UPDATE: In a thrilling display of athleticism, Jason Lewis scored three touchdowns, propelling North Torrance to a dominant 48-14 victory over South Torrance on the night of October 27, 2023. This decisive win comes as North Torrance’s coach, Todd Croce, sought major contributions from his team in the absence of injured starter Jaydan Andrade.
Lewis rushed for 60 yards and made significant plays, alongside teammate Steven Sarabia, who also made a crucial touchdown contribution. The win improves North Torrance’s record to 6-3 overall and 2-2 in the Pioneer League.
“We had a rough first half, but after a motivating speech from my teammate, Luca Galdamez, we locked in and pushed through,” Lewis stated. His words resonated in the locker room, and the team emerged energized for the second half.
North Torrance opened the second half with a strong rushing attack, scoring from the 1-yard line to extend their lead to 27-14, capped off by a successful extra point kick from John Roa. The momentum continued as Lewis scored again on a run play, followed by another touchdown from Ethan Edwards.
With just 8:53 remaining in the game, Lewis broke free for a 17-yard rush, sealing the game at 48-14. Coach Croce praised his team’s second-half performance, stating, “It was nice to see the offense come out and score on all possessions.”
In addition to his offensive contributions, Edwards showcased his versatility by throwing a 6-yard touchdown pass to Kchole Mataele-Juarez and intercepting two passes on defense, disrupting South Torrance’s offensive flow.
“I just knew I had to put the team on my back,” Edwards said. “They (Lewis and Sarabia) stepped up and executed what they had to do to get us the win.”
As for South Torrance, the team faced challenges due to a limited roster of just 33 players. Head coach Matt Mishler noted that fatigue played a significant role in their second-half performance. “We didn’t really have much life in the second half,” he explained, acknowledging that the players fought hard until the end.
Despite the loss, South’s quarterback Chase Spahr, who is currently the Pioneer League’s passing leader, demonstrated resilience by scoring an 8-yard touchdown run and throwing a 21-yard touchdown pass to Jacob Kerekes.
As the season progresses, all eyes will be on North Torrance as they build momentum heading into the playoffs, while South Torrance will need to regroup and find ways to overcome their depth challenges. The next few games will be crucial for both teams as they push for their respective goals in the league.
