Since they started playing in 1955, the annual football game between San Marino High School and South Pasadena has been a big rivalry. The winner gets bragging rights, possession of the Crowley Cup and, this year, a win in their Rio Hondo League opener as well.
In a grind-it-out contest, San Marino took a giant step in its quest for a Rio Hondo League championship as the Titans’ defense held the host Tigers in check for a 10-7 win at South Pasadena’s Ray Solari Stadium last Friday night.
“This is amazing, [winning] back-to-back now after losing for the first time in 10 years a couple years ago,” Titans senior Nathan Yarahmadi said. “This feels great doing it on the road — giving them their first loss. This is how we start league and this is how we are going through league. We are going hard and heavy on every team.”
With a 3-0 lead at halftime, San Marino (5-1 overall, 1-0 in league) had the ball to begin the third quarter. However, the drive was halted near midfield when Tiger defender Luke Riffle intercepted a pass from Titan quarterback Brady Beck by the right sideline.
“We didn’t do what we wanted to do offensively, but we got it done enough to come out here and take care of business,” San Marino coach Nate Turner said.
South Pasadena (5-1, 0-1) then drove 48 yards in six plays, all runs, to hit paydirt and take the lead. It started with an 18-yard rush by David Eisenberg and was capped off with a 1-yard touchdown run by Jason Hong. The PAT kick by Sawyer Fox gave the hosts their first lead, 7-3, with 5:50 left in the third.
San Marino came right back with a 77-yard touchdown drive that spanned into the fourth quarter. Along the way, the Titans converted two fourth downs. The first, at their own 42 yard line while needing 3 yards, was a 7-yard reception by Sid Danenhauser.
The second, at the Tigers’ 43 yard line while needing 1 yard, came on a 2-yard run by Morning. The drive concluded with an 11-yard touchdown run by Julian Solis on an inside zone play. Nick Acuna’s PAT kick gave the Titans a 10-7 lead with 10:27 to go.
“I saw green and was like, ‘Hey, let’s just run,’” said Solis, who finished with seven carries for 20 yards.
The ensuing Tiger drive started at their 18-yard line and the hosts moved the ball down the field, eventually facing a fourth down and 1 yard to go at the Titans’ 38. The Tigers handed the ball to Hong, but the Titan defense converged on the senior standout in the backfield for a 1-yard loss that gave San Marino the ball back with 4:42 to go in the contest.
“The play [happened] before we had a false start, and we can’t be having that, but we bounced back and really pinched him there,” Yarahmadi said.
The ensuing San Marino drive made it past midfield, but Riffle this time picked off a pass by Morning over the middle with 1:57 to go.
However, on the next snap, Morning intercepted a pass from Tiger quarterback Zachary Lee.
From there the Titans needed one first down to run out the clock, which they got on a 9-yard run by Morning. After that, the Titans knelt down until the clock reached zero to retain the Crowley Cup on the Tigers’ home field.
“Two years ago, we actually were here and lost on a last-minute score,” Morning said. “So I was thinking about that, and during this game, I just wanted it back. I just wanted that trophy back at our home. I’m going to remember this for the rest of my life. It’s monumental.”
San Marino’s first drive of the game lasted 12 plays and took 7:39 off the clock. It featured catches by JJ Wilson of 26 and 16 yards and ended in points when Acuna booted a successful 41-yard field goal.
The next Tiger drive ended when Danenhauer intercepted a pass from Lee, but San Marino ended up punting the ball back. After that, it was the hosts’ turn to mount a prolonged drive.
It lasted 17 plays, including 10 runs by Hong, and took 9:07 off the clock only to end without points when a 23-yard field goal attempt was missed.
Morning finished 3 of 6 passing for 47 yards and one interception for the Titans. The senior also ran the ball 13 times for 63 yards and caught a pass for 10 yards.
Beck finished 12 of 18 for 93 yards and one interception. Danenhauer had four catches for 33 yards, and Mikey Yessaian had four receptions for 23 yards. Wilson made two catches for 42 yards, while Solis had two for eight. Nick Escamilla had two receptions for 5 yards and Chris Parwar one for 19.
“I thought [San Marino] came out a little bit tougher than our guys,” South Pasadena coach Jeff Chi said. “They came out to hit and our guys should have responded, but for some reason I think they were distracted by whatever was happening today and didn’t come out to play as well as we should have.”
First published in the Oct. 5 issue of the San Marino Tribune
