San Marino Comes From Behind to Win 36-35, Earns State Championship Bid

SAN MARINO – Only one week removed from winning its first divisional title since 1988, the San Marino football team added another milestone to its resume, as it punched its ticket to its first state championship berth by virtue of its improbable 36-35 comeback win over Sierra Canyon, a game which the Trailblazers led 35-14 heading into the fourth quarter.

With team leader and quarterback Carson Glazier on the sidelines after an injury sustained in the end of the first half, the Titans looked to Mike Wicke and then sophomore Blake Cabot to lead the offense in the second half.

Wicke answered the call, scoring the game winning touchdown, and then kept the ball on the ensuing 2-point conversion attempt to give the Titans a 36-35 lead with 1:10 remaining in the game.

“People that know me would never have doubted that I would go for two. My son couldn’t be here tonight but he would never have doubted that I would go for two,” San Marino head coach Mike Hobbie said. “Also there was a penalty so we were only one and half yards out. So at one and a half yards out if ever there was a time that was the time. I felt pretty good about going for the win.”

Trailing 35-14, San Marino began its comeback, with the help of two personal foul penalties, culminating in a 23-yard scoring run by Michael Chan to close the gap to 35-20. San Marino then forced Sierra Canyon to punt for the very first time in the game which gave the Titans the ball at the 44-yard line.

Cabot then found JP Shohfi down the left sideline for the 44-yard scoring pass, followed by a two-point conversion by Wicke to make the score 35-28.

Cabot finished 6 of 10 for 112 yard and a touchdown. Glazier went 8 of 14 for 147 yards and two touchdowns before being knocked out of the contest. Shohfi had another stellar performance, grabbing 10 passes for 217 yards and a touchdown, while Aiden Santino finished with four catches for 78 yards and two touchdowns, both of which were in the first half.

It was Shohfi’s 18-yard catch to the 1-yard line that set up Wicke’s heroics and a chance for history.

Sierra Canyon drew first blood, getting the opening kickoff, and immediately drove down the field culminating on an 8-yard pass from Niko Harris to Kole Hollinquest. Harris then found Dylan Tate, this time on a 23-yard scoring pass to take a 14-7 lead.

Harris finished 13 of 18 for 133 yards and three touchdowns. Bobby Cole rushed 30 times for 220 yards and two touchdowns; including a 5-yard scoring run in the second quarter to give Sierra Canyon a 21-14 lead.

With 1:10 remaining in the game, the Trailblazers had one last chance to retake the lead, and they drove all the way to the 30 yard line. A holding penalty pushed them back to the 40-yard line, and with no timeouts, the clock ran out before they had a chance to get off their final play.

“It’s kind of like a blur. You’ve seen us all year and we fight,” Hobbie said. “Sierra Canyon is a heckuva football team and they were just punishing us physically. That running back is a heckuva back. But our kids, they don’t give up.”

San Marino faces Central Catholic next Saturday for the Small School Open division championship. Kickoff is at 4p.m.

Photos courtesy of Keith Birmingham/Pasadena Star News.