Great Monte Vista run ends in setback at CIF state final

By Nick Pellegrino
Updated: December 17, 2024

The Union Democrate courtesy photo

2024 EAST COUNTY PREP FOOTBALL
CIF State Division 6-A Championship

Summerville 38, Monte Vista 21

=ECS staff report

FULLERTON – With apologies to Santana, the magic carpet ride of the Monte Vista Monarchs came to end in the CIF Division 6-A state championship.

The Monarchs, riding an 8-out-of-9 winning streak in a season when they didn’t even reach the postseason until the fianl moments of the seeding committee meeting, went out with a 38-21 to Summerville High of Tuolomne, played at Fullerton UHSD Stadium.

By coincidence, Monte Vista fell to eventual Grossmont Valley League champion El Capitan, also by a 38-21 count. However, the Monarchs have went practically unbeaten over the past two months.

Victories over West Hills and El Cajon Valley allowed Monte Vista to clinch a second-place finish to the Vaqueros, then fell to the Santana Sultans before downing Valhalla to close the regular season.

The following day, Rancho Buena Vista elected to step away from postseason play, so the Monarchs were fiven a berth despite being ranked at No. 65 byu the CIF-San Diego Section computer (only 64 schools advance into the playoffs).

Feeling a ton of disrespect. look atg the Monte Vista results inder head coach Ron Hamamoto, one of the most successful coaches for three diferent programs in CIFSDS history.

Seeded at the bottom of Division 5 at No. 12, Monte Vista, p,aying exclusively on the road, nipped No. 5 Fallbrook and No. 4 Hoover by one point each.

The section semifinals saw a blowout win at Vista — ironically, a member of the same school district as Rancho Buena Vista — before heading to the section title game.

Playing at Devore Stadium, the onbg-time home of Bonita Vista before its recent relocation to an on-campus stadium. the Barons walked across the stet, yet were po match against Monte Vista, 38-20, giving MVHS its second CIF crown of any sort since 2003.

For Hamamoto, it was a solid bounce-back after going 4-27 over the previous three seasons following the pandemic in rebuilding the program. This was the school’s first 10-win seasons since going 11-1 in 2004.

The CIF Southland Regional contest saw the Monarchs whip Pasadena, 41-21 — the Bulldogs haven’captured a CIF state title in any division since 1933 according to the CIF state record book.

Game stuff

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A pair of strong ground games saw the talented defensive line from Summerville saw more success to slow Monte Vista, especially in the second half, allowing the Bears to cap the season with the CIF State Division 6-A crown with a 14-1 overall record.

Junior quarterback Bryce Leveroos rushed for three touchdowns, including scores of 13 and 49 yards to start the second half, allowing the Bears to extnd their 17-14 halftime lead.

Leveros, the coach’s son, rushed for 21 times for 169 yards, most in the second half after the Bears’ O-line wore down the Monarchs.

Monte Vista runningback Alexander Villanuena, who set a CIFSDS single-season rushing recordthis season, posted a 2-yard scoring run to start a Monte Vista;s rally from a 10- deficit.

However, the Bears kept the MVHS standout under control to just 84 yards.

Villanuena gained 76 of those yards, finishing the season with 3,22776 yards on te ground.

On the flip side, Summerville rushed 38 times for 252 yards/ Throw in an addition 158 [assing yards on just four receptions, the Bears finished with 411 yards in total offense.

With Summerville leading 31-14, Monte Vista received fourth-quarter TD of 14 yards. from Colton Cash

The other Monarchs score saw Rahshawn Taylor score from the Bears-9 late in the first half. Taylor, who led Monte Vista to its Southland crown over Pasadena a week earlier, gained 101 yrds on six ewcwptions.

Summerville lone loss this season camw ro Dutch Fork High, which took the state Division 5-A crown.

Compiled by Nick Pellegrino

Summary

Sat., Dec. 14
CIF State Championship
Division 6-A
At Fullerton UHSD Stadium

BEARS 38, MONARCHS 21
Summerville (14-1)  10  7 14 7 — 38
Monte Vista (10-6)   0 14  0 7 — 21

First Quarter
S — Bryce Leveroos 1 run (Bryson Benites kick)
S — FG Bryson Benites

Second Quarter
MV — Alexander Villanueva 2 run (Danny Baca kick)
S — Ritchie Larson 75 pass from Leveroos Bryson Benites kick)
MV — Rahshawn Taylor 9 run (Danny Baca kick)

Third Quarter
S — Bryce Leveroos 13 run Bryson Benites kick)
S — Bryce Leveroos 49 run Bryson Benites kick)

Fourth Quarter
S — Colton Cash 14 run Bryson Benites kick)
MV — Dayon Bean 3 run (Danny Baca kick)