Garfield Can Keep Bragging

The Garfield High football team is in a rebuilding mode and probably won’t win a City Section title this season. But the Bulldogs can still lay claim to bragging rights in their part of town.

And, when it comes to the Garfield-Roosevelt rivalry, that might be more important than any official championship.

Garfield continued its recent domination of the Roughriders on Friday night with a 27-6 victory before a boisterous crowd of 22,000 in the East Los Angeles Classic at Weingart Stadium.

It was Garfield’s seventh consecutive victory in a series that began in 1926. Roosevelt still leads the series, 32-23-7.

Garfield quarterback Fernie Montes completed 12 of 18 passes for 198 yards and three touchdowns as the Bulldogs overcame an early 6-0 deficit to improve to 3-3-1. Montes, a 5-foot-10, 170-pound senior, connected on touchdown pass plays of 16 and 18 yards to senior tight end Ricardo Hernandez and a 56-yard scoring strike to sophomore Erik Nava.

“This is a really young team,” Montes said of the Bulldogs, who have only one starter back from last season’s team that advanced to the 4-A semifinals before losing to eventual champion San Pedro. “You never know what’s going to happen even if you make the playoffs. That’s why beating your rival is so sweet. Now, it’s seven in a row.”

Hernandez caught six passes for 95 yards and Max Torres rushed for 71 yards in 18 carries for the Bulldogs.

Senior running back Marcos Garcia gained 85 yards in 17 carries for Roosevelt.

Montes’ 18-yard touchdown pass to Hernandez with just over five minutes left gave the Bulldogs a 20-6 lead. After John Carrillo intercepted a pass by Robert Amaya on the ensuing possession, Noel Salas sealed the victory with a one-yard dive into the end zone.

After Roosevelt’s frosh-soph team beat Garfield, 19-7, before what had to be one of largest crowds in history for a lower division game, the Garfield varsity overcame an early 6-0 deficit to take a 13-6 halftime lead in the main event.

Roosevelt dominated the first quarter, allowing Garfield only one offensive play. But all the Roughriders (1-6) had to show for it was a 6-0 lead.

Roosevelt took the opening kickoff and began a drive that ate up more than seven minutes. Garcia was the workhorse, carrying seven times for 22 yards during the 13-play, 66-yard scoring drive.

Sophomore quarterback Aaron Rodriguez came up with a big play on a third-and-10 at the Roosevelt 46 when he rolled to his right and connected with senior receiver Jerry Preciado on a 30-yard pass play. Five plays later, from the five, Garcia took a handoff and ran around left end for a touchdown and 6-0 lead.