The Eagles have gathered to reclaim their season
By George Hernandez
(South El Monte)- Matt Fregoso’s 5-yard touchdown run with eight seconds left gave Rosemead a hard fought win 31-28 win over South El Monte Friday night at “The Swamp”.
The Panthers led 17-7 with 4:32 to play in the third quarter when things got crazy.
South cut into the lead with 8:18 to play in the fourth quarter when Rene Flores took it in from two yards out to make it 17-14.
On the Eagles next possession Anthony Jimenez made a lateral pass to Anthony Molina, Molina then threw a 65 yard touchdown pass to Alex Ruiz to make it 21-17, South with 3:58 to play.
Rosemead drove the ball down the field and with 1:07 left Matt Macias scored on a quarterback sneak to give the lead back to the Panthers 24-21.
On the ensuing kickoff Molina took the ball at the north end of the field. From the nine he sprints left, cuts back to the right and goes 91 yards to the end zone. The Eagles led 28-24 with 55 seconds left.
After a nice kick return by Rosemead, the Eagles were flagged with a late hit call that took the ball to the South 35.
South was then nailed with two pass interference calls that took Mead to the nine with 24 seconds remaining. After a Matt Fregoso run they were on the five with 11 seconds left Matt Koffler called Fregoso’s number again and the junior scored the game winner with eight seconds left.
On the last play of the game Jimenez was looking for Ruiz down the field but before he let go of the pass he was hit, the pass fell incomplete and the game ended.
“We have one of these games seemingly every year,” Koffler said. “South’s done a good job and right now we are just trying to win our last two games and punch our ticket to the playoffs.”
On defense for the Panthers Eddie Solario had two sacks and seven tackles, and Dante Galindo and Matt Eddy each had a sack. South defense was led by Rene Flores and Hector Casas who each had an interception.
The game started off slow, but the Panthers got on the board first with a 5-yard touchdown run from Fregoso.
Half way through the second quarter the Eagles tied it when Jimenez hit Ruiz on a slant from 11-yards out. South got the ball back just before the half when Flores pick off Matt Macias but missed on a late field goal.
A Greg Parham 65-yard catch and run set up a Chris Cancino 35 yard field goal to make it 10-7. Less than two minutes later a Parham interception set up a Macias 34 yard touchdown pass to Parham. Mead led to 17-7 4:32 into the third quarter.
Nest week Rosemead travels to El Monte, while the Eagles will be at Gabby.
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