Coming Home
Late game heroics bring home a win for South Pasadena on homecoming night.
Tigers senior Luke Riffle intercepted a pass in overtime to lift South Pasadena to a 34-27 Rio Hondo league victory Friday over the La Cañada Spartans at Ray Solari Stadium in front of hundreds of fans on homecoming night.
In overtime, The Spartans had the ball on the Tigers’ 13-yard line when Spartans senior quarterback Macky Plocher slung a ball to the back of the endzone, allowing Riffle to nab the interception, winning the game.
“I did not expect that play whatsoever,” Riffle said. “I got that pick. I’m so happy.”
South Pasadena put up 293 yards, senior Jason Hong ran for 227 yards with four touchdowns, the fifth time this season he’s scored four or more times.
The Tigers moved to 8-1, winning seven of their nine games this year by double digits. The Spartans fell to 3-6, losing their third game in a row.
For South Pasadena, they’ve now won two in a row. Hong now has 33 rushing touchdowns this season and is one of the three best running backs in the state.
“We were going back and forth,” Hong said. “It was a real battle.”
At the end of the fourth quarter, the Tigers had control inside of the red zone with just 2:00 remaining. As time expired, Tigers quarterback Liam Ohannesian threw an interception, chucking a short pass into the Spartan endzone only for it to be picked off, sending the game into overtime.
With just seconds left, South Pasadena could’ve kicked a field goal to seal it. Instead, Ohannesian tried completing a pass as time ran out, opening the door for La Cañada.
“Defensively in the first half, we came out pretty strong,” South Pasadena head coach Jeff Chi said. “I think we let up a little bit. La Cañada did a hell of a job adjusting in the second half and took advantage of us right out of the gate.”
La Cañada’s first touchdown came in the second quarter, as Plocher rifled a ball into the endzone, to cut the lead to 14 with less than 0:05 remaining.
At halftime, South Pasadena led 21-7. La Cañada opened with a big drive, cutting the lead to seven with 10:51 remaining. The very next drive, La Cañada scored a bobbled pass between two South Pasadena defenders for a 61-yard touchdown, missing the extra point with less than 4:00 minutes to go in the third quarter.
Hong barreled into the end zone to start the fourth quarter, extending the Tigers lead to 27-20 with 10:39 remaining. La Cañada answered back, leveling the score at 27-27 with 9:47 to go.
Despite nearly slipping away, Chi was proud of the way his team responded to the pressure.
“I’m very proud of the way our guys hung in there throughout the whole game,” Chi said. “They never gave up, even in an overtime game. They just kept fighting and they believed in each other.”
Next week, the Tigers are at home, facing a Polytechnic team that’s lost three in a row.
A Coronation
As fireworks lit the sky above Ray Solari field, the most royal tiger was crowned, overshadowing the smell of popcorn, Tiger Dogs and nachos from the close to a dozen volunteers running the snack bar.
Six members of the court walked the red carpet, topping the synthetic green and orange turf.
The band blasted songs, each member waltzing to their position on the field. When the announcement for the winner came through the speakers, a thunderous roar bellowed from endzone to endzone.
The 2024 homecoming court was announced.
Parting Gifts
Over 15 seniors were honored prior to kick off on Friday night. A gleaming “SPHS” silver sign sent glimmered across the field. One by one, custom footballs were handed out each senior, receiving them when they were announced.
Each football had the players last name on it, a fitting gift for the second to last game of the season and what would be for many of the seniors, their last taste of football.
Raffy Ohannesian joined his son, Liam, on the field to be honored by the school. Raffy Ohannesian was excited to see his son play one of his final games, moving to the area just this year from Monrovia.
“We come from a family of achievers,” he said. “Liam has been playing quarterback since he was six years old, and this is that one milestone: senior year.”
Ohannesian mentioned there have been some small schools that have reached out, hoping his son chooses the best fit for himself.
“Joy,” he said. “If he can get joy and peace in your life, everything else is secondary. I’ve learned that lesson.”
A Night of Recognition
On a night where South Pasadena honored their seniors and the homecoming court, there was another celebration. honoring South Pasadena High School legend and former head coach Ray Solari, who died earlier this year in March.
He was the head football coach from 1956 to 1971, notching 120 wins and just 43 losses.
Hundreds roared as over a dozen of his closest friends and family were honored at midfield. In attendance were some of his closest friends and family, like Jack Schultz who was on Solari’s 1966 state championship team.
Schultz grew up watching Solari coach at the school, knowing exactly who he wanted to play for and even decades later, he was honored to be able to pay tribute to the house Ray Solari built.
“Ray is clearly a guy to be celebrated,” Schultz said. “I knew he was going to be a difference maker in my life and he was…That’s why there’s people here recognizing him. That’s why the stadium is named after him. That’s why so many of us love him and revere him to this day. He made a big difference in our lives.”