Montgomery awakens just in time
by PrepSports
Posted by Staff Writer Eric Branch:
In the locker room prior to its 18-7 win against Santa Rosa on Friday, Montgomery safety Austin Shull and Max Heller, a pair of team leaders, sensed something was wrong.
The Vikings were a week removed from an emotional 9-0 win against rival Cardinal Newman. And now they were minutes away from a meeting with the Panthers, a 1-6 team coming off a loss to previously winless Piner.
Maybe the Vikings didn’t know Santa Rosa had lost 18 straight games to Montgomery. But their body language suggested they thought No. 19 was inevitable.
“Before every game, Loren (Brumfield), Jay (Luchetti), Max and I will say something,” Shull said. “We’ll have a talk before the game and we all noticed right then that people weren’t taking it as seriously as they normally do.”
Said Heller, “We took them too lightly. You could tell we were confident in the locker room. But we were too confident and too calm.”
The Vikings (6-2, 5-0 in NBL) may not have officially awoken from their slumber until it was almost too late.
The Panthers, who have handed Maria Carrillo its only North Bay League loss and put a scare into Newman, took a 7-6 lead with 4:30 left on Kalen Rosselli’s 5-yard pass to Ethan Rosselli.
But with the upset of the season looming, Heller led the Vikings on an eight-play, 68-yard drive capped by Alex Ciudad-Real’s one-yard run with 2:16 left. Ciudad-Real’s run was set up by Heller’s 27-yard pass to Brannon Asche.
Heller completed 6 of 7 passes for 67 yards on the drive, including a 4th-and-3 pass near midfield. It was similar to a last-gasp drive he engineered in the fourth quarter of Montgomery’s 9-6 overtime win against Rancho Cotate earlier this season. On that match, Heller completed 3 of 3 passes for 57 yards, but a potential game-winning 36-yard field goal was missed.
“When we are in a tough position like overtime or down in the fourth quarter, something just clicks,” Heller said. “I get in that zone when it’s do or die and you have to make a fourth-down conversion or the game is lost. I’ve always always responded pretty well to pressure.”
Shull, who sealed the win with a 62-yard interception return, said Montgomery shouldn’t have needed such heroics. They escaped this time. And Shull hopes next time never comes.
“Things are going to be a lot different this week,” Shull said. “We can’t play down to other teams’ level. We have to play to the level of Montgomery football every week.”
Our offense is bad! Merideth needs to go.
by Monty coach
Do you think anyone believes that a Monty Coach wrote the above?
by Joe
And Monty woke up CN. They should savor last week’s win because its going to be a awhile before they get another from newman. CN’s jv and freshmen wins over Monty looked like Grant vs. Montgomery, and Newman was playing the role of Grant. Would love to see a rematch this year w/o a bad punt snap and new offense.
by intelligent observer
The players were not the only ones who were over-confident. As my husband and I walked in, we overheard the coaches talking about how they were going to play only Juniors during the second half. Obviously, with a 0 – 0 halftime score, they had to reconsider!
by Panther Parent
Montgomery has had the same boring offense for many years, they will need to open things up if they plan on going very far in the playoffs. Heller looked great passing the ball, but it’s only when they have to pass. They need to keep other teams honest and throw on first down(not run everytime)teams put 8 men in the box and dare them to throw. Defense is great, but they can’t score every game. Hopefully, they saw that they can throw, and it will allow them to mix it up. If they do it could be very scary for other teams to handle them. The kid can throw the ball down field, it will stretch the other defenses and create opportunity. Let’s see a new open minded offense, and use what we have, several good athletes that can make plays.
by Old timer
intelligent observer … Real intelligent post. What was the score of the Newman – Monty freshman game? Glad you saw that since Monty does not have a freshman team. Oh by the way please don’t try to compare Newman to Grant … They are not even close.
by Monty Booster
Panther Parent …. Name the Coach please! Why make this stuff up. If you knew anything about Montys team, you would know a lot of thier starters are juniors and sophs …. Unreal!
by Monty Booster
My wife and I overheard the same comment from Montogomery coaches, that the seniors would not need to be playing the second half.
Looks like Montgomery had to change their game plan after a tremendous Santa Rosa showing. Check out the game statistics!
Another Panther Parent
by Another Panther Parent
I agree with Monty Coach. Mereideth needs to go. Monty is not a spread offense. They have always been a running team, and they keep going away from that game plan. Franci needs to take the reigns back and go back to old school football. If it wasn’t for their defense, Monty’s record would not be undefeated. Get back to VIKING football….not this spead offense crap!!!!!!
by sports fan
Another Panther Parent …. First off since when do the Monty coaches share what they are planning with the other teams parents. If you heard that (highly doubtful) which “coaches ” said it? Second … Like I said previously, if they were to put in the 2nds they would mostly consist of seniors, so I can’t believe what you are posting here. Quit making stuff up just to post something!
by Monty Booster
hey monty booster, they beat them so bad they dont even have a team anymore. Exactly my point. You got it. Relax, you sound tense. Read all of your posts. Deep breadth!
by intelligent observer
Monty Booster,
Guess you are not intelligent enough to interpret the comment, since it states a Panther parent overheard a coach make the comment. There is no mention that the parent was talking to the coach. I believe you are the one making as you say “Stuff Up”! What’s the big deal, get off the cross.
I was rooting for Montgomery, but people like you make me want to root for Newman! Which doesn’t say a whole lot about your character.
Coach S.
by Coach S.
intelligent observer … What the heck are you talking about? LOL how can you use a name with the word intelligent in it. You claimed in your post that Newman beat Montys Freshman team … There is not a Freshman team at Monty. When u post your dribble as least get your facts right.
by Monty Booster
So VCalled Monty Booster,
My son is a senior on the varsity football team at Montgomery.
How dare you undermine the varsity senior’s as “Second String”.
They are an integral part of our team’s success. They have given their all, and you have no right to single them out. If you were really at the game, you might of noticed that the first touchdown was scored by a Viking senior!!! It’s a sham for you to consider yourself a Monty booster. Maybe you should sign your comments, Monty Booster “Wanna Be!” We do not need boosters who downgrade our outstanding athletic program
by Proud Parent
Nobody said anything bad about the seniors … I think they are great kids. What I was saying is the juniors are not all that’s on the 2nd or 3rd string. Saying that makes no sense. Look at our roster at max preps and u will see the second stringers are not all Juniors. So saying the juniors are all second string is bull. If your kid is on Monty then u know those coaches would not say the juniors will play the second half like they are less then anyone else on the team. Didn’t mean to get u all fired up. just used the wrong words I guess. I believe every kid on that team contributes period so that will be my last comment. GO VIKINGS!
by Monty Booster
Hey Monty booster…..duh? Ever hear of sarcasm? You were getting a little too worked up over h.s football. But you have it coming at you from all sides, even your own
by intelligent observer
Intelligent Observer,
Right on!!! This Monty booster doesn’t seem to know the definition of sarcasm. Maybe he/she should get off Max Preps, and take out a dictionary! He/She deserves to be taking it from all sides, as you say. Monty Boster give it up and “Get off the Cross!!!” Turn off your negative vibes, and put your enery into all players involved High School football!!!
Get Real
by Get Real