Tigers Face La Cañada in Football Season Finale

South Pasadena High travels to La Cañada Friday night looking to end 1-7 losing skid against Spartans

PHOTO: Bill Glazier | SouthPasadenan.com | Despite the loss, South Pasadena High players raised their helmets in unison following the 52-7 non-league loss to Arroyo on Friday.

South Pasadena High football fans are getting a twofer this week.

In a season that started fairly strong but has quickly deteriorated, not going the way they envisioned, the least the Tigers can give supporters is a weekly special.

Why not two contests within five days?

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One game a week is the usual dose during a football campaign, but thanks to Mother Nature followers of South Pasadena gridiron action can bank on two this week, counting the one that started last Friday night and finally concluded late Monday afternoon, and this Friday’s encounter on the road starting at 7 p.m. against La Cañada.

On Monday, visiting Temple City and the Tigers finished off what it had started a week ago. When lightning began to strike in the south end of Roosevelt Field, game officials immediately put last Friday night’s game between the two teams on hold, sending both clubs to the locker room for the safety of the players. The Rams led 7-0 at the time and it wasn’t long after when the game was called off and postponed until Monday afternoon. When the contest resumed, picking up where it left off, Temple City scored twice more in the second quarter and went on to win 21-7. The Tigers scored their only points on a 12-yard run by Ivan Estrada with 33 seconds left in the fourth period.

The loss was South Pasadena’s sixth straight in a 2-7 season, which includes three losses in Rio Hondo League action. For South Pasadena, it was nice just to put points on the board as the Tigers had been shutout in their three previous games coming into the Temple City contest and had last scored on September 21 in a 29-14 loss to Alhambra.

Monday’s game marked the first road win for Temple City, which is now 3-4 overall, 1-1 in league play.

Next up for the Tigers is La Cañada, which has faced its own struggles through a 1-7 season, recording its lone victory against New Design Watts back on September 14.

“They’re having problems just like us, but it should be a good game between two teams looking for a win,” said Chi.

Following the loss against Temple City, the Tigers’ coach encouraged his players to “keep at it,” as he talked to his team moments after the game on Monday. “You have to believe in yourself. Let’s go out on a bang against La Canada. Give us everything you’ve got.”

The Tigers coach liked the way his team battled against the Rams, playing with a lot of heart and fight. “Our kids are gutsy,” Chi said as his squad left for the locker room following the loss. “I like how we ran the ball and kept pounding it at them.”

Tiger senior running back Logan Svihovec-McCarty did a bulk of the work, grinding his way for 96 yards on 22 carries. His longest gain was 10 yards.

“At the end of the day, I’m proud of their effort and the fight that they have,” Chi said of his team. “Even though they’ve gone up against some tougher opponents, not once have they given up. I’m proud of that.”

PHOTO: Esteban Lopez | SouthPasadenan.com |