Gladiator Tackle Report – Championship Weekend

This weekend all five Gladiator tackle teams participated in the semifinal round of playoffs. Two will advance next week to championship finals.

Pee Wee

La Cañada 28, Pico Rivera Dons 49

On a cool afternoon at Duarte High School the La Cañada Gladiator Pee Wees lost to the Pico Rivera Dons 49-28 in a game much closer than the score would indicate.

The Gladiator defense, which had played remarkably well all season, was unable to stop the stable of Pico Rivera running backs. In 10 games this season, the Gladiator defense had allowed a total of 46 points. Olson Matthias, William Aivazian, Christopher Aivazian, Justin Webster, Marcus Buenabeta, Michael Bailian, Anthony Sanchez and Jaden Keshishian had their hands full on defense. After staking the Dons a four-touchdown lead, the defense tightened while the offense made a comeback, closing the score to 34-28 late in the third quarter. But the Dons put it away with another long run in the fourth quarter.

On offense, the Gladiators had moments of brilliance, with quarterback Alec Sanchez-Nigolian leading the attack using a host of receivers, including Mycha Pasten, James Warner, Jaden Keshishian, Victor Guiragossian, Matthias Olson and Colin Matthews. Sanchez-Nigolian had more than 300 yards passing on the day, and his success was helped by the stellar offensive line play of Tyler Sparks, William Broberg, C.J. Owens and Sean Escobar.

This loss does not diminish what was a great year for the Pee Wee team, which after an opening close loss won nine consecutive games, including five consecutive shut-outs, to reach the championship game. The team is looking to be back in the championship hunt in 2017.

Jr. Midgets

La Cañada 12, Boyle Heights Wolfpack 8

On a rainy Sunday afternoon beneath the lights of Walnut High School Stadium, the Gladiators beat the previously undefeated Boyle Heights Wolfpack 12-8. With this hard-won victory, the La Cañada Jr. Midget team finished a perfect 11-0 and captured its fourth consecutive San Gabriel Valley Junior All American Football Conference championship. Over the past four years, this team has accumulated an impressive record of 41-1.

The fans were treated to three-and-a-half quarters of great defense by both teams. Neither the Gladiators nor the Wolfpack could sustain a drive.  Then, in the last half of the final quarter, both offenses came to life with all 20 points scored in a span of less than eight minutes.

The first and second quarters witnessed fine tackling by Marcus Powe, Tony Guerrero, Matthew Watson, Jake Fitzgerald and a spectacular mid-air collision by defensive back Dexter Matthews spoiling a Boyle Heights sideline pass attempt. In the third quarter the Gladiator offense started to spark as Daylon Beasley broke free for a 17-yard run and Markel Wallace made a great run through several Boyle Heights’ players for a 27-yard gain. But the Gladiators were unable to translate these gains into points.

In the final quarter, the Gladiators managed to put together a long drive aided by four defense penalties, which ultimately landed the Gladiator offense on the Wolfpack three-yard line. Beasley jumped at the opportunity and waltzed into the end zone for the first score of the game. The Gladiators failed to convert, but held what seemed to be an insurmountable 6-0 lead.

Boyle Heights refused to go quietly into the night, however; its option offense came to life and the Wolfpack began what could have been a game winning drive as the fourth quarter ticked away. With only two minutes left in the game, and the Wolfpack threatening on the La Cañada seven-yard line, a jarring tackle by linebacker Chris Marfisi knocked the ball loose, which was recovered by an alert Sebastian De Leon.

Then the tenacious Boyle Heights defense went to work, pushing the Gladiators back to their own one-yard line in a desperate attempt to get the ball back for a final drive. On third down and long from the Gladiator one-yard line, Beasley took a direct snap, ran through two tackles and then raced 99 yards for the game winning score. The scoreboard read 12-0 with only 44 seconds left in the game.

Boyle Heights put forth a last gasp effort resulting in a score, but the game ended at 12-8 when the Gladiators recovered the on-side kick.