Connell suffers a Royal smack-down

A Connell defensive back accomplishes a tackle, but 6-3, 220-pound Royal wide receiver Ken Christensen makes him pay.

With focus and determination and led by tackle Collin Christensen, 72, Royal's offensive line holds Connell's defenders at bay on a pass play.

by Royal Register Editor & Ted Escobar
| October 22, 2012 6:05 AM

With focus and determination and led by tackle Collin Christensen, 72, Royal's offensive line holds Connell's defenders at bay on a pass play.

ROYAL CITY - The Knights of Royal High School are deep in football talent and experience, which is enough for an opponent to confront on any Friday night.

The Knights are long on memory too, and Friday night that was too much for Connell. The Knights made up for two consecutive unpleasant meetings with the Eagles with a 47-0 lambasting.

And if the score wasn't revenge enough for Royal, Connell suffered the indignity of a running clock the last 17 minutes due to the 40-point, lighten-up rule.

Now it's on to Burbank for the Knights. Their task for this one will be focus.

The Coyotes are struggling and were a victim of Warden last week. The Knights will have to guard against complacency.

Royal played so well on both sides of the ball last Friday that it was difficult to laud either the defense or offense. Both were devastating. One helped the other to the victory.

Never one to gloat, coach Wiley Allred said only that the outcome was what it should have been. This time it was Royal with the talented, experienced seniors.

Royal's defense shone all night. One of running back Damien Delarosa's three touchdowns was on a fumble return.

Emilio Bustos popped the ball loose while sacking the Connell quarterback. That play made the score an insurmountable 34-0 in the third period.

Another big defensive play was an interception return to the Connell 6-yard line by Alex Myrick. That led to a score.

Kent Christensen had a stellar defensive night. Two of his seven tackles were sacks.

Marcos Morales was the overall defensive leader with eight tackles. Laddie Goroski and Brady Dixon had seven each. Dixon and Delarosa had one sack each.

The 7-0 Knights climbed to 4-0 in the South Central A Conference East. Connell fell to 4-3 (3-1).

The Knights initiated the whipping with a 46-yard scoring pass from Myrick to Christian Guerrero in the first period. They came right back with an 11-yard Myrick run in the same frame.

The bruising, 6-0, 200-pound Delarosa blasted 31 yards to close the half, and Myrick opened the second half with a dazzling 69-yard scoring run.

Manny Quintero's 4-yard scamper with 4:58 remaining in the third period made the score 40-0 and triggered the running clock. The final score was a 3-yard Delarosa run in the fourth period.

Allred had special praise for Myrick and Guerrero. Myrick continues to be a college prospect. Guerrero is having a breakout year.

Myrick had his standard consistent game. He rushed for two touchdowns and 104 yards. He threw for 167 yards and a score.

Guerrero rushed seven times for 40 yards and caught four passes for 110 yards. Delarosa carried 12 times for 89 bruising yards.

Other receivers for Royal were Christensen 3-38, Dixon 2-14, Laddie Goroski 1-6 and Delarosa 1-(minus 2).