By Mitch Lehman
San Marino claimed a key non-league victory, spoiled the Homecoming celebration for a traditional local football power and earned a rare Friday off with a 63-19 victory over California High School on Thursday evening.
The Titans’ defense clamped down on the Condors’ varied air and ground attack, surrendering just nineteen points while ringing up the scoreboard with 63 of their own – twenty-eight in a frenzied second quarter that led to a 35-12 halftime advantage, damaging, if not breaking California’s resolve as the clock ran out.
“We played a very good game,” said head Coach Mike Hobbie. “This was a true team victory as both the offense and defense were operating at a high level. We still have some things to fix, but all in all it was a good effort.”
Quarterback Carson Glazier completed 16 of 25 passes for 462 yards and six touchdowns to pace the Titans. J.P. Shohfi caught thirteen of them for an even 300 yards and four touchdowns while fellow wide receiver Aiden Santino pulled in seven for 146 yards and two touchdowns.
The ground game was noting to sneeze at. Junior Michael Chan kept the Condor defense on its heels with 101 yards on fifteen carries with two touchdowns. A California defensive player is probably searching the turf at Dick Torres Memorial Stadium for a piece of protective equipment after falling prey to one of Chan’s jukes as he headed towards the goal line.
Seniors Mark Wicke (10 tackles), Chaz Davis (7) and Jackson Diaz (6) led the way on defense for San Marino, who improved to 4-0.
It was still a ballgame with San Marino leading 21-12 and five minutes remaining in the second quarter. After a huge defensive stand, the Titans got the ball back and embarked on a six play, 58-yard drive that culminated with a 23-yard pass from Glazier to Santino to make it 28-12 Titans. Again, San Marino’s defense held and Hobbie stopped the clock with just twenty-eight seconds left and the Titans scrimmaging from their own thirty-two yard line. A 32-yard connection with Santino and a 27-yard touchdown pass to Shohfi followed – the latter on the final play of the second quarter – provided a 35-12 lead that turned out to be insurmountable.
The Condors defeated the Titans 38-35 in 2014. This year’s game was played under a running clock for the entire fourth quarter.
Patrick Crowley made all nine of his extra points and now leads the nation with thirty seven successful conversions.
Please see next Friday’s edition of The Tribune for a full story.
