GAME OF THE WEEK : Pathfinders Lose Focus, and the Game to Garfield

Fremont Coach Taja Rodisha knew he would have a difficult time motivating his football team to play Garfield.

“I got the kids pumped to beat our archrival Locke last week and it was hard to get the kids up for this game,” Rodisha said.

It cost them a 21-13 Southeastern Conference loss to Garfield at home.

Both the Pathfinders and the Bulldogs were successful on their opening drives.

Fremont capped a seven-play offensive series when quarterback William Yates scored from 30 yards on a triple-option quarterback run to go up 7-0.

But Garfield quarterback David Villalobos soon hit favorite target Raul Gutierrez in the end zone for a 30-yard touchdown to tie the score at 7.

The Bulldogs kept the ball on the ground to start the second half.

Running back Armando Figueroa, who carried four times during Garfield’s opening drive, scampered 41 yards on his last rush for a touchdown to give the Bulldogs a 14-7 lead.

“We knew adjustments would be the difference in the second half, so we came out ready to execute,” Figueroa said.

Fremont’s offense continued to struggle, as Yates threw five incompletions in a row. Even when Yates, who was five-for-17 for 67 yards and had a touchdown and an interception, found his receivers, they couldn’t hold on to the ball.

“We had three dropped passes in a row and that told everybody that we didn’t want (to win),” Rodisha said.

Figueroa scored again from five yards out, to make the score 21-7, after Garfield recovered Yates’ fumble.

Fremont’s final score came on a 17-yard touchdown pass from Yates to Andre Johnson with 1:36 left.

Records: Garfield (4-1); Fremont (3-2).