ball over seven times and were penalized for 101 yards.

Even so, Montclair Prep George Giannini seemed more relieved than elated after the game. The last time his team had two weeks off--after playing its season opener in Hawaii--the Mounties (8-3) came back flat and lost to St. Monica, 7-6.

“This time, we took a different approach,” Giannini said.

He let the players work out lightly during their first week off and didn’t have them practice in pads until five days before the game.

This schedule must have suited the Mounties. Beginning their first possession near midfield, they moved 57 yards in 11 plays. Swinton accounted for 53 yards and backfield mate Neimad Durham ran two yards for a touchdown.

St. John’s couldn’t budge on offense, so Montclair Prep got the ball back quickly. Swinton ran for 55 yards of a 77-yard drive. He scored from the nine-yard line and ran for a two-point conversion to make up for Ed Cibrian’s missed extra point on the first touchdown.

The score was 14-0 after the first quarter.

St. John’s--a Riverside County school for juvenile offenders--certainly didn’t lack for motivation.

“My guys didn’t get to go home for Thanksgiving,” said St. John’s Coach Bob Stevenson. “They’re hungry.”

But, in this game, the Saints bit off more than they could chew.

On their next possession, the Saints turned the ball over on their 10 because of a bad punt snap.

Montclair Prep converted that miscue into seven points when Atkins, called into action, ran six yards for the touchdown. The score was 21-0 at halftime.

Turnovers followed St. John’s into the second half. St. John’s quarterback Jack Haikimian fumbled three yards shy of the end zone and, three plays later, Atkins broke a 64-yard touchdown run.

Later--after Montclair Prep quarterback Mike Lincavage threw a 32-yard touchdown pass to Cibrian--the Saints’ Demascus Bell fumbled at Montclair Prep’s six-yard line and Cibrian ran 80 yards with the recovery.

Atkins scored from the eight for the final touchdown.

Haikimian, who completed only five of 18 passes for 86 yards, threw his third interception on the game’s final play.