The Glendora Tartans looked for every opportunity to get revenge on the Charter Oak Chargers in the CIF Southern Section Semifinal matchup at Citrus College. The first time these two teams met up this season was in September when the Chargers took a lopsided victory over the Tartans 28-7. This Post-Thanksgiving game had the same result, with the Chargers handing the Tartans another loss, this time ending their CIF run, 28-14.
Tartans quarterback Matt Fink and running back Griffen Herrera started the second possession of the game for the Tartans with a ground game that set the stage for a strong first half. Herrera capped off that drive with a 2 yard td run to put the Tartans up 7-0 in the first quarter.
In the second quarter the ground assault continued with a long 51 yard TD run by Fink to put the score at 14-0. The Chargers wasted no time in answering with a nice throw and catch from quarterback Kam Brown to the backup quarterback Louis Farrar to put it at a 14-7 game, in favor of the Tartans going into halftime.
At the half, Fink only had only tallied up 3 passing yards, going one for three, compared to his 94 rushing yards. The second half didn’t see much more passing success for the Tartans, as Fink ended the game a dismal one for nine, with 3 passing yards. Kam Brown and the Chargers showed a great deal of success throughout the second half in the air, with Brown taking advantage after the Chargers run game opened up the Tartans defense.
Chargers running back Zion Echols had a nice run of over 20 yards to start the second half, only to be called back from an offensive penalty. After the penalty Echols still managed to help the Chargers move the ball with some productive runs. The drive ended with a 35 yard touchdown from Brown to Dareon Nash to tie the game at 14 all.
The Chargers weren’t done yet, Brown added a touchdown run of his own on a goal line rush for 21 answered points to put the Chargers up 21-14 to end the third quarter.
While running time off the clock in the fourth, Echols had a few big runs for the Chargers to move the ball into Tartan territory, Brown eventually ran for a first on a risky 4th and 8 call to gain a first down. A seemingly game clinching drive was halted when the Chargers wide receiver Josh Padilla fumbled while trying to punch it into the end zone.
The favor was quickly returned however, with Dareon Nash intercepting Fink to get the Chargers the ball back with under three minutes remaining in the game. That’s all the Chargers needed to hand the Tartans a season ending loss and ending CIF advancement for the Tartans.
Echols ran in for another touchdown with about two minutes to go to put the final at a 28-14 victory for the Charter Oak Chargers over the Glendora Tartans. A Tartans fumble on the ensuing kickoff sealed the game.
The Charter Oak Chargers may be hosting San Marino next week as they continue their journey through the CIF playoffs. The match up had not been confirmed as of this story.
