Eisenhower Finally Beats Mater Dei : Prep playoffs: The Monarchs had defeated the Eagles in postseason the last two years.

Two years of frustration ended Friday night when Rialto Eisenhower defeated Mater Dei, 19-3, at Santa Ana Bowl to finally remove a road block between it and a possible Southern Section Division I championship.

“This one was for the seniors,” said Marlon Farlow, an Eisenhower junior. “They have had two years of getting close. This is the pay-back.”

The Eagles and Monarchs had crossed paths in each of the past two seasons. Both times, Eisenhower was No. 1. Both times Mater Dei won, including a 35-14 pasting in the title game last season.

But this time, the Eagles got past the Monarchs.

“I know that makes a good story, but the past two years didn’t really have much to do with this,” Eagle Coach Tom Hoak said.

Hoak should have checked with his players.

“Our theme all week was, ‘Reverse This,’ ” defensive tackle Germaine Gray said. “It was our turn.”

Gray and the defense made sure of it. They contained the Monarchs’ already shaky offense.

The Monarchs moved to the Eisenhower eight on their first possession. But quarterback John Flynn was sacked by Damon Turpin on third down and Brandon Smallwood’s 42-yard field goal attempt sailed wide to the left.

On their next possession, the Monarchs got close enough for Smallwood to make a 47-yard field goal. That was the extent of the Mater Dei offense.

Part of the Monarchs’ ineffectiveness was because running back Nickey Sualua, the team’s leading rusher, suffered a sprained ankle and left the game after only one carry.

“That killed us,” Coach Bruce Rollinson said. “There was no way we could make up for him.”

Flynn tried, but was frustrated by the Eagle defense. He completed 18 of 32 passes for 146 yards, but saw two passes intercepted. He also fumbled once.

Eisenhower led, 6-3, at halftime after a nine-yard run by Damond Wilkins on a fake field-goal attempt.

But during the second half, Farlow and fullback Julius McChristian began to find running room.

Farlow gained 136 yards, 111 during the second half. Midway through the third quarter, he burst through the middle and went 78 yards to give the Eagles a 12-3 lead.

Late in the fourth quarter, McChristian slipped through the left side and went 43 yards for a touchdown and the end of the Mater Dei jinx.