Off to a Rocky Start

Monarch kick off the 2022 season with a harrowing loss

By Sean Scully, Staff Writer

Lineman practice use a sled as they are preparing for game situations with Towns leading (The Valley Star, Griffin O'Rourke)

With Head Coach Towns leading the charge for the Monarchs and despite the efforts fall into an inflexible defeat.

The 2022 season kicks off Head Coach Lester Towns’ first full year as the Monarch football program’s head coach since the COVID-19 pandemic. He hopes to turn his team into a force to be reckoned with in Southern California Junior College Football. Towns has vowed to recruit diligently, ensure his players take care of business in the classroom, and work tirelessly to get his players to four-year colleges.

Despite Valley’s hard work in practice, the Monarchs were crushed in their season opener against Mt. SAC 69-7.

“Each year I want to make our next team better. I tried to remove the players who are not good for the team during the off season,” said Towns, “I think our guys saw that and the biggest difference I’ve seen this year is a stronger and closer unit.”

The former inside linebacker for the Carolina Panthers has thirty-one years of experience and can relate to every player due to his extensive football background as a player and coach.

The Mounties scored 24 points in the first 11 and remained engaged throughout the entire game. Mt. SAC’s dominant defense surrendered merely 98 yards and seven first downs. Valley was never allowed to even sniff a competitive quarter, let alone any thoughts of victory.

“The biggest thing for me is making sure we are disciplined and we’re detailed in executing our assignments,” said Coach Towns, “If a team is just better than us then I can deal with that.”

Valley College is set for their first home game on Friday Sep. 10 at 6pm against College of the Desert.