Weekly Football Previews: Flintridge Prep aims to end losing skid
With the regular season winding down, Flintridge Prep needs to conclude a losing skid and will look to do so against a tough opponent on the road when it travels to face Thacher on 2:30 p.m. Saturday.
After beginning the season with four straight victories, the Rebels have hit a rut with two consecutive losses. The latest loss came Saturday, when host Flintridge Prep fell, 38-37, to Downey Calvary Chapel in an eight-man Division I contest.
Flintridge Prep (4-2) trailed by 23 points early in the fourth quarter before pulling to within 38-37 on a 10-yard touchdown pass from quarterback John Lytle to receiver Nick Davis with 1:16 left. The Rebels, ranked sixth with Downey Calvary Chapel in the division, couldn’t convert on the two-point conversion.
Lytle completed 19 of 37 passes for 255 yards and four touchdowns. Davis had eight receptions for 82 yards and three touchdowns.
A week earlier against visiting Cate, Flintridge Prep suffered a 55-48 defeat.
“The losses have brought us closer,” Flintridge Prep Coach Russell White said. “We’ve lost our two games by a combined eight points, so we’ve been right there.
“We’ve been fighters right to the end, but we’ve just come up a little bit short.”
Thacher (3-2) had a bye last week after earning a 48-18 Condor League win against Villanova Prep on Oct. 8. Running back Zion Alcindor finished with 121 yards and three touchdowns in 17 carries.
Thacher is ranked second in the division behind Mojave. The Toads have won three straight games.
“We’ll play hard and physical and I’m sure Thacher will do the same,” White said. “It’s just about being able to give yourself an opportunity at the end to win.”
St. Francis at Harvard-Westlake, 7 p.m. Friday: St. Francis (7-0, 2-0 in league) and Harvard-Westlake (3-4, 0-2) are teams going in opposite directions and the Golden Knights’ road game against an opponent on a losing streak would seem to have all the makings of a “trap game,” with St. Francis’ much-ballyhooed matchup with fellow Angelus League heavyweight Cathedral coming the week after.
Yet, it would be surprising if the Golden Knights looked past the Wolverines, who have lost two in a row and four of their last five. Last season, St. Francis lost to visiting Harvard-Westlake, 27-21, on a last second hail Mary. The teams have split their last four matchups.
St. Francis is on the heels of a 20-13 nailbiter against Salesian, while Harvard-Westlake is coming off a 41-21 loss to St. Paul that followed a 51-14 defeat against Salesian.
Ranked fourth in CIF Southern Section Division III, St. Francis has been keyed by quarterback Michael Bonds (1,355 yards passing, 16 passing touchdowns), who has three receivers with 15 or more catches, led by Daniel Scott (23 catches for 435 yards and seven touchdowns).
Defensively, the Golden Knights were without All-Area linebacker Maxx Jakeway against Salesian and it’s unknown if he’ll play Friday. Still, Scott has four interceptions, Bobby Gazmarian has three and defensive end Gabriel Grbavac has nine sacks.
La Cañada at Temple City, 7 p.m. Friday: La Cañada had alternated wins and losses all season.
Unfortunately for the Spartans, they were unable to continue that trend, as they lost to South Pasadena, 31-6, on Friday and, realistically, lost any chance at a Rio Hondo League title and likely the CIF playoffs.
The Spartans (3-4, 0-2 in league) have just two regular season games remaining now with Blair having canceled the remainder of its seasons.
The good news, though, is they’ll be playing Temple City (1-6, 0-2), which has lost in league play to South Pasadena (37-14) and last week to San Marino (35-0).
The Spartans have defeated the Rams three straight season, including last year’s 23-6 win.