First published in the Oct. 14 print issue of the San Marino Tribune.
Performing with aplomb and enthusiasm on both sides of the line of scrimmage, San Marino High School’s varsity football team brushed aside unpleasant memories of last week’s league-opening loss to Pasadena Polytechnic and throttled visiting Temple City, 52-0, to wrap up the SMHS Homecoming festivities.
The Titans scored touchdowns on all eight of their possessions, racked up 22 first downs and rarely allowed the Rams to cross midfield in improving to 3-3 overall and 1-1 in the Rio Hondo League.
Credit Temple City for pure grit, if nothing else. Like the overwhelming majority of high schools in the nation, the school shelved the football program during its traditional time slot last fall. But Temple City eschewed the alternate season that took place in March and April. It’s been difficult enough for teams which played in the spring, but the Rams are returning to the sport following a two-year absence. True to their legacy, they played a hard-nosed four quarters of football.
So did the Titans, who performed markedly better. San Marino set a standard on Temple City’s opening possession when the Titans held on fourth down and a yard as Nathan Yarahmadi, Andrew Hornberger and Jay Bell converged on running back Jacob Douglas to hold him short of the marker.
San Marino took over at the Rams 44-yard line and went to work immediately. Employing a balanced offense that alternated between the pass and the run, San Marino steadily moved downfield. Eight plays later, the Titans were in the end zone, courtesy of sophomore fullback Ryder Yoshitake, who plowed in from the one-yard line. After an unsuccessful conversion attempt, San Marino held a 6-0 lead, an advantage they would never relinquish.
The Titans’ stout defense forced Temple City into the first of many punts and, in short order, senior quarterback Niko Mavridis connected with classmate Michael Prappas for a 31-yard catch-and-carry to make it 13-0 after freshman placekicker Toby Pedroza converted on the extra point.
The Rams moved the ball on their next possession until SMHS sophomore Nick Escamilla picked off a pass from Jake Jones at San Marino’s own 23-yard line to end the first quarter. But the Titans had just as much success moving the ball west to east and Mavridis capped an 11-play drive when he lofted a three-yard scoring pass to Hornberger to make the score 19-0.
Sophomore Ryan Park took a turn in the spotlight when he stepped in front of a Temple City pass and tight roped the sideline at San Marino’s own 24-yard line. On the third play of the drive, Mavridis tossed a short pass to Prappas, who sprinted 55 yards to paydirt and a 25-0 lead after the Rams blocked the extra-point attempt.
On its next possession, Temple City went for it on 4th down and long and Yoshitake was again the man of the moment, intercepting a pass and returning the ball to Temple City’s 47-yard line and drawing the curtain on the first half.
San Marino got the ball to begin the third quarter and immediately went to work. Mavridis connected with Hornberger for a 15-yard scoring pass and Pedroza’s extra point made the score 32-0.
Coleman Morning, another sophomore, intercepted yet another pass for the Titans. Substituting for Mavridis, junior Riley Short connected with Morning for a 25-yard gain. Yoshitake scored on a three-yard plunge and Pedroza’s conversion made the score 39-0.
After the Titans forced a punt, junior tailback Trevor Anton rambled 44 yards to the Rams’ 15-yard line. A nine-yard touchdown run by Anton was nullified by a penalty but San Marino wasn’t deterred as Short found Escamilla for 25 yards and a touchdown to make the score 45-0.
Short hooked up with Jayden Hollomand the next time San Marino had the ball for a 22-yard gain and freshman Julian Solis scored on a seven-yard run. Pedroza capped the scoring with the extra point for a 52-0 decision.
Mavridis was a perfect nine-of-nine passing for 155 yards and three touchdowns. Short was solid, completing three of his five passes for 51 yards and a score.
Prappas led the receiving corps with three catches for 99 yards and two touchdowns. Sophomore Mikey Yessaian caught three passes for 33 yards and Hornberger also made three catches for 23 yards and a score. Morning (26 yards), Escamilla (25 yards and a score) and Park (one catch for 22 yards) represented the sophomore class well.
On the ground, Anton led all rushers with 11 carries for 89 yards, Yoshitake had seven carries for 23 yards and the two scores, Mavridis recorded six carries for 64 yards, Morning had two carries for 26 yards, Park carried once for 14 yards and Solis toted the rock five times for 30 yards and the touchdown.
All told, San Marino scored touchdowns on each of its eight possessions and racked up 22 first downs.
For its part, San Marino’s defense was sharp as well. Yarahmadi led the way with eight tackles, followed by Prappas (six), Guy Giardina (five) and Jay Bell, Kevin Wong, Jay Bell, Yoshitake and Morning, who recorded four tackles apiece. Sophomore Clement Truong and freshman Solis checked in with three tackles apiece while Park, Escamilla, Yoshitake and Morning each had an interception.
“We played really, really well,” said head coach Ray Torres. “It was a very good game for us. We had the mentality and the focus on Friday night. This team always plays hard but there was another level there. We were really locked in and ready to play. Assignment-wise, everybody was locked into what was going on. We had a lot of guys miss practice the week before the game so it was even more of a surprise. It was awesome to play a game like that. It was good to play the way we practiced.”
Torres singled out Prappas for his efforts on offense and defense.
“Michael is playing at another level,” Torres said. “He flies around so much and makes plays on both sides of the line of scrimmage. He has a mental toughness and he won’t stop.”
Torres also praised Mavridis, senior Brendan Long (“He always plays hard”), Escamilla, Park, Morning and Hornberger.
“They were focused and ready to go,” Torres said. “It was good to see.”
DIFFERENT BREED OF CAT
Torres hopes to see a lot more of the same when Monrovia comes calling tomorrow night at 7 p.m. The visiting Wildcats have won the Rio Hondo League ever since former San Marino coach Mike Hobbie left town and are seemingly on their way to another title. Monrovia is 7-0 overall and 2-0 in the Rio Hondo League. The two squads’ only common opponent being Pasadena Polytechnic, which defeated San Marino 27-19 but came up on the short end of a 42-13 decision against the Wildcats.
“We have to be disciplined and sound,” said Torres. “We need to make sure we tackle well. Monrovia loves to throw the ball. They feel like they are better than whoever they are facing and we have to watch the deep throws, contest every pass and tackle well. Those are the three keys.”
To pull off the upset, Torres said San Marino has to control the clock.
“We need to win the time-of-possession battle,” he said. “If we can do that, we will be OK. I think it’s going to be a good, close game. But they put up a lot of points and they are fast-paced. Defensively, they are fast and they fly to the ball. It’s going to be tough.”
