Flintridge Prep football fends off Avalon to remain unbeaten
Looking to stay unbeaten, the Flintridge Prep football team had an unusual travel itinerary.
Flintridge Prep first traveled by land before embarking on a long boat trip to Santa Catalina Island to face Avalon on Friday in an eight-man nonleague road contest.
Flintridge Prep accomplished its goal of remaining undefeated, as quarterback Max Gitlin threw six touchdowns passes and Zack Kim had five touchdown receptions to propel Flintridge Prep to a 53-42 victory.
“It was a good win for us after a nice and easy boat ride,” Flintridge Prep coach Russell White said. “We went up against a team that was big and aggressive.
“It’s a good battle and test for us and we got it done. Max and Zack were a very good combination. They are very good players.”
Flintridge Prep (5-0), ranked No. 3 in CIF Southern Section Division I, took a 7-0 lead on a 60-yard touchdown pass from Gitlin to Kim with about nine minutes left in the first quarter.
Avalon made it 8-7 with a minute remaining in the first quarter.
The Lancers took a 15-7 lead with about seven minutes to go in the second quarter.
The Rebels knotted it at 15 on a touchdown pass from Gitlin to Kim, followed by a successful two-point conversion with four minutes to play in the second quarter.
Flintridge Prep regained the lead at 18-15 on a 23-yard field goal with less than two minutes to go in the first half.
Gitlin tossed a 26-yard touchdown pass to Ben Grable to give the Rebels a 25-15 lead with 10 minutes to play in the third quarter.
About four minutes later, Kim caught a six-yard touchdown pass from Gitlin to make it 32-15.
The Lancers closed to within 32-23 on a touchdown a minute later.
Kim caught a 55-yard touchdown pass from Gitlin with three minutes left in the third quarter to extend the lead to 39-23 before Avalon responded with a touchdown to trim the deficit to 39-29.
Avalon scored a touchdown early in the fourth quarter to pull to within 39-36.
Kim hauled in a 34-yard touchdown pass from Gitlin to extend the Flintridge Prep advantage to 46-36 with about five minutes remaining.
Running back Alexander Payne scored on a six-yard touchdown run to give the Rebels a 53-36 lead with two minutes to go.
Avalon closed out the scoring with a touchdown on the ensuing possession.
Flintridge Prep will take on visiting Riverside County Educational Academy in a nonleague game at 6:30 p.m. Friday.
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