The Monarchs take down the Brahmas 22-15 and hang onto the victory bell for another year

Valley football took an early lead against Pierce Saturday and never looked back, winning its first game of the season.

The Monarchs battled the Brahmas in a heated game Saturday that left Valley College victorious. (Mara Klein for the Valley Star)

By: Mara Klein and Mariam Mkrtchian, Staff Writers 

Valley College defeated Pierce 22-15 Saturday in a battle for the bell that witnessed the Monarchs hold on to the prize for the tenth-straight year. 

Both teams came into the contest with an 0-2 record. Valley dropped its first game of the season 27-10 and was blown out by San Bernardino Valley 33-0 in its first home game of the season. The Monarchs traveled to Pierce for the rivalry game and picked up their first win of the season at Shepard Stadium. 

Valley jumped out to a 15-0 lead in the first quarter and never looked back. The first points of the contest were set up by a blocked field goal attempt that was recovered by Valley’s JJ Thurman. The Monarchs turned the block into a six-point lead a little more than a minute into the game. 

The Monarchs added a touchdown and a field goal before the start of the second quarter and a 15-point lead. In a physical contest at the beginning of the game, the Monarchs lost their starting quarterback, and a Pierce player yelled from the sideline, “step on their necks.” 

Valley coach James Johnson said his players were motivated. 

“They asked for it, and they got it,” Johnson said. “They want the smoke, and we’re going to bring the smoke. I think that’s one of the beauties of our team, is that our team will stand to the occasion.”

Pierce cut into Valley’s lead in the first, when quarterback Dre Bolte connected with receiver Patrick Robinson on a 60-yard pass play, making the score 15-7 at the end of the first quarter. 

The teams remained scoreless in the second quarter, but Valley added eight points in the third, making the score 22-7 heading into the final frame.

Valley failed to score in the fourth quarter, but Pierce added 6 points to make the final score 22-15. The rivalry and the battle of the bell began in 1965, when the Monarchs took home the silver bell in the first game.

 Since then, the bell has traded hands frequently, with Pierce holding it for a 14-game stretch in the ‘70s and ‘80s and Valley hanging onto it for the last 10 years. 

The Monarchs travel to Grossmont (2-1) Saturday to take on the Griffins in their attempt to even their record at 2-2. 

Alejandro Garcia contributed to the story.

On Saturday, September 13, the Monarchs faced off against the Brahmas at Pierce's Shepard Stadium for a rivalry victory bell game. The Monarchs ended up keeping the bell for a tenth straight year. (Arthur Vartanian Monfared for the Valley Star)