MidValleySports.Com

By Rich Whittington

(South El Monte) – The South El Monte Eagles punched their ticket to the finals Friday evening, defeating the visiting A.B Miller Rebels, 13-6, at “The Swamp”, in front of a very vocal crowd that included city dignitaries, district officials, and alumni from South’s teams of the past.

The field certainly lived up to its name. The recent rains made the field slick and muddy. However, as the evening’s Referee so eloquently put it, “This is football.”

The Eagles wasted little time taking control of the game, mounting an opening drive that consumed 7:34. While this drive did not net any points, it set the stage for a game that saw South El Monte control the ball for almost 29 minutes.

After a scoreless first quarter, South got on the board in the second period, when quarterback Michael Maldonado scored on a 16-yard touchdown run. The PAT was successfully added by Angel Bautista, making the score 7-0 with 4:44 remaining in the opening half.

A.B. Miller’s attempt to answer fell short, as quarterback Jacob Sauceda was intercepted by Miguel Rivera. This made the score 7-0 at the break.

South added to their score in the third when Maldonado found the end zone for the second time on a 1-yard scoring blast. The PAT was unsuccessful, making the score 13-0, with 6:24 remaining in the period.

A.B. Miller got on the board in the fourth quarter, when Sauceda scored on a 16-yard scoring rush. The PAT was successfully converted by Nolan Streand, making the score 13-7 with 3:05 remaining in the contest. Unfortunately, for the Rebels, this would be as close as they would get

The Eagles advance to the CIF Division 14 finals, where they will travel to face the Pioneer Titans. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00PM, while the date is to be determined. A.B. Miller finished their 2025 campaign with a record of 7-6, 4-2 in Mountain Valley League play.