Roosevelt Rallies for 18-14 Victory

Anthony Robles didn’t even want to throw the pass. He nearly called time out to try to talk his coach into a different play.

But Robles went with Coach Jason Carlin’s decision and completed a Los Angeles Roosevelt comeback by connecting with Saul Jimenez for a 49-yard touchdown with 2 minutes 18 seconds remaining in an 18-14 Eastern League victory over L.A. Garfield in front of about 15,000 fans Saturday at East L.A. College.

It was the second touchdown of the fourth quarter for Roosevelt (4-5, 2-2), which trailed, 14-0, at halftime courtesy of two Robles passes that were intercepted. One led to a score and Garfield’s Carlos Villegas returned the other 36 yards for a touchdown with 1:34 left in the first half.

“At first I was surprised Coach called the play,” said Robles, who threw only three second-half passes after completing two of eight for 24 yards in the first half. “I didn’t have any confidence, but my teammates pumped me up.”

It was the fifth consecutive victory for Roosevelt over Garfield, equaling the Roughriders’ longest winning streak in the 68 meetings between the teams, known as the “East L.A. Classic.” The last time Roosevelt won five in a row was 1955-59.

“This game means a lot,” Carlin said. “I’ve been waiting so long for these kids to believe in themselves and they finally did.”

Credit the Roosevelt defense, which held Garfield (5-4, 1-3) to 125 yards and 10 first downs. Garfield moved inside the Roosevelt 40 only two times in the game, once after a partially blocked punt and the other after an interception.

“The defense played with a lot of heart,” Robles said. “They picked me up at halftime. They told me not to worry about the interceptions ... just put some points on the board and we’d win because [Garfield] wasn’t going to score again.”

Roosevelt, in its deceptive wing-T offense, rushed for 261 yards. Rogelio Gervacio had 72 yards, including a 64-yard run that set up a field goal early in the second half.

Carlos Diaz, who had 54 yards in nine carries, scored on a 10-yard run with 8:57 to play and Gervacio’s two-point conversion got Roosevelt within three, 14-11.

Peter Yoon

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Playoffs

The Southern Section will release playoff pairings for girls’ volleyball beginning at noon today with Divisions I-AA and I-A.

Play begins Monday with wild-card matches for 32-team divisions, with first-round games on Tuesday. In 16-team divisions, wild-card play begins Tuesday and first-round matches are Thursday.

The Southern Section will release playoff pairings on Monday for boys’ water polo, girls’ tennis and eight-man football. Boys’ water polo begins play on Tuesday with first-round games in Division IV and wild-card games in all other divisions. Girls’ tennis starts play Tuesday with wild-card matches.

The Southern Section team championships for girls’ golf will be played Monday at Las Posas Country Club in Camarillo.

The City Section has its girls’ golf championships on Monday at Balboa Golf Course in Encino. City playoffs continue Monday with girls’ volleyball quarterfinals and first-round matches in girls’ tennis.