Pompano Beach falls to Monarch in home contest

Posted on 12 September 2019 by LeslieM

Pompano Beach quarterback Kevin Connors scrambles for yardage against visiting Monarch last Friday night. Monarch won the contest, 55-0.
Photo by Gary Curreri

By Gary Curreri

Pompano Beach High School football coach Johnathan Firth has taken strides in rebuilding the program. While the scores of their first two games aren’t indicative of the progress being made, Firth believes they are on the right track.

The Golden Tornadoes dropped its opener 32-8 to Hollywood Hills and followed that up with a 55-0 loss to Monarch. It was Pompano Beach’s 16th straight loss dating back to 2017. The team’s last victory was a 19-8 win over Pembroke Pines Charter on Sept. 28, 2017. They finished 1-9 that year and 0-10 last season.

“The intensity is back at school and we have a few playmakers,” said Firth, who returned to coaching this season. “We have Danny Bobes, who I think is right there with the best in the state. It is a good tough squad.

“We are trying to bring leadership and bringing attitude back to the program,” he added. “We just want them to stick it out through the adversity. People leave the program after a couple of bad games or after a bad year. They should stick through it when they are young and, when they are a junior or a senior, you are right with everyone else.”

Monarch’s Peter Zamora threw five first half touchdowns last Friday night to carry the Knights past Pompano Beach. Zamora pledged $25 for every TD he threw to help the Hurricane Dorian victims in the Bahamas. Pompano Beach also helped the Hurricane victims with a collection bin set up near the concession area.

High-powered Monarch entered the game having outscored the opposition 80-8 with a 45-8 win over Nova and Piper 35-0.

Firth said battling through adversity will help shape the players’ lives as they get older. He said some adjectives to describe the team would be their toughness and their fight.

“It definitely builds character,” Firth said. “We have a lot of guys here when I took over. I hit up the other sports and the ROTC and they are all out here. They ended the season with 18 kids last year, and we have 43 this year. They are working, and we are trying to get them ready to play.”

Firth said he “recruited the halls” and doubled the roster.

The Tornadoes won their spring jamboree game to prepare for the season by topping Village Academy.

“That definitely took their confidence to the next level and now they believe,” Firth said. “I think we will have a successful season by the end of this year.”

Pompano Beach Men’s Golf Association

The Pompano Beach Men’s Golf Association held a 3-man scramble event on Aug. 28 at the Pines Course.

The team of Jerry DeSapio and Bill Hazlett took top honors with a 66 by using alternating shots. The team of Chuck Brown, Jim DeCicco and Jim Foster was second with a 67, while Len Ackley, Neil Lang and Lance Naiman took third with a match of cards after carding a 68. Gary Gill, Jim Muschany and Gene Stoller finished fourth with a 68.    

The winner of the closest to the pin for hole No. 17 was Lance Naiman.

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