The Corsairs strike back: SMC denies LAVC victory in 45-13 win
It would be fair for fans of the Santa Monica Corsair football team to play the film of the second quarter of Saturday night's game against the Los Angeles Valley College Monarchs in a loop for the entirety of the week. After witnessing a stunning upset loss three weeks ago against LA Harbor and pulling off a goal line escape against an over matched West Los Angeles team, the Corsairs finally put together a quarter worthy of their three time defending champion mantle.
In the end that second quarter would be all that SMC would need to notch its fourth win of the season over the Monarchs, 45-13.
Someone apparently forgot to tell the Monarchs that a half of football lasts 40 minutes, as the home team was stricken with amnesia as the gun went off at the end of the first quarter.
The Corsairs took full advantage of the Monarch's sudden forgetfulness, expanding a 7-6 lead to 31-6 on a one yard touchdown set up by a fumble recovery, a 26 yard run by wildcat back Steven Hamm, a touchdown connection between quarterback Christian Smith and Baxter Kervin as well as a field goal.
"We got some rhythm in the second quarter and we were able to put together some points," SMC head coach Gifford Lindheim said.
However, the Monarch sideline did not forget that Saturday night's all right for fighting, as with 1:02 left in the half a fracas broke out on the LAVC half of the field that saw Corsair freshman line backer Anthony Guitiernez and Monarch freshman wide receiver Kevin Blaine ejected from the game.
"The second quarter just got away from us. They got us in the vertical pass game [and] we had our guys not compete," Monarch head coach Juan Navarro said.
Coming out of the half, it was the Corsair offense that was stricken with amnesia, only posting a fumble and an interception in the two times the team had the ball in the quarter.
It was the defense that kept the fickle lady momentum from deserting the blue and white, holding the Monarchs to their lone offensive score off of a four yard run from freshman running back Terrance Jones after the interception.
However, in the fourth the Corsairs put the game in the proverbial refrigerator when Smith hit wide receiver Cameron Chambers in the endzone, capping off an 81 yard drive.
When the defense again forced a fumble, third string freshman quarter back moved LAVC behind the baking soda, hitting Jacob Stowell for the final score of the game, allowing a game official to quip,"this is a turkey of a game."
The win, which improves the Corsairs to 4-3 on the season and 4-0 in Pacific Conference play, leaves one final hurdle, Los Angeles Southwest College next week, before a potential conference deciding game against Santa Barbra two weeks down the road.
The loss drops LAVC to 3-4 on the season and 1-3 in conference play.