SOUTH PASADENA—South Pasadena High is proving you don’t need to rely on a passing game to contend for a league championship.
Of course, it helps to have the special running back combo of Trey Freking and David Ortega. Freking rushed for a season-high 280 yards and three touchdowns while Ortega added 140 rushing yards and two touchdowns to lead the Tigers to a big 36-27 win over Monrovia in Rio Hondo League action on Thursday night.
South Pasadena (6-2, 3-0) now controls its own destiny to win a second straight league championship. The Tigers can claim the title outright by closing the regular season out with wins over Temple City and La Canada.
Monrovia (6-2, 2-1) meanwhile is in a similar position as it was last season. The Wildcats also lost to South Pasadena last year but closed out the season with a win over San Marino to share the league title with South Pasadena and the Titans. The Wildcats could do something similar this year by finishing the season with wins over La Canada and Pasadena Poly while hoping South Pasadena loses along the way.
Both Freking and Ortega were excited after the win over the Wildcats about their chances to win league.
“I see us going 2-0 in the next two games and hopefully winning league,” Freking said.
“We’re winning league for sure,” Ortega added. “We’ve gotten more and more physical every single week and I think we’re the most physical team in the Rio Hondo League for sure.”
The Tigers physicality allowed them to rush for 425 yards on Monrovia. As for passing—it was basically an afterthought. Tigers quarterback Andrew Nott only threw four passes, completing one for 26 yards. But why pass when your rushing attack is averaging nearly eight yards a carry?
“I’m very proud of the way our offensive line blocked tonight,” said South Pasadena coach Jeff Chi. “We knew it was going to be a battle in the trenches. They had a lot of grit and intensity and toughness to get it done.”
Freking and Ortega both credited the offensive line too.
“We can’t run the ball without them,” Ortega said.
Monrovia coach Jose Casagran left the game impressed with South Pasadena’s offense.
“(Ortega) is a stud,” he said. “I love that kid. I saw him before the game and congratulated him just on the season so far because every single game he stands out on both sides of the ball.”
Freking rushed for 280 yards on 33 carries for an average of 8.5 yards a carry. He was asked if he was tired after the game.
“I actually feel great to be honest,” he said with a big smile. “I’m really happy with this win and energized from that. I’ll do another 30.”
Ortega carried the ball 19 times and averaged more than seven yards a carry.
The game though didn’t start well for the Tigers. They failed to pick up the ball on the game’s opening kickoff which Monrovia’s Nathaniel Rosales recovered at the Tiger 24. On the next play, Monrovia freshman quarterback Jesse Saucedo found Vince Paez in the end zone for a 24-yard touchdown pass and a quick 7-0 lead.
South Pasadena fumbled the ball on its first possession of the game after driving down to the Monrovia 21. The Tigers lost the ball on a handoff exchange. However, Monrovia failed to capitalize when a trick play wide receiver pass thrown by Paez was intercepted by Tatem Mendoza at the Tiger 39.
Freking then finished the subsequent nine-play drive with an 8-yard touchdown run that tied the game at 7 late in the first quarter.
Ortega added an 8-yard touchdown midway through the second quarter to give South Pasadena a 14-7 lead. Monrovia though cut the lead to 14-13 when Joshua Griffiths ran the kickoff back 89 yards for a touchdown. The PAT attempt ended in a failed pass after the snap was mishandled on a kick attempt.
Freking scored on a 23-yard run on the Tigers’ next drive with 5:33 left in the quarter to put South Pasadena up 22-13. He also scored a 2-point conversion run after the touchdown following a Monrovia penalty on the PAT that moved the ball up to the 1.
Monrovia cut the lead to 22-19 on its opening drive of the third quarter when Saucedo found Paez streaking down the middle for a 34-yard touchdown.
The Tigers made it 29-19 with 5:19 left in the third when Ortega ended a seven-play, 70-yard drive with a 35-yard touchdown scamper.
The Tigers made it 36-19 with 3:48 left in the game with Freking’s 14-yard touchdown run. That ended an impressive 14-play, 80-yard drive that ate 9:50 off the clock. All 14 plays were runs.
South Pasadena often ate the clock by waiting to snap the ball as the play clock was winding down. It kept a potent Monrovia offense off the field.
Casagran said he was impressed with his quarterback, Saucedo, especially in the second half. Saucedo finished the game completing 17 of 29 passes for 273 yards and three touchdowns.
Casagran said the Wildcats will regroup.
“Every single game you have to come out and play so you really have no choice,” he said about bouncing back quickly. “We got La Canada next week. We don’t control our own destiny but we still have a chance for a league title. Then, we have playoffs after that so the sun also rises tomorrow.”
