With its five-game winning streak snapped by Redwood last week, the Monache football team needed to win against another Visalia opponent to maintain its chances at an East Yosemite League title. After a slow start, Monache pulled away from Mt. Whitney and beat the Pioneers 24-7 on senior night at Jamison Stadium.

The Pioneers started the game 2-5 and 0-2 in EYL play, but were able to play the Marauders tough for at least one half. The Marauders received the first kickoff but were forced to punt after the Pioneers held them to a three and one out.

The Marauders’ defense came back with a stop of their own, forcing a Pioneer punt that was blocked and recovered by the Marauders’ Diego Rico at the Pioneer 9-yard line. The Mt. Whitney defense was able to limit the damage by sacking quarterback Wyatt Mauldin and forcing a 34-yard field goal attempt by Isaac Leal, which he blasted through the uprights, giving the Marauders a 3-0 lead.

Thanks to a 51-yard touchdown run by Israel Briggs, the Pioneers immediately came back and took the lead. Micah Rodriguez added the point to give Mt. Whitney a 7-3 lead.

Ty Baxter thrilled the Marauder crowd when he returned the ensuing kickoff in Pioneer territory and was forced out of bounds at the 42-yard line. Six plays later, Mauldin pitched to DJ Shimer on a perfect option read and Shimer scampered into the end zone for a 9-yard score. Leal’s point after goal put MHS back ahead 10-7.

The Pioneers moved the ball down the field and deep into Marauders territory on their next possession, but the Monache defense stiffened and they got a big sack from Noel Ceballos on third down. The Pioneers went for a first down on a fourth-and-24 from the Monache 34, but Micah Rodriguez’s pass fell incomplete, giving the ball back to MHS.

Monache pushed into Pioneer territory late in the half, but Mauldin, fighting for extra yards with an option goalie, gave up the ball to spoil the drive and keep the MHS lead at 10-7 at the half.

The Pioneers had their second special teams fumble of the night on the first kickoff of the second half, when Leal’s kickoff bounced off the shoulder pads of Adrian Huerta and was tied up by the Marauders at the Pioneer 27. Four plays later, Baxter went off the tackle and into the end zone for a Marauder score. Leal’s point extended the Marauder lead to 17-7.

It looked like Monache would extend its lead on their next possession when Baxter broke free on the left side, but the ball was knocked out of his hands at the Pioneer two-yard line, which was in the Mt. end zone . Whitney was brought back for a minute touchback.

After another Pioneer punt, Monache launched a nine-play, 56-yard drive that ended when quarterback Devin Rodriguez found Shimer in a crossing pattern in the back of the end zone. Leal’s PAT gave MHS a 24-hour lead.

The pesky Pioneers continued to fight, but the Marauder D was relentless and held the Pioneers scoreless in the second half to secure the win. Rodriguez was harassed all night by Ceballos, Shaun Franklin and Joseph Vasquez.

Monache improves to 6-2 on the year and they will have a chance to force a likely three-way tie at the top of the EYL standings next Friday when they face first-place Golden West, which beat Redwood 23-7 on Friday night . If Monache can win in the Golden West, it would likely force a three-way tie for first place before they face Porterville High in the Granite Bowl on Nov. 1.