Jordan Sanchez, left, celebrates with teammate Thonye Charles of South Hills after catching a a pass for touchdown against Pacifica in the first half of a Division 6 football semifinal at Covina District Field on Friday, November 16, 2018 in Covina, California. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Jordan Sanchez, left, celebrates with teammate Thonye Charles of South Hills after catching a a pass for touchdown against Pacifica in the first half of a Division 6 football semifinal at Covina District Field on Friday, November 16, 2018 in Covina, California. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
South Hills celebrates after defeating Pacifica 20-13 during a Division 6 football semifinal at Covina District Field on Friday, November 16, 2018 in Covina, California. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Jordan Sanchez #19 of South Hills catches a pass for touchdown against Pacifica in the first half of a Division 6 football semifinal at Covina District Field on Friday, November 16, 2018 in Covina, California. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Jordan Sanchez #19 of South Hills catches a pass for touchdown against Pacifica in the first half of a Division 6 football semifinal at Covina District Field on Friday, November 16, 2018 in Covina, California. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Juaquin Elliott #3 of South Hills runs for yardage against Pacifica in the first half of a Division 6 football semifinal at Covina District Field on Friday, November 16, 2018 in Covina, California. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Malik Sherrod #20 of Pacifica walks off the field as South Hills defeated Pacifica 20-13 during a Division 6 football semifinal at Covina District Field on Friday, November 16, 2018 in Covina, California. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Jordan Sanchez #19 of South Hills catches a pass for touchdown over Pup Aina #14 of Pacifica in the second half of a Division 6 football semifinal at Covina District Field on Friday, November 16, 2018 in Covina, California. South Hills won 20-13. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Justin Armendariz #10 of South Hills catches a pass fora first down against Pacifica in the second half of a Division 6 football semifinal at Covina District Field on Friday, November 16, 2018 in Covina, California. South Hills won 20-13. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Nohl Williams #3 of Pacifica knocks a pass away intended for Thonye Charles #1 of South Hills in the second half of a Division 6 football semifinal at Covina District Field on Friday, November 16, 2018 in Covina, California. South Hills won 20-13. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Nohl Williams #3 of Pacifica knocks a pass away intended for Thonye Charles #1 of South Hills in the second half of a Division 6 football semifinal at Covina District Field on Friday, November 16, 2018 in Covina, California. South Hills won 20-13. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Khalil Ali of South Hills runs for yardage against Pacifica in the second half of a Division 6 football semifinal at Covina District Field on Friday, November 16, 2018 in Covina, California. South Hills won 20-13. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Juaquin Elliott #3 of South Hills runs fora first down against Pacifica in the second half of a Division 6 football semifinal at Covina District Field on Friday, November 16, 2018 in Covina, California. South Hills won 20-13. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Jorge Salinas #53 of South Hills sacks quarterback Rj Maria #12 of Pacifica in the second half of a Division 6 football semifinal at Covina District Field on Friday, November 16, 2018 in Covina, California. South Hills won 20-13. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Juaquin Elliott #3 of South Hills catches pass against Pacifica in the second half of a Division 6 football semifinal at Covina District Field on Friday, November 16, 2018 in Covina, California. South Hills won 20-13. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Head coach Matt Bechtel of South Hills reacts after touchdown as South Hills defeated Pacifica 20-13 during a Division 6 football semifinal at Covina District Field on Friday, November 16, 2018 in Covina, California. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Head coach Matt Bechtel of South Hills reacts against Pacifica in the first half of a Division 6 football semifinal at Covina District Field on Friday, November 16, 2018 in Covina, California. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Head coach Matt Bechtel of South Hills reacts against Pacifica in the first half of a Division 6 football semifinal at Covina District Field on Friday, November 16, 2018 in Covina, California. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Quarterback Rj Maria of Pacifica passes against South Hills in the first half of a Division 6 football semifinal at Covina District Field on Friday, November 16, 2018 in Covina, California. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Jordan Sanchez #19 of South Hills runs for yardage after a punt against Pacifica in the first half of a Division 6 football semifinal at Covina District Field on Friday, November 16, 2018 in Covina, California. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
South Hills defense tackles Michael Johnson III #23 of Pacifica for a loss of yards in the first half of a Division 6 football semifinal at Covina District Field on Friday, November 16, 2018 in Covina, California. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Malik Sherrod #20 of Pacifica runs for yardage against South Hills in the first half of a Division 6 football semifinal at Covina District Field on Friday, November 16, 2018 in Covina, California. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Khalil Ali #2 of South Hills ends off to Juaquin Elliott against Pacifica in the first half of a Division 6 football semifinal at Covina District Field on Friday, November 16, 2018 in Covina, California. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Rj Maria #12 of Pacifica runs for yardage before fumbling against South Hills in the first half of a Division 6 football semifinal at Covina District Field on Friday, November 16, 2018 in Covina, California. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
