Royal Claims 1st Marmonte Title

Royal High’s Highlanders call the football stadium at Moorpark College the “Room of Doom.”

And, after Royal handed Simi Valley a 28-7 defeat Friday that earned the Highlanders their first Marmonte League title, there is little question regarding the validity of that sobriquet.

The Highlanders (10-0, 7-0 in league play) won for the 10th time in 11 games at the stadium and displayed several examples of their overwhelming talent, which left Simi Valley with its largest margin of defeat this season.

“The ‘Room of Doom’ is tough, baby,” Royal Coach Gene Uebelhardt said. “It’s a tough place to play.”

That was evident Friday when Simi Valley (7-3, 5-2) was left looking for the snake that bit the Pioneers. Simi Valley fumbled the ball away on its first play from scrimmage, misfired on a field-goal attempt, had a punt blocked and watched an interception slip through defensive linemen J.T. Sprouse’s fingers at Royal’s goal line.

And if that wasn’t enough discouragement, Royal put together an impressive scheme that included a pair of talented running backs, a tenacious defense, and the talents of senior quarterback Ryan Fien (12 of 17 for 152 yards and a touchdown).

Senior fullback Damian Geib (56 yards in 16 carries) scored on three one-yard touchdown runs, and junior tailback Mike Streeter gained a game-high 100 yards in 17 carries.

Royal’s defense limited Simi Valley to nine rushing yards and 188 total. Sophomore defensive back Rommel Butler intercepted three passes by Eric Bennett (16 of 31 for 179 yards) and also recovered a fumble. Sheldon Griffith, Jason Evans, Richard Wilson and Ryan Martinez each sacked Bennett for minus-28 yards.

“They are well-loaded, there is no doubt about that,” Simi Valley Coach Stan Quina said.

Yet Simi Valley hung tough despite its misfortunes and trailed, 14-7, entering the fourth quarter. Then Royal put together two scores in 4 minutes 44 seconds on Geib’s third one-yard run and an 11-yard pass from Fien to David Brown.

That proved to be too much for the Pioneers. “It just wasn’t meant to be,” Quina said. “We had some opportunities we didn’t capitalize on and they did.”

Simi Valley’s receivers dropped four passes, but Uebelhardt still was impressed.

“Simi Valley High School is the best football team we’ve played all year,” Uebelhardt said. “They knocked the hell out of us in the first half.”

Fien directed Royal’s first scoring drive, which lasted more than five minutes and traversed 80 yards, by completing all six of his passes for 62 yards. Geib scored from one yard and Wade Stark’s conversion gave Royal a 7-0 lead with 10:28 left in the half.

Simi Valley’s first four drives ended with two turnovers, a missed field goal and a punt. But Dave Romines’ 10th interception of the season gave the Pioneers the ball at Royal’s 25. Simi Valley then found the end zone on Bennett’s 14-yard pass to Tom Herman (six catches for 79 yards) in which Herman hung on to the ball despite a jarring blow from Bryan Fernandez.

Royal answered with another one-yard run by Geib, and Stark’s conversion extended Royal’s lead to 14-7.