The Tigers struggled against a relentless heatwave and a new opponent, losing to the Utah team, Maple Mountain, in the end.
Story by Gavin Bartolome
Staff Writer
Photo by Mac Shropshire
Photography Editor
On Friday, Aug. 28, the Tigers met their first out-of-state opponent, the Maple Mountain Golden Eagles who came from Utah. After taking the lead in the first quarter, the Tigers struggled offensively while their defense slowly wore down until the Golden Eagles took the win with a final score of 36-14.
“I believe that this game will help our team to get better by learning from our mistakes and success,” head coach Jeff Chi said. “Our ultimate goal for our pre-season games is to prepare ourselves for the new [Boulder] League and the playoffs.”
The Tigers kicked off the game strong, riding on the encouragement from packed stands which they so desperately needed to battle temperatures in the high 80s. After just two minutes, junior running back Thomas Johnson returned a 90-yard kick for a touchdown. Plus the one-point conversion by senior kicker Jackai Williams, the Tigers boldly led 7-0 which lasted until the end of the first quarter.
However, by halftime the score told a very different story. The Golden Eagles struck deep into the second quarter, traveling 45 yards for a rushing touchdown and a one-point conversion that tied the game 7-7. While the Tigers had some notable plays like senior defensive back Lorenzo Jones’ interception, they failed to gain traction, slowing down as time passed instead. The second quarter’s end saw South Pasadena trailing 14-7.
Suffocated by the heat, the Tigers trudged back onto the field looking no better rested while the Golden Eagles continued to lay it on them. Midway through the fourth quarter, the score had escalated to 36-7; in comparison, the crowd’s energy had shrunk drastically. Despite this, the Tigers restored some of their standing, as senior running back Evan Hyun broke past the Golden Eagles’ defense, traveling 25 yards to score the last touchdown of the game marking a final score of 36-14.
“I know that we’ll work hard and will see a huge improvement going forward,” Chi said.
With a shattering loss, the Tigers are set to make a new beginning in the Boulder League starting with a balanced overall record of 1-1. The Tigers’ next game is on Friday, Sept. 4 at 7 p.m. against the San Gabriel Matadors at home.
