Varsity Football Falls Short of Win Against South Pasadena Tigers

ANHAYTE GUAJARDO
Staff Writer

The last preseason varsity football game was on Sept. 21 against South Pasadena High School. Prior to the game, the team was in an optimistic mood. They were eager to show how hard they have been working every day during practice.

The game ended with the Moors losing 10-24.

“We’ve kept the intensity during practice high, and during lunch we watch film[s] of our opponents to dissect their schemes,” senior captain Christian Caraveo said.

The game began positively for the Moors, who won the coin toss and kicked off. However, it followed with the Tigers scoring their first touchdown and field goal. The first quarter ended with South Pasadena leading 7-0.

At the start of the second quarter, the Tigers received the ball; it was thirty seconds into the quarter when South Pasadena scored another touchdown and field goal. It was followed by an additional three-point field goal. With time running out, free safety Sebastian Espinoza intercepted the ball and gained eighty-six yards until he was stopped at the four-yard line. This set up the Moors’ first touchdown by running back Ezra Broadus and the one-point field goal kick by free safety Jesse Campos. With only six seconds left on the clock, the second quarter ended with South Pasadena leading 17-7.

“The ending touchdown [of the second quarter] gave momentum [and] it will hopefully help them to continue to play well and score more points,” Athletic Director Gerald DeSantis said.

In the beginning of the third quarter, Alhambra had possession of the ball. With an attempt at another touchdown, there were only twenty yards left and on their fourth down, the team decided on a three-point field goal kick by free safety Jesse Campos. By the fourth quarter, Pasadena completed another touchdown.

In the last twelve minutes of the game, both teams were unable to score. The game ended 24-10, in favor of South Pasadena.

“I think the boys did pretty well [and] with a couple of breaks, we could have had them. We were up against a good team,” Principal Brad Walsh said.

The team’s preseason record ended 2-3. Despite losing, the Moors were able to make valuable plays during the game, such as good passes and tackling.

“I thought we stopped what [South Pasadena] wanted to do most, which was run the ball. We stopped a lot of their plays. They just did better than we expected,” Head Coach Joseph Kanach said.