COD Football rolls in return home, mauling the Monarchs, 44-21

COD (1-2) got on the scoreboard early and often as the Roadrunners returned home and got the better of the Los Angeles Valley Monarchs (0-3), 44-21.

Desert got on to the scoreboard on their second drive of the game after a near disastrous fumble was redeemed one play later as freshman quarterback Dylan Seel (Spotswood, NJ) connected with freshman wide receiver Kevin Johnson (Indio Shadow Hills) on a 57 yard grab-and-go. After an extra point by freshman kicker Alejandro Lee (Blythe Palo Verde Valley), the Roadrunners took a 7-0 lead.

On the next drive, Desert would score again, on an 11 play 75-yard drive, which ended on an 18-yard score, as Seel connected with freshman wide receiver Mwanza Fitzpatrick (North Brunswick Township, NJ) to give the home side a 14-0 lead.

Opening the second quarter, Seel would connect with Fitzpatrick again, giving the Roadrunners a 21-0 lead. LA Valley would score with 2:28 left in the first half, when the Monarchs almost turned a Seel interception into a pick-six, but Johnson and freshman running back Arieon Capler (Palm Springs H.S.) were able to track down the Monarchs defensive back before he darted into the end zone. Once play later LA Valley scored, but a block by freshman linebacker Hampton Stutler (Cayce (SC) Brookland-Cayce) and an attempted return by freshman free safety Brooks Stephenson (Palm Desert H.S.), kept the score at 21-6.

Just before halftime, Desert capped off a 10 play 72 yard drive with a 25 yard field goal by Lee, to give the Roadrunners a 24-6 lead going into the break.

The Desert offensive line did a wonderful job and freshman running back Malik Dotson (Arlington (WA) Lakewood) was a benefactor, leading the Roadrunners in rushing with a huge night, carrying the ball 29 times for 151 yards. Sophomore running back Kaleb Bryant (Sierra Vista (AZ) Buena) snagged 47 yards on 8 carries in the win.

Seel also had a great night in the pocket for the Roadrunners, going 15 for 20 for 197 yards and three scores. Johnson led all receivers with 7 catches for 119 yards and two scores and Fitzpatrick had a good night as well, grabbing 9 catches for 84 yards and two touchdowns.

Opening the second half, a huge Desert mistake on a Monarchs punt, led to the second score of the night for LA Valley, but the Roadrunners would respond quickly on their very next drive as freshman quarterback Cesar Vela (Rancho Mirage H.S.) connected with Johnson on a 15 yard score to give Desert a 31-14 lead.

LA Valley would keep the game close, scoring on their very next drive, keeping to within 10 points, 31-21, but then the Roadrunners started to pull away. Desert's Capler scored on a five-yard dart with 3:52 left in the third quarter, giving the Roadrunners a 38-21 lead.

Early in the fourth quarter, Desert gave the Monarchs a steady diet of Dotson and then Capler punched in a score from one yard out to conclude the scoring for the evening.

Freshman defensive back Patrick Zamora (Indio H.S.) had a great game in the defensive secondary, snagging two picks and picking up a fumble recovery for a 19-yard gain and sophomore defensive back Kenyon Tomlinson (Cleveland (OH) John F. Kennedy) also grabbed an interception and two broken up passes in the win.

Freshman defensive lineman Devin Reed (Palm Springs H.S.) led the team in quarter back hurries with six, grabbing a sack for a total loss of 14 yards, totaling three tackles for loss on the night, one forced fumble and a fumbled recovery.

Sophomore defensive lineman Dylan Behymer (Surprise (AZ) Paradise Honors) had a good night as well, chasing the Monarchs quarterback around for three quarterback hurries and freshman defensive lineman Doogie Harvey (Needles H.S.) had four quarter back hurries in the win.

Freshman defensive lineman Semaj Jackson (Palm Desert H.S.) and freshman defensive back Jason Roberts (Palm Springs H.S.) had a force fumble each.

The Roadrunners have an 5-4 all-time record versus LA Valley since these teams first met in 1986. Desert has a 3-2 record in the Coachella Valley versus the Monarchs. Before tonight, the last time the Roadrunners defeated LA Valley was in 2011, by a score of 41-9, the last time Desert defeated the Monarchs in the Coachella Valley was in 2010, by a score of 21-19.

The next game for Desert is at home versus the Glendale Vaqueros on September 25th. The Roadrunners and Vaqueros have played each other four times since their first meeting in 1972 and Desert is 0-4 all-time, including an 0-2 record in Palm Desert. The last time these two teams faced one another was in 2000 and the most recent time these two teams met in Palm Desert was in 1999, where the Vaqueros escaped the Coachella Valley with a 38-33 win.

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Information, Story & Photo provided by COD Sports Information.