Story by Gavin Bartolome & Owen Hou
Staff Writers
Photos by Emiko Essmiller
Photography Editor
South Pasadena faced off against Crescenta Valley on Friday, Sept. 6, and the teams clashed over who could get the first foothold against the other. After a series of rapid, jaw-dropping plays, the Tigers managed to get just the distance needed to win the game with a final score of 29-23. Senior wide receiver Cameron Park stated post-game how “We just wanted the game. We executed on offense, we executed on defense, we kept on driving, we kept on pushing with better conditioning.”
Two things were noticeable at the start of the game: the competitive spirit burning in the air, and the 90-degree heat itself. The Tigers received the kickoff from the Falcons, making immediate headway as sophomore quarterback Andrew Nott passed to senior tight end James Dowd, gaining 12 yards. As the quarter progressed, the Tigers continued to get closer to the touchdown line until junior running back Trey Freking ran the ball to score the first touchdown of the game.
After making the one-point conversion, the Tigers kicked off to the Falcons, who received at the 32-yard line. The Tigers continued to defend, but slowly the Falcons advanced, ending up at the 25-yard line.
At the start of the second quarter, the Tigers were up 7-0 and hoped to maintain the distance. With the Falcons getting dangerously close to the endzone, the Tigers had to bolster their defense. The time for action came when the Falcons left a hole in their offensive line, allowing senior running back David Ortega to rush in and sack the Falcons’ quarterback in a turn of events.
Coming back into the game, sophomore kicker Lorcan Swift proceeded to intercept the ball from Falcons just yards away from the endzone and rush it down to the 33-yard line in a play that left the field encompassed in excited fans lining the stands. However, despite the major turnover, the Tigers were pushed back due to offensive penalty flags and sacked into a safety, which gave the Falcons their first points and brought the score 7-2.
Brought down by the turn of events on their interception, the Tigers’ defense suffered and the Falcons were able to slip into the endzone after sprinting down the sideline and making a successful one-point conversion, which left the Tigers trailing behind 7-9.
Hoping to recover, the Tigers made the most of their possession. A successful pass to Dowd put the ball at the 40-yard line as Dowd shrugged off the Falcons’ weak defense, progressing the Tigers by a massive 55 yards. The Falcons proceeded to call a timeout in hopes of regaining control of the situation, but this only allowed the Tigers to strengthen their offense with Ortega steamrolling the Falcons’ defense. This provided the perfect opportunity for Nott to make a successful pass to Dowd, along with a one-point conversion to regain the lead 14-9. However, still in the game, the Falcons managed to regain the lead with a deep pass added on by a one-point conversion to bring the score to 14-16.
The third began explosively, as the Tigers kicked off to the Falcons, who received at the 38-yard line. The Falcons were soon put in a dire position, however, as Ortega sacked their quarterback, gaining the Tigers possession of the ball.
With the end zone in sight, Freking charged through the defense to pull the Tigers ahead 20-16. Pulling themselves together after their misplay, the Falcons received the kickoff but failed to gain significant yardage.
This left the Tigers at the 40-yard line, but they soon advanced to the 35 after a penalty was called on the Falcons. Taking advantage of his position, senior wide receiver David Eisenberg breezed past the defense and into the endzone. Building upon this success, Tigers also secured a two point conversion, widening the gap to 29-16.
With a new opportunity to seize victory, the Tigers entered the field with a fiery ambition to freeze the Falcons in their tracks. Ortega carried the offense once again as the Tigers passed through the Falcons’ defense into the endzone, but South Pasadena was denied a touchdown due to holding and unsportsmanlike conduct on the team’s part. Brought down by the outcome of such a great play, Ortega fumbled the ball, allowing the Falcons to recover it. Crescenta Valley’s momentum carried on as they scored a touchdown and a successful one-point conversion to bring themselves a mere touchdown away from regaining the lead, 29-23.
Tensions were high and the air was stagnant; the Tigers’ defense had to shine in the game’s last moments for any hope of victory. To start, the Tigers called a timeout in hopes of regaining control before they received the ball in an onside kick at the 38-yard line. With only 3:30 left of the game, the Tigers’ strategy was to keep the clock running in a series of run plays. In the end, Ortega carried the Tigers to victory in a stunning play full of grit as he collided head-on with the Falcons’ defense, yet got the team just inches over the downline on the third and two. With only 1:44 left, the Tigers ran the clock down and seized victory against the Crescenta Valley Falcons in a stunning victory with the score at 29-23.
Overall the game was in constant suspense with grit being the determining factor for whoever won. According to Head Coach Jeff Chi, “[Football is] going to go back and forth. It’s tough mentally and physically right? We showed a little toughness tonight coming out with a win today.”
In the end, the Tigers played stronger and maintained their momentum in an impressive display of skill and might. They will next play Golden Valley on Friday, Sept. 13 at 7 p.m. at home.
