Ground Game Does It for the Tigers Against Alhambra

By Ron Vrooman

(Alhambra) -The South Pasadena Tigers scored on their first three possessions and added a “pick-six” shortly before halftime to take a 28-0 lead before coasting to a 35-12 win over the Alhambra Moors Friday night.   

The visiting Tigers dominated the Moors with their ground attack, rushing for 240 of their 299 total yards.   

Running back Trey Freking did all of his work in the first half, carrying the ball 11 times for 67 yards and two touchdowns. His backfield partner, David Ortega, went the distance for the Tigers, rushing 21 times for 160 yards and a second-quarter score.   

With South Pasadena already ahead, 21-0, outside linebacker Jordan Rodgers intercepted a pass by Alhambra quarterback Bryan Leonard and returned it 30 yards for a touchdown with 2:58 left before the break.   

Christian Mina then came through with the biggest play of the night for Alhambra, returning the ensuing kickoff 85 yards to the Tigers’ 12. Two plays later, Leonard ran seven yards for a touchdown that made the score 28-6.   

South Pasadena fullback Rick Matsuda rounded out the Tigers’ scoring with a four-yard run early in the fourth quarter.   The Moors didn’t get on the board again until running back Matthew Gandarilla capped an 80-yard drive with a four-yard TD burst late in the game.   

Alhambra’s season-long struggle on offense continued against South Pasadena. The Moors rushed for only 82 yards, and Leonard completed just six of 20 passes for 61 yards.   

South Pasadena finished nonleague action with a record of 3-2, while Alhambra fell to 1-4 going into Almont League play. 

6 Comments to "Ground Game Does It for the Tigers Against Alhambra"

  1. Ron Vrooman, AHS stat man's Gravatar Ron Vrooman, AHS stat man
    September 26, 2024 - 8:42 pm | Permalink

    @ Sports Unillustrated: Yeah, we have to tell the truth about our state of affairs, good or bad. I walked into the Alhambra High gymnasium today for the first time since last spring, and I discovered to my amazement that the wooden floors had been beautifully refinished. AUSD finally took one small step in the right direction!

  2. Sports Unillustrated's Gravatar Sports Unillustrated
    September 26, 2024 - 1:04 pm | Permalink

    That is some great spin on the Moorish. “Deserted and roofless are the houses of the Kaat al Hamra” wrote a poet in the very first refererence to the Alhambra in 1076. Kinda describes your schools state today. Hey The Commanders are doing great with their name change. Just a chain yank pal.

  3. Ron Vrooman, AHS stat man's Gravatar Ron Vrooman, AHS stat man
    September 25, 2024 - 10:53 pm | Permalink

    @ Low Profile: A vacation on the Mediterranean sounds great! (That is, if it isn’t in a war zone…)

  4. Low Profile's Gravatar Low Profile
    September 25, 2024 - 8:33 am | Permalink

    Sports Unillustrated should do next swimsuit issue from Southern Spain . The castle would make a great backdrop ! Can’t wait to get some tapas

  5. Ron Vrooman, AHS stat man's Gravatar Ron Vrooman, AHS stat man
    September 24, 2024 - 9:25 pm | Permalink

    @ SU: That’s a creative post, and I appreciate anyone who has a good sense of humor.
    A moor (spelled with a lower-case “m”) is a marshy area typically found in places like Scotland. But, a Moor (spelled with a capital “M”) was a member of the Muslim Arabic civilization that conquered North Africa and most of the Iberian Peninsula during the medieval period.
    Right now, we’re like the remnants of the Moorish caliphate trying desperately to hold on in Granada (now part of Spain) against repeated attacks by the forces of Ferdinand and Isabella. (Fun fact: The Alhambra was the Moors’ fortress and palace in Granada.)
    Hopefully, we’ll keep history from repeating itself.

  6. Sports Unillustrated's Gravatar Sports Unillustrated
    September 24, 2024 - 12:01 pm | Permalink

    A lesson on how (1) passionate fan can keep his faltering team relevant. Go Moors! BTW is not a moor just a large area of boggy uncultivated land. Is your mascot dressed up like big piece of wet moss?

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