LAFAYETTE — Fit somewhere inside the bell-bottom jean pockets of the 1970s, Alabama’s legendary football coach Paul “Bear” Bryant was credited with what’s become a gridiron proverb: Defense wins championships.
That’s promising for Monarch — no, not that it’s getting ahead of itself.
A dominating defense led the Coyotes to what only felt like their first postseason win since the disco era. Their 28-7 first-round win over Bear Creek on Saturday at Spangenberg Field put to rest the program’s 11-year drought without a playoff win.
And while a first-round performance is far from a championship, it does serve as further vindication that the Coyotes are headed the right way under first-year coach Jeff Santee.
“I didn’t know how much the kids were going to buy in to a new coach and several new systems,” said Santee, whose team was granted the win with 3:13 still left on the clock. Officials had ejected several Bears players in the second half and ultimately called the game. “I will say this, when I first got here, though, and saw the seniors and the leadership potential in our guys, I knew we had a chance to be good.”
Monarch (9-2), seeded 10th in the Class 4A playoffs, picked off No. 23 Bear Creek (4-7) four times to fuel its sixth straight win of the season. That’s its longest winning streak since 2017.
After finishing the regular season 5-0 to claim the 4A North 1 League title, the Coyotes frustrated the Bears in a postseason opener that was moved back a day due to snow.
In it: they got three interceptions in a second quarter that saw them assert their will. The last one came courtesy of Wyatt Carlucci in the fourth. The senior followed his sophomore brother Levi’s first career interception with his first — a pick-six.
“I mean, it’s freaking awesome,” Wyatt said. “The feeling of getting a defensive touchdown is not like much, but I think I was just as happy when Levi got his. I’m just so proud that he’s a sophomore — when I was a sophomore, I had no chance of playing varsity, and this kid is out here making crazy plays. I’m happy we both had a good game.”
Levi interrupted a slant route to snare the game’s first turnover. Chase Gray came down with another on Bear Creek’s next drive. Each set the offense up in plus-territory as quarterback Riley Montemayor finished off marches of 45 and 44 yards with short touchdown runs to put Monarch up 14-0.
Tyler Tharp had the team’s third pick of the quarter on the final play of the half. His heels on the goal line, with Bear Creek in the red zone and looking to get back into the game, he took his first career interception 60-some yards the other way before getting caught.
The Coyotes got the ball first out of the break and made it 21-0. Montemayor connected with Archie Jahn for a 19-yard score with 4 minutes gone in the third. Then it was Wyatt Carlucci’s turn — he wouldn’t be caught — as he gave the Coyotes back a three-touchdown lead with a 30-yard return with 5:33 remaining.
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The team’s four interceptions tied its season high. It also had four in a 35-19 win over Centaurus back in September.
It also stopped the Bears on fourth down twice in the final quarter before … well, the visitors unraveled for good.
“Our defense is like a family,” Levi Carlucci said. “We just kept having fun (today). We were just ready. We were ready for this game.”
The Coyotes will travel to Colorado Springs next week as they face No. 7 Mesa Ridge in the second round.
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