Football: Mariners win! Mariners win!

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Why would fans from a team that had no chance of advancing to the playoffs rush the field after a season-ending victory over an opponent that wasn’t even its biggest rival?

In the case of St. Monica, it was because the Mariners’ 21-19 victory over host Los Angeles Salesian on Friday snapped a 37-game losing streak that was the longest in California.

‘There were a lot of kids crying, a lot of parents crying, a lot of coaches crying,’ said St. Monica Coach Sean Ritter, who had been with the Mariners for all but nine of the losses during the streak. ‘There was a lot of hugging, a lot of man love.’

The Mariners (1-9) had come close plenty of times this season. They had lost to Animo Leadership by seven points, Chadwick by two points, Villanova Prep by three points and St. Genevieve by five points.

‘We were in the hunt for a lot of games, we just weren’t able to pull them out,’ Ritter said. ‘It really speaks to the kids’ character that they were able to persevere in a close game.’

Senior punter Brandon Tobin, a freshman on the team that defeated Bishop Montgomery in its opening game of the 2005 season, told his teammates before the game that he wanted to share a triumph with them.

‘He said he was fortunate to have a win but he’d much rather enjoy one with his classmates and this one would mean more to him than that one would,’ Ritter said.

The Mariners led, 14-12, at halftime and tacked on another touchdown before Salesian closed to within two points in the fourth quarter. Running back Hector Santiesteban and quarterback Joe Geisregen, a converted cornerback and running back who volunteered after last season to switch positions, were instrumental to the victory.

‘The kids have battled all year long and got a sense that they were able to compete,’ Ritter said. ‘Now they have a sense that they can win. It bodes very well for us.’

--Ben Bolch