Monticello’s defense clamped down. It wasn’t just the experienced defenders like Jake Westbrook, Enrique Brown and Chad Cieslewicz who took care of business, though they certainly carried the load. Less seasoned players like freshman bandit T.J. Tillery got in on the action too, notching a key sack on a blitz in the first half.
“He’s an animal,” Cieslewicz said. “(The young guys) are going to be really good.”
After some early ground success, Albemarle’s offense ground to a halt at the hands of the Mustangs’ defense with Monticello stuffing the box. That opened the door for an efficient and at times electric Mustangs offense to take control and pull away to a 35-7 victory over cross-county rival Albemarle Friday night.
Tillery’s sack was one of several big-time defensive plays by the Mustangs. Westbrook hauled in a pair of interceptions at safety and recovered a fumble deep in Albemarle territory that set the table for a quick Jesse Ayres touchdown. Cieslewicz had a pick too in the first half that helped Monticello build a 21-0 halftime lead. Brown made life tough up the middle for Albemarle from his spot at strongside linebacker. Monticello’s unit–which was unscored upon with Albemarle’s lone touchdown coming on special teams — looked cohesive and sharp despite the lack of extensive game experience throughout the lineup.
“You don’t worry about sophomores, freshmen, juniors, all that stuff, we just come together as a team and a unit,” Brown said. “They’ve been preaching that all offseason, they’ve been preaching that all training camp and we just showed up and played great defense.”
With the Mustangs’ playmakers on defense controlling things, the offensive standouts also managed to come through. Tyler Moneymaker unleashed an incredibly versatile performance, becoming the first player in school history to throw, catch and run for a touchdown in a single game, and he did it all in the first half. On the first Monticello drive, set up by Westbrook’s first interception, Moneymaker hit Deno Robinson for a 48-yard touchdown pass that gave the Mustangs a 7-0 lead. Later in the quarter he scored on a quarterback sneak, plunging in from two yards out. When Jahlil Mosley took Moneymaker’s place at quarterback in the second quarter, Mosley uncorked a 61-yard touchdown deep down the right side of the field to Moneymaker for a score on Mosley’s first official varsity pass.
Mosley spelled Moneymaker and brought an exciting dimension to the Monticello offense when he stepped in, throwing for 91 yards on 4 for 9 passing while rushing for 23 yards on five carries.
While Moneymaker and Mosley provided highlight reel plays, Jesse Ayres quietly piled up 120 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries. The reliable back’s longest run went 14 yards, but he was never stopped for a loss and regularly moved the chains for the Mustangs.
It didn’t hurt Monticello’s defensive effort that Albemarle’s starting quarterback Lee Carneal went down with a wrist injury on his non-throwing hand in the first half. That forced the Patriots to turn to Michael Bernardino, one of their best athletes and a captain at linebacker, who is largely a one-dimensional running threat when behind center. Despite those limitations, Bernardino played admirably in his fill-in role for Carneal.
“He came to me and said ‘coach, I don’t want to come off the field’,” said Albemarle coach Mike Alley. “Our kids kept their heads up and I think most people could see we can move the ball, but unfortunately we had an injury that hurt us a bit.”
Despite his effort, Bernardino’s limited ability to execute the spread on short notice allowed Monticello to stack the box and come after the ground attack.
While Bernardino gutted it out, Daniel Ricotta, a previously unknown senior, was the centerpiece of the Patriots’ offense. Ricotta rushed for 73 yards on 17 carries, but his brightest moment came on a 93-yard return for a touchdown that got Albemarle on the board late in the game.
Albemarle faces off against Western Albemarle next week while Huguenot comes to Monticello for the Mustangs’ home opener.
