Weekly Football Previews: La Cañada vs. San Marino; Windward vs. Flintridge Prep; St. Francis vs. Crespi
LA CAÑADA VS. SAN MARINO
•WHEN: 7 p.m. Friday
•WHERE: San Marino High
•RECORDS: The Spartans are 5-2, 1-0 in Rio Hondo League; the Titans are 2-6, 1-1 in Rio Hondo League
•LAST WEEK: La Cañada had bye; San Marino defeated South Pasadena, 10-7
•OUTLOOK: La Cañada will will return to play since earning a 56-42 league home win against Temple City on Oct. 4. The Spartans enter the week in second place in league behind Monrovia. The rested Spartans have won two games in a row, topping Pioneer and Temple City. Against Temple City, La Cañada quarterback Brandon Reese completed 17 of 22 passes for 244 yards and three touchdowns. Receiver Dezin Delgatty caught seven passes for 196 yards and three touchdowns to help the Spartans end an eight-game league losing skid. San Marino turned to its defense Friday to stifle host South Pasadena and end a two-game losing streak. The Titans, who are in third place, held a 3-0 halftime lead and stretched the advantage to 10-0 in the third quarter before holding off the Tigers, who had averaged 31.1 points per contest.
•SOMETHING INTERESTING: La Cañada has lost four games in a row at San Marino. La Cañada’s last victory came in 2009, when they earned a 14-10 win.
ST. FRANCIS VS. CRESPI
•WHEN: 7 p.m. Friday
•WHERE: Crespi High
•RECORDS: The Golden Knights are 6-1 the Celts are 4-3
•LAST WEEK: St. Francis lost to Paraclete, 38-33; Crespi had bye
•OUTLOOK: St. Francis wrapped up nonleague play Friday with a tough road loss to Paraclete after it allowed just 14 points in its previous three games. The Golden Knights nearly rallied in the waning moments of the fourth quarter before falling short. St. Francis quarterback Jack Clougherty completed 25 of 40 passes for 317 yards. He had four touchdown passes and one interception. Receiver Tanner Tomko caught five passes for 78 yards and two touchdowns for the Golden Knights, who got 149 yards rushing and one touchdown from running back Kevin Armstead. Receiver Bryson Reeves caught 10 passes for 100 yards for St. Francis, which will look to get back on track in its Angelus League-opening contest. St. Francis, ranked No. 10 in CIF Southern Section Division III, learned earlier in the week that it picked up a forfeit victory against Westlake, which used an ineligible player in the matchup on Sept. 13. Crespi last competed Oct. 4, when it suffered a 51-0 nonleague home defeat to Sierra Canyon. The Celts began the season with three straight wins before losing three of their next four contests. St. Francis and Crespi have each played one common opponent in Harvard-Westlake. St. Francis earned a 56-7 win and Crespi posted a 54-0 victory.
•SOMETHING INTERESTING: St. Francis and Crespi placed second and fourth, respectively, in the Angelus League in 2018. St. Francis went 2-1, which included a 48-25 win versus Crespi (0-3).
FLINTRIDGE PREP VS. WINDWARD
•WHEN: 6 p.m. Friday
•WHERE: Flintridge Prep
•RECORDS: The Rebels are 6-0; the Wildcats are 5-0
•LAST WEEK: Flintridge Prep defeated Riverside County Educational Academy, 52-36; Windard defeated Lucerne Valley, 47-0
•OUTLOOK: In eight-man action, it will be a battle of the top two teams in CIF Southern Section Division I when the teams square off to open the Prep League play. Flintridge Prep finished nonleague play Friday with a home win against Riverside County Educational. Flintridge Prep saw quarterback Max Gitlin complete 10 of 20 passes for 130 yards. Receiver Christian Baydalin had three touchdown receptions and Kevin Ashworth had a 60-yard kick-off return for a touchdown for Flintridge Prep, ranked No. 2 in CIF Southern Section Division I. Flintridge Prep will receive a stiff test in its league opener against Windward, the top-ranked team in the division. The Wildcats, who finished second in league last season, have been on a surge throughout the campaign. Windward is averaging 51.6 points per game and yielding 7.2. The Wildcats have recorded two shutouts.
•SOMETHING INTERESTING: Flintridge Prep took third in the Prep League last season and advanced to the CIF playoffs.