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SPRING VALLEY – With the defense stacked at the line of scrimmage to stop 3,000-yard running back Alexander Villanueva, Monte Vista Hogh School coach Ron Hamamoto had to come up with another plan.
Up stepped the Monarchs’ duo of quarterback Derrick Taylor and receiver Rahshawn Florence.
Taylor completed 8 of 10 passes for 235 yards and Taylor caught five passes for 206 yards as Monte Vista — the last team in when the San Diego Section playoffs were announced — beat Pasadena 41-21 in the Southern California Regional 6-A championship game.
The victory, the sixth in a row, sends the Monarchs (10-5) to the State Championship game Saturday at 3 p.m. at Fullerton Union High School Stadium against Tuolumne Summerville, a 45-28 winner over Atherton Sacred Heart Prep in the Northern California Regional.
The season is over for Pasadena, which finishes 8-7 after winning its first Southern Section football championship since 1933.
“They were so focused on stopping Alex that they put everyone on the line and played cover zero,” said Hamamoto. “We had to do something different, and were fortunate enough to hit a couple of big one.”
Florence, a junior, didn’t score, but had receptions of 24, 27, 32, 36 and 79 yards.
“The plan was to throw the ball, get it to me,” said Taylor, who also played nearly every snap on defense. “This was my chance. Alex is our star. He’s the reason we’re here, but he’s carried the ball 45-46 times a game down the stretch. I’m so thankful I was able to make some play, help us win.
“This was a huge win for the seniors, especially in front of the home crowd.”
Villanueva finished 33 carries for 145 yards, giving him a San Diego Section record 3,151 yards on the season.
His biggest play, however, may have come on defense.
In the game’s dying minutes, with Pasadena driving, Villanueva intercepted a pass and returned it 97 yards for a scoring, criss-crossing the field on a run that may have taken up 200 yards.
“Alex got some yards,” Hamamoto said, “but they were tough yards.
“That interception pretty much wiped him out.”
Pasadena quarterback Dutch Burbidge completed 28 of 42 passes for 409 yards, but was intercepted by Villanueva and Dion Hunter. CJ Solis-Lumar had 12 catches for 180 yards while Anthony Fields had five for 161.
“That guy, No. 0 (Solis-Lumar) was really good,” Florence said. “They threw to him a lot and he got some big yards early. But I kind of figured him out toward the end. I think that helped us.”
Monte Vista opened the game with a 16-play, 80-yard drive. Villanueva carried 12 times for 49 yards and scored on a 3-yard run.
The drive took 8 minutes and 12 seconds off the clock.
Pasadena answered by going to the air. Burdige hit Solis-Lunar for 54 yards, then connected to Lunar for a 36-yard score.
Monte Vista survived a lost fumble on the kickoff, holding Pasadena on downs, then put together another 80-yard drive, this time on five plays.
The TD came on a 24-yard pass from Taylor to Andrew Barka.
After forcing a Pasadena punt, Monte Vista went 50 yards on 10 plays with Taylor bullying in from a yard out for a 21-7 lead at the break.
Monte Vista 41, Pasadena 21
Pasadena 7 0 14 0 – 21
Monte Vista 7 14 6 14 – 41
MV — Villanueva 3 run (Gutierrez kick)
P — Solis-Lunar 36 pass from Burbidge (Zuniga kick)
MV — Barka 24 pass from Taylor (Baca kick)
MV — Taylor 1 run (kick failed)
MV — Taylor 1 run (Baca kick)
P — Conley 70 pass from Burbidge (Zuniga kick)
P — Conley 58 pass from Burbidge (Zuniga kick)
MV — Taylor 1 run (Baca kick)
MV — Villanueva 97 interception return (Baca kick)
Originally Published:
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