PMA falls to Ventura in the CIF D6 Championship, 63-28
St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy quarterback Jassi Williams (9) breaks away from a Ventura defender in the CIF-SS division 6 football playoffs on Saturday. Ventura defeated PMA 63-28. (Photo by Keith Durflinger)
DOWNEY – It’s been a great five-year run for the St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy (PMA) football team.
With one CIF-Southern Section championship, three finals appearances, two CIF runnerups, one semifinal appearance and a CIF State runner-up, PMA coach Devah Thomas has put the Warriors on the map.
The Warriors lost in the 2021 championship to Aquinas, and advanced to the 2023 semifinals and last year won their first title in school history with a 38-19 win over Serrano.
PMA went on to advance to the CIF State 4-A Regional finals and defeated St. Augustine, 28-7 and lost in the state final to Sonora.
It was the first time in the Downey area that any team advanced to the regional championships.
In addition, they won 10 playoff games in the last three seasons.
“It’s been a great run with some great senior leadership,” said PMA coach Devah Thomas, of the last couple of years. “We just fell short a little bit. Man, we love these kids and we’re just trying to keep getting better.
“These kids played their butts off. They put team first. They wasn’t scared of nobody. We played as hard as they can and I’m proud of these kids.”
On Saturday (November 29) PMA fell to the visiting Ventura Cougars, 63-28, in a D6 title game before an overflow crowd.
Ventura (12-2) exploded for eight rushing touchdowns, which included a big first-half lead (42-7) that the Warriors couldn’t overcome.
A big part of the Ventura offense included sophomore running back James Watson and his four touchdown runs in the game of 44, 64, 9 and 2-yard scores.
CIF Division 8 2024 Offensive Player of the Year, Jassi Williams of PMA, led the Warriors through the early part of the third quarter, which included a 59-yard touchdown run in the second quarter.
Jassi completed 4 of 10 passes for 45 yards. He also ran for 64 yards on three carries.
A big part of the Warriors offense was lost in the early part of the third quarter when Williams went down with an injury and left the game in an ambulance.
“The kid is a great kid,” said Williams, of his signal-caller. “I’m trying to go see him in the hospital (Saturday night) and check on him. We love Jassi. We tried to do it for him.”
After the Cougars took a commanding 35-0 lead with 5:25 left in the second quarter, the Warriors got into the scoring column on the third play after the Ventura touchdown on a Williams run-scoring TD.
St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy’S Le'Allyn Monroe (5) tries to break away from a Ventura defender in the CIF-SS division 6 football playoffs on Saturday. Ventura defeated PMA 63-28. (Photo by Keith Durflinger)
Williams, as he has done the last two seasons for the Warriors, took control and just ran right up the middle untouched for a 59-yard score which sent the home crowd into a frenzy.
PMA junior kicker Andrew Castaneda kicked the first of his four extra points in the game to trail, 35-7 with 4:01 left in the half.
A big part of the Ventura offense included sophomore running back James Watson and his four touchdown runs of 44, 64, 9 and 2-yard scores.
In addition, Ventura senior quarterback Derek Garwcia threw for nearly 300 yards on 13 of 17 passing and a touchdown. He also ran for two touchdowns (2, 22 yards).
Leading the Warriors on the ground was junior running back Le’Allyn “A.J.” Monroe with 86 yards on 14 carries.
PMA senior wide receiver Jaylen Stokes, had five catches for 71 yards and a touchdown (26 yards), while senior receiver Demari Nunley had a 34-yard touchdown catch. Nunley has committed to play at UNLV in Las Vegas next season.
After Williams went down in the third quarter, sophomore quarterback Tyreq Conley came in and threw for 60 yards on 2 of 4 passing and two TDs (26, 34 yards).