Braves’ new territory has winning emanation

By Ramon Scott
Updated: October 17, 2015

By Ramon Scott
© East County Sports.com
EL CAJON (10-17-15) — CHARLES SMITH took the snaps at quarterback and brother TYSON SMITH found the end zone twice for El Cajon Valley in a 20-14 Homecoming win over the visiting Monarchs Friday night (Oct. 16).

It presented the Braves their first league win since the final game in 2011 when they whacked the Monarchs 36-16 that year.

In the first quarter, TRE OWENS had a 14-yard touchdown run to give the Monarchs the lead, as he bounced out to the right side after linemen ANDREW CANTY, EDUARDO GONZALEZ and crew sealed their blocks to create the lane for the shifty back.

The Monarchs have used an onside kick or squib kickoff almost exclusively all season, but this time RONNE READUS scored on the ensuing boot, returning a bounding pooch-kick 68 yards down the left sideline to make it 7-6.

“When I got it, all I thought was touchdown,” Readus said. “Once I passed that line, it was great. My first touchdown of the season!”

Monte Vista (2-6, 0-2 GVL) extended its lead when fullback JACCOB JARDIM, coming off an injury, scored on a 3-yard run to stake the Monarchs to a 14-6 halftime lead at the El Cajon Valley homecoming with help from his lead blocker DANIEL CONTRERAS to make it 14-6 Monte Vista in the second quarter. The drive was extended into a scoring chance when Monarchs sophomore quarterback DENNIS DAHLIN put his running legs to use, scrambling for a first down to the 2 on a fourth-and-7 play from the 17.

Photo by TRyan Photography

“It’s a key league win for us, considering we didn’t win any last year,” said El Cajon Valley first-year head coach PARRIS PISIONA.

Late in the second quarter, Tyson Smith took a handoff from his brother, Charles, and used some crafty mis-direction running behind the line of scrimmage to execute a jet sweep for a touchdown nearly untouched from 19 yards out. ECV missed the two-point try, which was moved back 15 yards for an unsportsman-like penalty, leaving the Braves trailing 14-12 at intermission.

Smith added his second touchdown of the game in the fourth quarter to give El Cajon Valley (5-2, 1-1 GVL) the winning margin on a 10-yard pass connection, as Charles floated a ball while under heavy duress over the defender and into the arms of his leaping 6-foot-2 junior brother Tyson.

East County’s leading rusher NATHAN McCULLOUGH ran it in for the two-point conversion. He was held under 100 yards rushing for the first time all season, finishing with 85 markers.

McCullough actually spent more time on defense, recording 9 tackles as the Braves’ strong safety.

Photo by TRyan Photography

“We kept him on defense more than in past games because Monte Vista did a good job of bottling him up on the offensive side,” noted Pisiona.

“All these guys, we work hard in practice,” Tyson Smith said. “We couldn’t have done it without our offensive line, and my brother behind that line, trusting me to make the plays. We have our ups and down, but we’ve stuck together.”

Junior JEREMIAH VALDES had a sack in the second half for El Cajon Valley, while Readus forced a fumble on fourth down just inside Monte Vista territory in the game’s final minute to force a turnover on downs, sealing the Braves’ win.

El Cajon Valley’s line was led up front by TYLER PANNEL and ANDREW KANA, while defensively, the Braves came though big, especially down the stretch, behind BENIGRO ROSAS, FAAMAMA LAUIFI, OMAR GARCIA, ALEJANDRO DELGADILLO and ADEL MORALES.

The Braves locked up their first five win season since 2005.