There’s no question who reigns supreme – they’ve done it again.
South Pasadena High wrapped up its regular season in a big way Friday night, handing host Temple City a 48-6 setback to secure its second consecutive Rio Hondo League football championship.
The victory capped off a remarkable turnaround for the Tigers, who rebounded from a rocky 2-4 non-league start to finish league play unbeaten, going 4-0.
With the win, South Pasadena improved to 6-4 overall and now awaits word on its CIF-Southern Section first round opponent, which will be announced in early November.
Temple City, meanwhile, fell to 3-6 overall, 0-3 in league and closes out its season next week against Monrovia.
South Pasadena had already clinched the league crown on October 17 with a 30-22 triumph over rival San Marino, but Friday’s victory allowed the Tigers to seal the deal and claim it outright.
South Pasadena coach Jeff Chi made it clear – that distinction mattered.
“It feels great to win the league title outright,” he said. “I’m very proud of the team, overcoming some setbacks during preseason and kept their head up high and kept working, to reach their goal.”
Even had South Pasadena stumbled and lost to Temple City, it would have held the tiebreaker thanks to head-to-head wins over both La Cañada and San Marino, their closest pursuers, who can finish no higher than 3-1.
Chi is pleased there will be no need for tiebreakers this year. The Tigers stand alone atop the Rio Hondo League after their dominating victory over the Rams.
As his team celebrated, Chi’s message to his team resonated, the coach letting them know he and his coaches appreciated their dedication, commitment, and perseverance to play at a top level during the league campaign.
“I told them how proud we are as a staff, and happy for their success in the league,” Chi said. “They worked hard and deserve their league title.”
South Pasadena put this one away early, scoring 14 points in the first quarter against the Rams and 21 more in the second to build a commanding 35-0 first half lead. The Tigers closed it out by scoring 13 in the third period while holding Temple City to a late score in the quarter. There were no points put on the board by either team in the fourth.
Tight end Grayson Ebner hauled in a 43-yard touchdown catch from quarterback Andrew Nott at the midway point of the first period to get the scoring underway.
Ebner, a two-way player, now playing defensive end, later picked off a Temple City pass at the two minute mark and ran it in from 45 yards out for a pick-6 to end the first quarter scoring.
With eight minutes to go in the second quarter, Tigers standout running back Trey Freking scored from the six, increasing South Pasadena’s advantage to 21-0.
Six minutes later Evan Hyun went five yards on the ground for a TD to make it 28-0. Just before the break, Lorcan Swift caught a 14-yard scoring pass from Cody Robinson for the 35-point cushion.
The Tigers went up 41-0 near the end of the third quarter on a 42-yard scoring pass to Tstem Mendoza. Not long after, South Pasadena was back in the end zone when James Scott had a pick- six, running the interception back 24 yards, South Pasadena well in front, 48-0. The PAT was missed.
Temple City’s only points came in the third quarter on a 5-yard run by Kenny Cai. The 2-point conversion failed.
As a a result of the Tigers taking complete control in the first half, a running clock – no time outs – was agreed upon by both head coaches, speeding up the game significantly over the final two quarters.
“We tried to be balanced – running and passing – and wanted to keep them guessing on defense,” Chi said, talking about South Pasadena’s game plan. “Defensively, we did a good job of controlling the line of scrimmage and making solid tackles.”
The Tigers have certainly made their case that they are one of the better teams in the San Gabriel Valley.
This year’s success comes on the heels of a memorable 2024 campaign when South Pasadena went 10-4, captured its first league title in 45 years and advanced to the CIF semifinals.
While the 2025 squad has taken a different path to reach success, the team’s resilience, illustrated by a late season surge have given the Tigers hope to make another deep playoff run.
For now, the Tigers can enjoy a second straight league championship as they prepare for the postseason knowing they are the best – again!
No doubt, no debate, they’re still the team to beat, silencing all skeptics and nonbelievers.
