Valley Ends Bakersfield Jinx With 33-30 Win

Tell the faithful that the curse is over.

For the first time in two decades, Valley College got the upper hand on Bakersfield and defeated the Renegades, 33-30, in a Western State Conference interdivision game Saturday night before 6,843 at Memorial Stadium.

The Monarchs (3-0, 2-0) led most of the way and stopped a late rally by Bakersfield (1-1, 0-1) to beat the Renegades for the first time in 13 meetings dating to 1975.

Valley, ranked fourth in the state and ninth in the nation in one poll, had not defeated Bakersfield at Memorial Stadium since 1956.

The Renegades are ranked No. 2 in the nation and No. 1 in the state.

The Monarchs scored the winning touchdown on a six-yard run by Marcus Harvey with 10 minutes 12 seconds left to play and held on when Bakersfield rallied.

Bakersfield quarterback Danny Henry, who completed 15 of 34 passes for 228 yards and two touchdowns, pulled the Renegades to within 33-30 with 3:23 left when he connected with Charles Woolfolk on a 16-yard pass play. Valley’s Henry Bell blocked the extra point.

Monarch quarterback Aaron Flowers completed 23 of 34 for 291 yards and three touchdowns. He also scored on a two-yard run in the third quarter that gave Valley a 27-17 lead.

The bulk of his passes went to wide receiver David Eastham, who had 11 receptions for 136 yards and one touchdown.

Harvey had 86 yards and one touchdown in 15 carries.

Bakersfield marched to the Valley 17 with 28 seconds to play but Henry threw incomplete on fourth and 20 from the Monarch 30.

The Monarchs stormed the field in celebration and were promptly slapped with an unsporstmanlike conduct penalty but it didn’t matter. Flowers took a knee on the next play and the game was in the bag.

The Renegades made it 3-0 early in the second quarter on a 36-yard field goal by Brian Walker.

But Valley stormed back on the ensuing possession.

The Monarchs drove 66 yards in seven plays and took a 7-3 lead when Flowers connected with Eastham in the far, right corner of the end zone. The ball was tipped by Renegade cornerback Sedrick Ashley.

Bakersfield responded with an 11-yard pass from Henry to wide receiver Andy Puget to regain the lead, 10-7.

Henry helped set up Valley’s next touchdown when his fumble was recovered by defensive end Kilian Young at the Renegade 46 with 54 seconds remaining in the first half.

The Monarchs capitalized on a 23-yard pass from Flowers to wide receiver Maurice Bryant with five seconds before intermission for a 14-10 lead.