TAKING THE LEAD

Ayala senior Marquis Monroe has become an integral part of a young Bulldogs team

Senior Marquis Monroe rarely comes off the field for the Ayala football team.

Now coach A.J. Gracia is hoping he can find a field for him to play on in college.

“I watch enough college football to know that he can play at that level,” Gracia said.

Ayala’s team was largely inexperienced coming into the season, but Monroe is one of the handful of seniors Gracia has leaned heavily on to lead the team.

Previews of CIF-SS football playoff openers for Inland teams

Ayala (6-4) won the Mountain West League this season and hosts Culver City (7-3) in the first round of the CIF Southern Section Division 4 playoffs tonight.

The Bulldogs lean much more heavily on Monroe this season than they have in the past. He has more yards and touchdowns this season than he had in his sophomore and junior seasons combined.

The 5-foot-8, 165-pound Monroe has rushed for 1,300 yards and 18 touchdowns on 147 carries, while catching 18 passes for 302 yards and three touchdowns this season. At cornerback, he has 39 tackles and two interceptions. Oh, and he returns punts and kickoffs too.

“Who else is going two-way at a high level? That’s definitely the best player in the IE,” his father, Marcus Monroe Sr., said after a 29-26 win over Bonita Oct. 13 a game between the top two teams in the league..

That Bonita game could be something of a revelation for Monroe’s career.

Gracia and Marquis Monroe agree that because of his size, he is unlikely to get an opportunity to play running back at the NCAA Division I level. But a slot receiver could be a good fit.

“We started in practice, moving me around,” Marquis said. “I like the one-on-one matchups and being able to go down the field. I can protect my body more in the slot.”

Gracia said that they started moving Monroe around more because teams were focusing on defending the run when Monroe would line up in the backfield.

WILL LESTER – STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Ayala High School senior Marquis Monroe, 17, has been a standout as both a running back (1,246yards) and defensive back (45tackles).