It wasn’t long ago that South Pasadena High’s football team seemed untouchable.
The 2024 campaign was almost magical as the Tigers rolled to a 10-3 mark, captured the Rio Hondo League championship for the first time in 45 years, and made a spirted run in the CIF-Southern Section playoffs.
Up to this point, this season has been more of a grind.
On Friday night at Crescenta Valley, South Pasadena lost for the second time in three games, falling on the road to the Falcons 42-21 in a troubling setback, dropping the Tigers o 1-2 on the young season.
The defeat comes just two weeks removed from an opening-season 62-34 loss to El Segundo and what appeared to be a breakout 55-16 victory at Arcadia.
Crescenta Valley opened the scoring in the first quarter on a 7-yard pass from Falcon quarterback Xavier Thompson to Daniel Lopez at the eight-minute mark.
Not long after, South Pasadena answered as QB Andrew Nott found Grayson Ebner on a 58-yard touchdown pass to knot it at seven apiece.
In the closing seconds of the first period, Thompson connected on his second TD through the air, this time finding Sun Han from 15 yards out, giving the Falcons a 14-7 lead after one quarter of play.
Late in the second quarter, the Tigers looked to tie it, but Thompson, now on the defensive side of the ball, picked up a Tigers’ fumble and raced 90 yards for the Falcons third touchdown on the night, putting Crescenta Valley out front 21-7 at the break.
The Falcons made it 28-7 with about two minutes to go in the third period when Ethan Martinez bolted 26 yards on the ground.
Quickly going to the air, Nott connected with Ebner on a deep pass on the Tigers next possession, putting the ball on the Crescenta Valley 25 near the end of the third quarter. I
In the first minute of the fourth quarter, South Pasadena was back on the board as Trey Freking hauled in a 5-yard scoring pass from Nott, the Tigers now trailing 28-14.
The Falcons intercepted a Tigers’ pass midway through fourth quarter, ultimately scoring on a 12-yard run by Thompson as Crescenta Valley pulled away 35-14.
Once the Tigers got the ball back, the Falcons sealed it when Daniel Lopez picked off another South Pasadena pass, returning it 58-yards for touchdown, making it 42-14.
Showing no quit, the Tigers ended the scoring when backup quarterback Cody Robinson hit Lorenzo Jones on a 11-yard score as the fourth quarter clock was about to run out, ending it at 42-21.
Overall, in the game for the Tigers, Nott was 7 of 19 and two touchdowns and one interception. Robinson was 12 of 19 for 85 yards, one TD and an interception.
Freking finished the night rushing for 60 yards on 14 carries. He also had two catches for 18 yards. Hyun had another 15 yards on the ground, packing the ball five times. Ebner pulled in four catches for 111 yards to go with his touchdown. Lorenzo Jones added nine more for 63 yards and a score.
Next up for the Tigers is a third straight road-trip, this time against Golden Valley of Santa Clarita on September 12 at 7 p.m. South Pasadena plays home in about a month in the friendly confines of Ray Solari Stadium on September 19 when it hosts Franklin.
For now, the defending league champs find themselves in unchartered waters, under .500 and searching for answers.
