HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS : Big Second Half Helped San Pedro Repeat Title Feat

Leading up to Friday night’s championship game, San Pedro High football Coach Mike Walsh had repeated the same message to his team:

Don’t flinch.

“We picked it up from Lou Holtz’s book,” Walsh said. “If something happens and it’s bad, don’t flinch. Don’t look sideways and say, ‘Oh man, you’ve got us now.’ Keep your eyes straight ahead and go after them.”

The Pirates heeded their coach’s advice. Overcoming a poor start and 7-0 deficit, San Pedro kept its focus and defeated Fremont, 31-7, to win its second consecutive City Section 3-A Division title before a near-capacity crowd at Gardena High.

San Pedro (13-1) took advantage of five Fremont turnovers to score all of its points. The game was a struggle until the second half, when Fremont (11-3) collapsed under the weight of its own mistakes.

Four turnovers led to 24 second-half points by the Pirates, who ended the season with a nine-game winning streak and two-year record of 25-2-1.

“It feels really good,” said senior quarterback Chris Pappas, who scored the winning touchdown on a one-yard sneak late in the third quarter, breaking a 7-7 tie. “It’s unbelievable we won two (titles) in a row.”

Pappas, though, acknowledged that Fremont’s fast start caught the Pirates by surprise. The Pathfinders, with the help of a roughing-the-punter penalty, drove 70 yards in 13 plays to score a TD on the game’s first series. It was the first points San Pedro had given up in four playoff games.

“That was pretty hard,” Pappas said. “Not many teams score on the first drive against us. We usually hold them. But that’s what’s good about our team, we always come back.”

A 39-yard pass from Pappas to tight end Steve Sullivan helped San Pedro reach the Fremont two-yard line on the ensuing possession, but the Pirates turned the ball over when Pappas fumbled a snap.

“That was the only time I thought we flinched,” Walsh said. “We came off the field with our heads down.”

But the Pirates weren’t down for long. Two plays after the fumble, free safety Mike Lennox recovered a fumble by Fremont quarterback William Yates at the Pathfinder six. That set up a two-yard touchdown run by fullback Lindsey Moore that pulled San Pedro even, 7-7, early in the second quarter.

Fremont threatened to take the lead in the third quarter after linebacker Frank Fausto intercepted a tipped Pappas pass. A 25-yard pass from Yates to receiver Andre Johnson moved the Pathfinders to the San Pedro 31. But after losing five yards on a penalty, Fremont gave the ball back when Yates’ pass was intercepted by cornerback Bryan Castaneda near the goal line.

“We had the opportunity when it was 7-7 to do something special here tonight,” Fremont Coach Taja Rodisha said. “But San Pedro showed they’re the best team in the City (Section). I give all the praise to San Pedro and Coach Walsh. They just outclassed us.”

After Castaneda’s interception, his eighth of the season, San Pedro drove 91 yards in 13 plays to score on Pappas’ sneak and take a 14-7 lead with 2 minutes 13 seconds left in the third quarter. A 35-yard pass from Pappas to Lennox set up the score.

It proved to be the beginning of the end for Fremont. A low, bouncing kickoff by Mike DiMassa was touched by several Pathfinders before San Pedro’s Anthony Williams fell on the ball at the Fremont 12. That set up a 27-yard field goal by DiMassa with 23 seconds left in the third quarter.

The Pirates put the game away in the fourth quarter on a 45-yard interception return for a touchdown by Lennox and a three-yard scoring run by tailback Jeff Williams, four plays after linebacker Vincent LoGrande recovered a fumble. Both turnovers were committed by Yates, who finished with four. The Fremont quarterback took the loss hard.

“It was the lowest performance we had this year,” said Yates, who was victimized by several dropped passes. “I can’t really say what it was. I guess a lack of concentration, or just not (being) ready to play.

“I’m blaming myself for the loss. I’m the leader and I’m supposed to step up, and I didn’t.”

Pappas, although he committed all three of San Pedro’s turnovers, outplayed Yates, his more celebrated adversary. Pappas completed seven of 13 passes for 128 yards, compared to four of 15 for 66 yards for Yates. San Pedro outgained Fremont, 222 yards to 106.

Moreover, Pappas finished his prep career with a two-year record of 20-0 in games in which he started at quarterback.

“I never thought that would happen,” he said.

And it’s unlikely anyone expected Pappas to get his first sack Friday. With San Pedro comfortably ahead late in the game, Pappas lined up at defensive end and sacked Fremont’s backup quarterback, Robert Loera. When Pappas came out of the game after his first-ever defensive play, he was mobbed by teammates.

“He’s been talking about it all year, all week, ‘If you put me in on defense, I’m going to get a sack,’ ” said Lennox, a junior who will probably be San Pedro’s quarterback next season.