Martin Marin kicks Glendale football past Pasadena

PASADENA — In desperate need of a victory, the Glendale High football team looked for its playmakers to do just that and make plays.

Behind standout performances on offense and big plays when needed most, Glendale defeated Pasadena, 23-20, in Pacific League action on the road Friday.

“We’ve worked hard all year,” Glendale Coach John Tuttle said of his team garnering its first league win of the season. “It’s nice to come away with a win.”

A win was something that the Nitros coveted. The team had lost five games in a row coming into the contest with Pasadena. Glendale improved to 3-6 overall and 1-5 in Pacific League play.

With the game tied at 20, the Nitros took possession of the ball with 5:45 left in the third period. The team proceeded to put together a nine-minute, 68-yard drive that culminated in the go-ahead 29-yard field goal by Martin Marin with just under nine minutes remaining in the fourth period.

“I was relaxed,” Marin said of booting what would become the deciding field goal. “You have to be relaxed.”

In addition to the game-winning field goal, Marin also hauled in four catches for 82 yards and two touchdowns, while running back Daniel Jung had a touchdown and 193 yards on 29 carries.

The last scoring drive featured two fourth down conversions, including a fourth and six at Pasadena’s 31-yard line. Quarterback Kevin Felix found Martin for a 23-yard pass play, setting up the big kick.

“We had to capitalize,” said Felix, who completed seven of 13 passes for 101 yards and two scores. “We had to put some points on the board.”

“It was a great job,” Tuttle said of the drive. “We struggled all year being able to keep the ball for that long.”

Despite the kick, the Bulldogs (1-8, 1-5) had plenty of time remaining and proceeded to march down the field. That’s when Pasadena fumbled the ball on Glendale’s 21 yard line. It was the Bulldogs’ fourth turnover of the game.

“It was a huge play for the defense,” Tuttle said. “They answered. They moved the ball in the second half against us and the defense stepped up when we needed it.”

Glendale held a 20-7 lead at half time, but the Bulldogs came out a new team for the third quarter. The first two Nitros drives of the half were three-and-outs. Pasadena’s first two drives of the half resulted in touchdowns, and like that, the game was 20-20.

Glendale came out strong to start the game. Led by the running of Daniel Jung, the Nitros’ first drive went 87 yards in seven minutes, concluding when Felix found Marin from 32 yards away for the touchdown strike and a 6-0 lead.

Pasadena answered on its next play from scrimmage. Quarterback Tyrek Adams took the ball 80 yards on a keeper for the 7-6 advantage.

The Nitros quickly answered on the next drive when Jung sprinted 54 yards for a score. That was followed two drive later when Felix once against connected with Marin, this time from 19 yards away and the Nitros went into halftime up, 20-7.