Suddenly pass-happy Monarchs notch comeback win over Cavs

Exeter senior quarterback Austin Albison got a nice gift on senior night.

His job is usually to hand the ball to Jaycee Totty or Jonathan Contreras and watch the linemen pave holes for them.

Not on Friday night.

Albison completed 30 of 45 passes for 325 yards and three touchdowns in the Monarchs’ 34-27 victory over Central Valley Christian.

“We had to practically throw out the game plan and start drawing plays in the sand,” Exeter coach Ben White said.

CVC blitzed eight defenders consistently, forcing Albison to get rid of the ball quickly. The strategy worked as Exeter, down 27-14 in the fourth quarter, reeled off three touchdowns in the final six minutes.

“We’re able to change things if we have to,” White said. “We had to pretty much make (some of the pass plays) up. It was just like playing football with people in the park. They blitzed on every play and there were so many one-on-ones (matchups).”

Totty scored twice — one on a reception when he was lined up at tight end, the other on a run — while Contreras caught a 70-yard touchdown swing pass and scored another touchdown in the final minute.

The Monarchs were already up 28-27 when Contreras walked in with 45 seconds left, though. White said he should’ve told Albison to take a knee instead of calling a play.

“I was stupid. I’m not used to kneeling down on the 2-yard line,” White said. “I’m just lucky my mistake didn’t come back to bite us.”

Colton Pacheco made sure White wouldn’t leave the stadium a goat, as he intercepted a pass to seal the win.

Alex Workman recovered a fumble to set up the game-winning score while starting wideouts Clay James and Heath Grim combined to catch more than 15 passes. James also caught a touchdown pass from 10 yards out.

Exeter (6-4, 5-1 CSL) finished second to Kingsburg in league play and moves on to the Division IV playoffs. White thinks a No. 5 or 6 seed is in the cards and hopes his team doesn’t receive a bye.

“As long as we don’t play Kingsburg in the first game, we’ll be alright,” he said. “I kind of hope we have a game next week. I don’t want a bye. That didn’t really do us any good last year.”