By Rich Whittington
(San Gabriel) – The San Gabriel Matadors opened their 2023 season with a shutout victory over the visiting Rosemead Panthers, 29-0, within the friendly confines of Matador Stadium Friday night.
This game was the first game at quarterback for Matador Efren Torres, and the Junior made the most of it, accumulating over 120 rushing yards and three touchdowns. If that were not enough, Torres also passed the ball for two successful 2-Point PAT attempts.
The game started off a bit slow, with both teams taking time to get going. The first quarter ended in a scoreless tie. San Gabriel opened the scoring in the second quarter, when Torres found the end zone for his first score, a 19-yard blast. The first 2-Point PAT attempt was complete to running back Louie Navarro. This made the score 8-0 with 10:00 remaining in the opening half.
The Matadors increased their lead a short time later, when Navarro ran for a 4-yard score. The second successful PAT attempt was added, as Torres found receiver Cesar Rivas in the corner of the end zone. This made the score 16-0 at the end of the first half.
San Gabriel continued their scoring into the third quarter. Torres scored his second touchdown of the evening on a 48-yard rush. The PAT kick was successful, making the score 23-0 with 8:35 remaining in the third quarter. Torres scored again in the quarter, finding pay dirt on a 17-yard TD dash. The PAT attempt was unsuccessful, making the score 29-0 as the third quarter came to a close.
Rosemead never got on track in this contest. Quarterback issues, as well as illness and penalties, kept the Panthers playing from behind all evening.
San Gabriel’s next contest is scheduled for Thursday when the Matadors will travel to Franklin High School for an intersectional matchup against the Panthers. Rosemead’s next contest is on Friday, 9-1-23, when the Rosemead Panthers will host the San Marino Titans. Kickoff for both contests is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.
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