The long wait to watch Monrovia High School junior quarterback Noah Rodriguez was worth it.
There was a lot of buzz about Rodriguez after he transferred from Alhambra to Monrovia, especially after a sensational sophomore season with the Moors that saw him pass for 2,676 yards and 34 touchdowns.
So, what would he do for a Monrovia team that was already good and the defending Rio Hondo League champion?
He threw his first pass of the game for a touchdown and never looked back, leading Monrovia to a season-opening 42-14 victory over Northview at Covina District Field on Friday night in the first game for both teams during the coronavirus-shortened spring season that will last for another month.
Yes, Monrovia’s defense was super all night, hounding Vikings young sophomore quarterback James Arellanes until he finally bit them late with a 60-yard TD pass, and holding the Vikings to just two scores, but Rodriguez stole the headlines, accounting for all six of the Wildcats touchdowns.
Monrovia QB Noah Rodriguez after throwing for 242 yards and four TDs and rushing for two more in 42-14 victory over Northview pic.twitter.com/o0jWFpKSbj
— Fred J. Robledo 👨🏻💻 (@SGVNSports) March 20, 2021
“I transferred last year in January, and I was excited to play and then covid hit,” Rodriguez said. “We kept practicing every day, kept working, kept running and it was all for today.
“I knew it was going to be pretty intense tonight. I was hungry, I was waiting and excited to be out there.”
Rodriguez threw for 242 yards and four touchdowns, and also ran for two touchdowns and 73 yards. Receivers Kai Taylor and Carlos Hernandez caught two touchdowns apiece.
“Noah came as advertised that he was a good player,” Monrovia coach Chris Williams said. “But ever since he’s gotten here he’s put in the work. I told him, you need to let people know that you really are worth the hype and he studied all week, he knew what was going to happen and came out and executed and had a great game.”
Monrovia coach Chris Williams after 42-14 win over Northview pic.twitter.com/UiJwyCpwrC
— Fred J. Robledo 👨🏻💻 (@SGVNSports) March 20, 2021
On the first play of the game, Rodriguez hit Taylor down the left sidelines for a 67-yard touchdown and 7-0 lead.
After the Vikings defense did a good job with an interception and forcing Rodriguez to miss his next eight passes, Rodriguez wouldn’t be slowed, coming up huge on fourth-and-10, hitting Taylor again for a 30 yard score and 13-0 lead.
On fourth and long, Monrovia QB Noah Rodriguez hooked up again with Kai Taylor for a 30 yard touchdown and 13-0 lead pic.twitter.com/59Uv6y69Rq
— Fred J. Robledo 👨🏻💻 (@SGVNSports) March 20, 2021
Northview’s Cheo Medina answered right back with 10 and 12-yard runs that set up his 52-yard touchdown run that cut Monrovia’s lead to 13-7 on the final play of the first quarter. Medina finished with 92 yards.
But Rodriguez’s arms and legs extended the lead again.
Rodriguez connected with Carlos Hernandez for a 59-yard scoring strike with 6:21 left until half, and after the Wildcats came up with an interception with under two minutes left, Rodriguez made the Vikings pay.
Just when it looked like Rodriguez might throw his fourth touchdown of the half, he tucked and ran it for a 20-yard score up the right side to push the Wildcats lead to 27-7, and they took that lead into half.
Noah Rodriguez didn’t throw his fourth TD of the half, he ran it 20 yards for a TD instead, 27-7 Monrovia. pic.twitter.com/qRFs5Yx7Jk
— Fred J. Robledo 👨🏻💻 (@SGVNSports) March 20, 2021
After the Wildcats added a safety in the third quarter, Rodriguez finally did get his fourth TD pass, hooking up with Hernandez again on a 20-yard pass in the right corner to open the fourth quarter.
For good measure, Rodriguez closed the game with a 27-yard TD run.
Noah Rodriguez’s fourth touchdown pass goes to Carlos Hernandez for a 20 yard score, Wildcats lead 36-7 pic.twitter.com/JsiKLC6WSc
— Fred J. Robledo 👨🏻💻 (@SGVNSports) March 20, 2021
