By Pete Borello

After blowing a chance to clinch the SCVAL El Camino Division title the prior week, the Mountain View High football team wasn’t about to repeat this dubious feat in its regular-season finale.

The host Spartans seized control of Friday’s game with a touchdown on their opening drive and never relinquished the lead in what resulted in a 33-13 rout of Monta Vista.

“We really wanted to win this one after what happened last week,” said running back Trevor Hooper, referring to a 27-26 home loss to a Homestead team that rallied from a 13-point deficit in the final four minutes. “We wanted to come out and play 100 percent on every play.”

Hooper set the tone on the Spartans’ initial drive with a nifty 25-yard scoring run. Weaving his way through the heart of the Matadors defense, he brushed off an attempted arm tackle before crossing the goal line.

Hooper finished with 123 yards and two touchdowns on 22 carries. Backfield mate J.D. Nelson gained 126 yards on 20 attempts and made two bone-jarring hits as a defensive back.

“We have two great running backs,” Mountain View coach Dan Navarro said of his two seniors, who have both surpassed 1,100 yards rushing. “And when you have good running backs, you usually win.”

Quarterback Sean Manson had another solid outing, completing 7-of-11 passes for 104 yards and two touchdowns. The junior also scored on a 1-yard keeper late in the opening half that gave Mountain View (5-1, 8-2) a 19-0 advantage.

His best throw may have come on a 35-yard strike to Ryan Wilcox in the closing seconds of the third quarter. Manson led his receiver perfectly, with Wilcox snagging the ball in stride down the left sideline and racing in for the touchdown. Hal Ellison’s extra point gave the Spartans their biggest lead at 20-6.

Undersized Monta Vista (2-4, 3-7) crept within 26-13 just seconds later when Jason Martinez returned the kickoff 95 yards.

Monta Vista’s ensuing on-side kick failed, with Mountain View recovering at midfield. Six plays later Hooper was back in the end zone, slicing almost untouched through the defense on a 4-yard run.

For the game, the Spartans gained 336 net yards and averaged nearly six yards per offensive play.

The Mountain View defense held the Matadors to only 168 yards and registered two sacks.

Midway through the third quarter, the defense denied Monta Vista from scoring on a drive that started at Mountain View’s 19-yard line.

“Our defense stepped up when we needed it to,” said Navarro, who was doused with a bucket of water as part of his team’s post-game celebration.

The victory earned Mountain View its first league title since 1995 and first Central Coast Section playoff appearance since 1997. The Spartans, seeded third in Division IV, host No. 6 Pioneer (5-5) at 7 p.m., Friday, at Foothill College.

“This is great for the kids and I’m really happy for them,” Navarro said. “We’re not an athletic powerhouse, but we’ve got a good group of kids who play hard and give it all they’ve got.”