Montclair Prep Wins Title Behind Swinton

GOLETA —  Eliel giveth and Eliel taketh away.

After fumbling three times in the first half, Eliel Swinton decided this game was far too close.

He took care of that in a hurry.

Rushing 52 yards for a touchdown and returning an interception 57 yards to set up another score in the opening minutes of the third quarter, Swinton lifted Montclair Prep to a 35-7 victory over Bishop Diego in the Division IX final Saturday night at San Marcos High.

The score was tied, 7-7, at halftime, mostly because of five Montclair Prep turnovers.

At halftime, Swinton tried to explain the fumbles to Coach George Giannini, but the coach said he replied, “Eliel, that’s the past. Forget about it. Let’s talk about the future.”

Swinton, who finished with 215 yards and two touchdowns in a season-high 32 carries, said he came out in the second half determined to atone for his fumbles.

“I was aggravated with myself,” he said. “I knew I had to pull myself together before I could help the team.”

He did both.

Montclair Prep (13-0), which won its second Southern Section title in three years, got the ball at its own 49 on its first possession of the second half. Swinton ran 52 yards for a touchdown on the second play of the series.

On Bishop Diego’s first play after the touchdown, Swinton intercepted a pass at the Mountie 40 and returned the ball to the Bishop Diego three-yard line.

Quarterback Darrell Dent scored on a keeper two plays later. Montclair Prep missed the extra point, but led, 20-7, with 6 minutes 21 seconds to play in the third quarter.

On its next possession, Montclair Prep scored again, this time on a 22-yard run by Wilbert Smith. A two-point conversion built the lead to 28-7 with 2:43 remaining in the third quarter.

Swinton finished the season with 2,384 yards, breaking the school single-season rushing record held by his brother, Rich.

He also broke the San Fernando Valley record for yards in a season (2,371), which had been held by L.A. Baptist’s Steve Tetrick.

Swinton’s rushing total (5,884 yards) places him third on the state and Southern Section lists.

The championship is Montclair Prep’s third. Besides 1990, the Mounties won a title in 1976.

The players and coaches had been aiming for another title since last season, when the Mounties were declared ineligible for postseason play by the Southern Section because of recruiting violations.

Smith finished with 70 yards and two touchdowns in 13 carries.

Montclair Prep stopped the Bishop Diego offense, holding quarterback Greg Van Wyk to two completions in 20 passes. Bishop Diego (9-4-1) gained 75 yards.