Matt Fregoso rushes his team into the playoffs
(Rosemead) Matt Fregoso rushed for 336-yards and six touchdowns and Michael Jimenez went for 280-yards and two touchdowns as the Rosemead Panthers and the El Monte Lions battled Friday night at Rod Marinelli Stadium for second place in the Mission Valley League with the Panthers coming out on top 42-29.
Everyone in attendance was treated to an epic battle as both teams tried to lock up a playoff spot in the Mid-Valley division.
Rosemead drew first blood with just under four minutes gone in the opening stanza. A five play drive stalled and Chris Cancino came on to boot a 42-yard field goal.
Late in the first quarter the Lions were forced to punt in their own territory. A bad snap flew over the punters head and was downed at the El Monte 10. Fregoso covered those 10-yards on the next play and Rosemead was up 9-0.
El Monte answered the score with one of their own going 80-yards on eight plays. Manuel Santa Cruz hooked up with Memo Silva on a nine yard slant and lions cut the lead to 9-7.
Midway through the second quarter Rosemead drove the ball down the field looking to extend their lead. A seven play drove came to a bitter end and Fregoso coughed the ball up at the Lion four yard line. The ball trickled into the endzone and was recovered by El Monte for the touchback.
The Lions immediately took advantage of the turnover when on first and 10 from their own 20 Santa Cruz found Jimenez over the middle on a screen. Jimenez got good blocking up field and was gone 80-yards to paydirt. Jacob Hurtado drilled the extra point giving El Monte the 14-9 lead.
On the ensuing kickoff, the Panthers Christian Garcia got the crowd to their feet turning the corner on the Lion kick coverage and returned the ball to the El Monte 10. After a holding penalty on the first play took the ball back to the 20, Fregoso found a seam on the next play for a 20-yard score. Cancino nailed the extra point and the Rosemead regained the lead.
Rosemead extended their lead to 23-14 coming right out of the gate to start the second half. Fregoso capped an 11-play drive with another 10-yard score.
Michael Jimenez battles his way for 280 yards
The battle continued and the Lion’s Jimenez answered right back on the next play from scrimmage. On first an 10 from his own 20, Jimenez found a seam in the Panther line and was gone 80-yards to glory cutting the Panther lead to 23-21.
Like the battle that had been going on for three and a half quarters, Rosemead drove 62-yards on eight plays with who else, Fregoso, getting the score on a three yard run. Cancino missed the point after and the Panther lead remained at eight 29-21.
The Lions mishandled the ensuing kickoff leaving themselves in a hole at their own one yard line. Not to worry, Jimenez lead his team on a 10 play 99-yard drive. Jimenez scored on a 10-yard run and blasted his way into the endzone on the two point conversion to tie the game at 29.
Both defenses stepped up on the next two drives each team forcing punts and it wasn’t until under four minutes remaining in the game the either team scored again.
With time winding down the Panthers put together a nine play 80-yard drive with Paul Cruz steering the ship for the injured Matt Macias. Macias suffered a strained shoulder early in the third quarter. A 29-yard run by Fregoso and blocked point after gave Rosemead a tenuous 35-29 lead.
The Lions fighting for what could be their post season lives marched right back down the field on their ensuing possession. On the legs of Jimenez and through the air by Santa Cruz El Monte drove into Panther territory. The drive came to a halt when with fourth and six at the Panther 32, Santa Cruz’s pass fell incomplete.
From there all Rosemead needed to do was run out the clock but it wasn’t an easy task as the Lions had saved a couple of time outs. After first down runs by Matt Eddy and Andrew Gibson, the Panthers needed to run one more play to close out the game. That one last play turned into a 55-yard touchdown scamper by Fregoso, his sixth of the night.
When the final buzzer sounded to end the game, Fregoso and Jimenez had combined for more than 600-yards rushing and nine touchdowns. Fregoso had 39 carries for 336-yards and six scores on the ground and Jimenez had 280-yards on 31 carries with two touchdowns on the ground and one through the air.
Rosemead will now wait for Sunday’s playoff selections to be announced while El Monte will petition and make their case for one of the four Mid-Valley division Wild Card spots.
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