By JESSE HALEY Special to the Daily Press
A relentless Santa Monica High School offense set a season high for scoring in Friday’s football victory over the Morningside Monarchs, 45-17.
Aggressive offensive line play gave Viking rushers Adrian Gonzales and Chris Clay ample room to move deep into the Monarch secondary.
On the other side of the ball, a consistent defensive line and zealous pass coverage stifled Morningside’s offense who entered Viking territory only once in the first half.
The Vikings took an early lead, marching eighty yards on their first possession; a drive Gonzales finished with a 54-yard touchdown run off quarterback Ricky Johnson’s pitch.
The next possession, Johnson found a gaping hole on the strong side and carried the football 35 yards for the first of his two rushing touchdowns in the first half.
Chris Clay scored on a 38-yard touchdown run early in the third quarter.
The lead was 39-0 before Monarch receiver Ryan Taylor’s reception at the 3-yard line set up Morningside’s first score ten minutes into the third quarter.
While Morningside’s defense struggled to stop the run, their pass coverage held up well against Samo’s receivers.
Of Samo’s 6 offensive touchdowns, none were scored on pass plays. The Vikings missed 4 extra points, and ran back one interception for a touchdown in the fourth.
Monarchs put up 17 in the second half, adding another touchdown and field goal in the fourth quarter, but Samo’s early lead and repetitive offensive success left no chance for a come back.
The Vikings took this one home 45-17. They are now 3-2. SMC drops third in a row
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on October 14, 2002. Read the original PDF.