The 2011 Metro-Pacific League football championship title is the Mater Dei Catholic Crusaders’ to win after the Crusaders emerged from last Friday’s pigskin slate as the only team in the modest four-team circuit still unbeaten.
Mater Dei defeated host Castle Park, 34-6, to improve to 2-0 in league play while Montgomery defeated visiting Sweetwater, 20-18, to level both those teams’ league records at 1-1.
Last Friday’s win was the fifth consecutive on the field for the Crusaders, who improved to 7-2 overall. Quarterback Joe Legrete scored the game’s first touchdown on a run and then threw a 19-yard scoring pass to Fernando Gonzalez to give the visitors an early 13-0 lead.
Castle Park dropped to 1-8 on the season, 0-2 in league play.
Joel Castro scored two touchdowns and Joey Gonzalez kicked two field goals, including a 48-yarder in the rain, to lift Montgomery (5-4, 1-1) past Sweetwater (4-5, 1-1).
The Aztecs led 20-12 when the Red Devils scored their final touchdown on a pass from Adrian Libsack to Raven Middleton. However, Sweetwater failed on the ensuing two-point conversion in an effort to tie the game.
Montgomery’s defense came up huge against the Devils with four interceptions, including two by Marcos Mathis and one each by Ernesto Marquez and Castro.
The Red Devils had led 12-10 early in the game.
The Aztecs rolled up 311 rushing yards in an effort to control the clock, led by Charles Williams’ 211 yards on 26 carries. Mathis rushed 12 times for 73 yards. Harley Armada completed six of 12 passing attempts for 87 yards.
Mater Dei defeated Montgomery, 28-20, to kick off league play on Oct. 28.
Both Sweetwater and the Aztecs will be playing for a share of the league title. Wins by both teams would create a three-way logjam atop the league standings with Mater Dei, with each team sporting a 2-1 league mark.
