CHULA VISTA CHULA VISTA — A year ago Kartell Purvis was relegating to watching Domonic Nankill throw the ball for 3,357 yards and 34 touchdowns for Mater Dei Catholic.
Nankill can now be found tossing it around up at USD; making it Purvis’ time for the Crusaders.
The junior completed 13-of-21 es for 273 yards and four TDs Friday night to lead the Crusaders to an impressive 42-3 non-league victory over visiting Montgomery on Senior Night at Mater Dei.
“He’s making a great name for himself,” Mater Dei Catholic head coach John Joyner said of Purvis. “He’s as gifted as anyone I’ve had here. He’s got the tools and he’s gifted with a high football IQ.”
By halftime, Purvis had already thrown for 211 yards and a pair of scores to lead the Crusaders to a 28-0 lead.
His 45-yard to senior Isaiah Buxton on the third play of the game set up the first Crusaders score when Anthony McMillian Jr. took it in two plays later from the 2.
Purvis then started spreading things out among his talented receiving corps.
With 24 seconds left in the first quarter he connected with senior Johnny Scott for a 12-yard score over the middle.
In the second quarter Mater Dei Catholic (3-3) added a 4-yard TD run by senior Jordan Jackson, then Purvis found a wide-open Matthew Carr for an 18-yard TD.
“I just want to show how all my hard work is paying off,” said Purvis, who did manage to find time last year to complete 24-of-40 es for 382 yards and 4 TDs as a sophomore. “Tonight I wanted to execute and get my seniors the chance to be athletes.”
Defensively the Crusaders held the Aztecs to just 11 yards total offensive yards in the first half, 79 for the game.
In the second half Purvis came out and threw two more third quarter TDs.
First he found Josiah Jefferson, brother of former Eastlake and NFL star Tony Jefferson, for an 8-yard TD with 5:24 left in the quarter.
He followed it up with a 9-yard strike to junior Isaiah Cook for the Crusaders’ final score with 20 seconds left in the quarter, forcing the game into a running clock
Montgomery (3-4) finally got on the scoreboard in the fourth quarter as Dalaias Garcia was good on a 26-yard field goal to avoid the shutout.
The Crusaders open Metro Mesa League action next week, taking on Bonita Vista at Southwestern College. They then host Eastlake before ending the season at Otay Ranch.
While this game was rather one-sided in favor of the Crusaders, Montgomery displayed the grit the Aztecs have been known for under Freddy Dunkle and his band of fellow SDSU alumni coaches. They came into the season with a 33-15 record under Dunkle and 14-2 over those five years in league play.
“They don’t quit,” said Dunkle of his team.”Tonight our quarterback (Andie Deanda) went down with a head-to-head late hit, but we kept playing. It’s next guy up; no moral victories.”
The Aztecs will be looking to repeat as Metro South Bay champs when they go to Sweetwater next week before ending the season at home against Hilltop and Olympian.
Buxton led all receivers on the night with four receptions for 156 yards. McMillian led all rushers, powering for 113 yards on just nine carries.
Mater Dei Catholic 42, Montgomery 3
Montgomery 0 0 0 3 — 3
Mater Dei Catholic 14 14 14 0 — 42
MD – McMillian 2 run (Osuna kick)
MD – Scott 12 from Purvis (Osuna kick)
MD – Jackson 4 run (Osuna kick)
MD — Carr 18 from Purvis (Osuna kick)
MD — Jefferson 8 from Purvis (Osuna kick)
MD — Cook 9 from Purvis (Osuna kick)
M — FG Garcia 26
