Flintridge’s Wing-T Gets Clipped Off Without Pass

Flintridge Prep learned the downside of the wing-T offense Friday night.

The run-oriented system is great at building leads, but not effective in overcoming deficits.

The Rebels unlikely run through the Southern Section playoffs ended with a 26-0 loss to Pasadena Poly in a Division XIII semifinal game at South Pasadena High.

Trailing, 7-0, at halftime, Flintridge Prep (5-7) allowed a touchdown on the opening possession of the third quarter and a field goal later in the quarter.

“You can’t come back from 19-0 and run the wing-T,” Rebel Coach Glen Beattie said.

“You have to be able to throw some stuff, and we weren’t able to do that.

After quarterback Drew Prickett completed one of two passes over three quarters, Beattie twice called for running back Devin Brown to throw.

The first resulted in Brown getting tackled in the end zone by Mike Caldwell for a safety, giving the Panthers a 19-0 lead 39 seconds into the fourth quarter.

Beattie called for another Brown pass on Flintridge Prep’s next series, only to have it intercepted by Faisal Dittu at the Rebel 26.

The Rebels gained 191 yards and crossed midfield on four of nine possessions.

Their deepest drive was to the Pasadena Poly 10.

Pasadena Poly (10-2) broke the game open with 10 third-quarter points. Dittu’s one-yard run culminated a seven-play, 49-yard drive and his 51-yard run set up David Stone’s 28-yard field goal.

Pasadena Poly scored on its first possession of the game, with Morgan Booth’s 46-yard pass to Marshall Duncan capping an eight-play, 80-yard drive.