The Menchville Monarchs finished the 2006 season the same way they started--with a victory. The Monarchs ended a 27-game Peninsula district losing streak by defeating the Gloucester Dukes 17-6 Friday night at Gloucester High School.

The Monarchs scored on their first possession when kicker David Haas converted a 40- yard field goal with 5:21 left in the first quarter. The Dukes answered in the second quarter with a 60-yard drive that took only five plays to reach the end zone. Gloucester quarterback Tommy Reamon Jr. faked a handoff and found the right tip of the end zone to move the Dukes ahead 6-3. The extra-point was missed.

The Monarchs received a big effort from their defense. Senior Franklin Isaac made a touchdown saving open-field tackle on Josh Reamon at the 22-yard line after a 20-yard completion from Tommy Reamon Jr. On the very next play, linebacker Warren Bowling caught Reamon in the backfield, forcing an intentional grounding when he tried to get rid of the ball. The penalty made it 2nd and 27 and the drive stalled. The Dukes went into halftime with a 6-3 lead.

The Monarchs came out to win in the second half, and the Menchville offense stepped to the forefront. Running back Shawne Alston carried the ball four times for 62 yards on the first drive of the second half which gave Menchville a first-and-goal from the four yard line. Rakeem Kersey followed center Cazzion McCarthy, and both players arrived in the end zone standing up. The touchdown put Menchville back in-front 10-6.

The Dukes were driving for the go-ahead touchdown late in the third quarter, when the Monarch defense put the clamps on again. Senior linebacker Adam Edbauer stripped the ball from Reamon Jr. at the Menchville 18-yard line. The fumble was recovered by cornerback James Foxworth at the Menchville four yard line. Foxworth would finish the game with a fumble recovery, an interception, and one pass defensed to go along with his seven tackles. Edbauer also had seven tackles.

With Menchville facing a fourth-and-inches from their OWN 9-yard line, Monarch Coach John Byron made the decision to go for the first down. The Dukes probably expected to be drawn off-sides, but Kersey again followed McCarthy for one yard and the Monarchs kept control of the ball…they would barely give it back. The Monarchs kept the ball for more than 10 minutes of the fourth quarter and culminated a 20-play, 96-yard drive with a touchdown run by Alston from 26 yards out. The running lane was opened after lead blocker Nick Lennartz blasted a Duke defender. Alston would finish the game with 133 yards rushing. A last ditched effort by Gloucester ended with a Nick Lennartz quarterback sack and a James Foxworth interception.

\“I’m so proud of our seniors,\” Coach John Byron said after the game. \“They have waited so long for this and they persevered. They came out tonight and said they wanted to go out with a win.\” The future looks promising for the Monarchs who return a very talented group of underclassmen. Now they can start a new streak…this time a string of victories.

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