San Pedro High Football Off To Another Strong Start
San Pedro RB Chris Alvidrez stiff-arms a Culver City tackler on the way to a 180-yard rushing night, including this 18-yard touchdown. (photo: Vince Pirozzi)
San Pedro QB Jacob Miller has thrown for 399 yards and 7 TDs so far, taking the pressure off San Pedro’s run-oriented attack. (photo: Vince Pirozzi)
Eleven teams in the past 24 years under head coach Mike Walsh have started off winning their first three games, including all five CIF-Los Angeles City Section championship teams of 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997 and 2008. This current team looks like it has that same promise of another magnificent year.
So far, junior quarterback Jacob Miller is showing his maturity after a rough first-year as a starter in 2013, completing 17-of-31 passes for 399 yards, 7 touchdowns and only two interceptions. The key, a strong support system by a deep and experienced offensive line spearheaded by the senior trio of Dominic O’Brien, Tyler Castaneda and Robert Villegas, along with juniors Juan Campuzano, Robert Quinton, Isaac Noriega and tight end Mike Spinosa.
Sophomore wide receiver Raymond Geha has become a favorite target for Miller, as he has caught eight passes for 213 yards and three touchdowns. Geha caught four passes for 148 yards in last week’s 38-17 victory over Culver City.
San Pedro High football marches onto the field at Culver City. The Pirates won, 38-17 to improve to 3-0 so far in 2014. (photo: Vince Pirozzi)
Defensively, San Pedro has been outstanding as the starting unit has only allowed one touchdown in their season-opening 35-7 victory over Morro Bay on August 29, while the only other two touchdowns the Pirates have surrendered on defense in their other two victories over Locke and Culver City was when the reserves were in once those games were already decided.
Overall, the defense has been paced by senior defensive tackle Luis Lona, senior linebacker Chris Lauro, junior safety Antonio Frazier, sophomore defensive lineman Sohl Gafa and junior defensive end Donte Huddleston, while junior defensive back Christian Michaels leads the secondary with a pair of interceptions, including a 10-yard ‘Pick 6’ that iced their victory over Culver City.
San Pedro’s special teams have been crucial as well, as senior kicker Christian Mills has made 16-of-17 PAT kicks along with his only field goal of 25 yards at Culver City. Frazier has also been a legitimate threat to return a punt for a touchdown, while Frazier and Michaels are equally dangerous on kickoff returns.
Challenges will get a whole lot tougher down the road for San Pedro, with a CIF-Los Angeles City Section playoff rematch with Fairfax of Los Angeles on Thursday, October 2, to close out their nonleague slate, coupled with the October 10 Marine League opener at Narbonne of Harbor City.
So far, the Pirates have all the makings of a team that can bring home their first league crown since 2011.
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