SOUTH EL MONTE — In a historic achievement, the South El Monte Eagles secured their spot in the CIF Division 14 football championship with a 13-7 win against AB Miller. Quarterback Michael Maldonado led the charge with two rushing touchdowns, completing 10 of 14 passes for 109 yards. Meanwhile, running back Damian Cordova showcased his skills with 122 yards on 24 carries during Friday night”s game.
“It”s a crazy accomplishment for this school. No matter the division,” Cordova expressed. “First time being in the championship in the whole entire history of South El Monte is … overall one of the greatest experiences I”ve ever been a part of.”
Following three consecutive home playoff games, the Eagles will hit the road next week to face Pioneer in the championship contest.
The game conditions at South El Monte”s home field, famously referred to as “the swamp,” played a significant role in the Eagles” victory. The muddy terrain hindered AB Miller“s offensive efforts throughout the match.
South El Monte”s initial score was set up by Cordova”s strong running, culminating in a quarterback keeper by Maldonado from 15 yards out, giving the Eagles a 7-0 advantage. Shortly after, the Rebels seemed ready to respond, but a critical interception by Eagles cornerback Miguel Rivera halted their momentum with just over a minute remaining in the first half.
“I saw the ball get thrown, stayed on my man, and the ball came to me, just took it,” Rivera recalled. “I just felt so relieved.”
As the third quarter began, Miller struggled offensively, leading to a punt that put South El Monte back in control. The Eagles extended their lead to 13-0 when Maldonado scored again with a 1-yard run. Prior to this, he had connected with Isaac Gonzalez on a 43-yard pass that set up the touchdown.
“In the first half, they were bringing that safety down, and they would play their outside backer out,” Maldonado explained. “That play, he fakes that block, and he just runs it up. It worked because they brought that safety down. It was a free play.”
After the Eagles” score, Miller faced immediate setbacks with a holding penalty followed by an offensive pass interference call, leading to a turnover on downs. The Rebels finally found the end zone late in the fourth quarter, thanks to a 15-yard run by quarterback Jacob Sauceda.
“Jacob knows what to do; he knows our entire offense,” commented Miller head coach Andrew Amosa prior to the game. “He”s our captain, and he tells our guys to get going.”
In a last-ditch effort, Miller attempted an onside kick, but South El Monte successfully recovered and managed to run out the clock, sealing their historic victory.
