Montclair Prep Completes Rout of Alpha League

Montclair Prep, voted out of the Alpha League before the season, beat its fourth Alpha team in as many tries Friday, routing league champion Village Christian, 33-6, in a nonleague regular-season finale at Valley College.

Montclair Prep (9-0), which outscored its four former league foes by a combined 196-20, turned aside a Village Christian team that had not lost on the field (the Crusaders forfeited four nonleague victories last week) this season. But the Crusaders were without star running back Tarik Blair, who reportedly was sidelined with flu.

It is unlikely that Blair’s presence would have made much difference the way Mountie backs Eliel Swinton and Wilbert Smith were running.

Swinton gained 185 yards in 21 carries and scored on runs of seven and 29 yards. He also had a 31-yard touchdown run called back because of a holding penalty.

Smith had 127 yards in 11 carries and scored on runs of 27 and two yards. In all, Montclair Prep amassed 400 yards against a team that had been allowing only 10 points and 153 yards a game--tops among area Southern Section teams.

Village Christian (5-5), the last Alpha team to defeat Montclair Prep, managed just 51 rushing yards and 147 yards overall.

Montclair Prep broke on top on the first play of the second period when Smith shot up the middle on a 27-yard touchdown run.