South Hills coach Albert Rodriguez speaks to the team prior to a Division 6 football semifinal against Pacifica at Covina District Field on Friday, November 16, 2018 in Covina, California. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Jordan Sanchez #19 of South Hills runs for yardage after a punt against Pacifica in the first half of a Division 6 football semifinal at Covina District Field on Friday, November 16, 2018 in Covina, California. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Khalil Ali #2 of South Hills ends off to Juaquin Elliott against Pacifica in the first half of a Division 6 football semifinal at Covina District Field on Friday, November 16, 2018 in Covina, California. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Rj Maria #12 of Pacifica runs for yardage before fumbling against South Hills in the first half of a Division 6 football semifinal at Covina District Field on Friday, November 16, 2018 in Covina, California. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Justin Armendariz #10 of South Hills recovers a fumble by Pacifica in the first half of a Division 6 football semifinal at Covina District Field on Friday, November 16, 2018 in Covina, California. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Juaquin Elliott #3 of South Hills runs for yardage against Pacifica in the first half of a Division 6 football semifinal at Covina District Field on Friday, November 16, 2018 in Covina, California. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
South Hills defense tackles Michael Johnson III #23 of Pacifica for a loss of yards in the first half of a Division 6 football semifinal at Covina District Field on Friday, November 16, 2018 in Covina, California. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Malik Sherrod #20 of Pacifica runs for yardage against South Hills in the first half of a Division 6 football semifinal at Covina District Field on Friday, November 16, 2018 in Covina, California. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Head coach Matt Bechtel of South Hills reacts against Pacifica in the first half of a Division 6 football semifinal at Covina District Field on Friday, November 16, 2018 in Covina, California. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Quarterback Rj Maria of Pacifica passes against South Hills in the first half of a Division 6 football semifinal at Covina District Field on Friday, November 16, 2018 in Covina, California. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Jordan Sanchez, left, celebrates with teammate Thonye Charles of South Hills after catching a a pass for touchdown against Pacifica in the first half of a Division 6 football semifinal at Covina District Field on Friday, November 16, 2018 in Covina, California. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Jordan Sanchez #19 of South Hills catches a pass for touchdown against Pacifica in the first half of a Division 6 football semifinal at Covina District Field on Friday, November 16, 2018 in Covina, California. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
Jordan Sanchez #19 of South Hills catches a pass for touchdown against Pacifica in the first half of a Division 6 football semifinal at Covina District Field on Friday, November 16, 2018 in Covina, California. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
COVINA — South Hills’ Justin Armendariz intercepted Oxnard Pacifica’s Hail Mary attempt as time expired, and the celebration was on as the Huskies advanced to the CIF Southern Section Division 6 championship game with a 20-13 victory.
Tied 13-13 in the fourth quarter, South Hills’ Juaquin Elliott pushed the Huskies ahead for good with a tough second and third effort 18-yard touchdown with 6:11 to go that made the difference.
“It feels unbelievable,” South Hills coach Matt Bechtel said. “Because you feel so proud of the kids. Sometimes you can work so hard and you don’t get the benefits at the end and so you start to lose buy-in.
“So the biggest thing I’m proud of is they committed to what we instilled when we got here. And they worked their tails off. I can’t tell you how proud I am for them.”
South Hills (13-0), still undefeated and the top seed, will host next week’s championship game on either Friday or Saturday against Oxnard, a 29-7 winner over Serrano.
It is the Huskies’ first championship appearance since winning the Division VII title in 2005.
“I’m excited about what we’ve done, but I’m also realistic,” Bechtel said. “The big game is next week and we have to make sure we’re ready to go because winning this one isn’t going to mean as much if we don’t win next week.”
South Hills’ defense has been its staple all year, and it needed another big effort to advance to its first championship in 13 years.
South Hills linebacker Jacob Gonzalez after 20-13 semifinal win over Pacifica pic.twitter.com/Az7gFecFF7
“It’s always been about the off-season,” said Huskies linebacker Jacob Gonzalez. “Those two a day practices and lifting and running in between; that’s where we have the advantage over other teams. We were working every day in the summer and preseason and that’s what helped us win.”
Pacifica chewed up seven minutes on its opening drive, which included a fourth-down fake punt that resulted in a 23-yard pass to the Huskies’ 17. But after all that the Tritons had to settle on Scooter Carranza’s 32-yard field goal for a 3-0 lead.
South Hills answered with back-to-back touchdowns to build a 10-point lead with quarterback Khalil Ali, who finished with 179 yards, throwing both TD passes to Jordan Sanchez.
South Hills WR Jordan Sanchez after his two TDs in 20-13 semifinal win over Pacifica pic.twitter.com/DVTcDpyqR2
“We all had to step up,” Sanchez said. “But I know I had to step up to help my team as best I could to win this game. With me and Ali, we worked in the offseason everyday throwing routes and making sure the timing is right.”
Struggling to move the ball in the first half, Ali went for the home run and got it, hitting Sanchez in stride for a 60-yard TD pass and 6-3 lead after the missed extra point.
On a wild play to end the half, Ali threw up a Hail Mary with two seconds left and Noah Williams intercepted it for Pacifica and zig-zagged his way 95 yards for a touchdown. But it was called back for a penalty, negating a wild play that would have given the Tritons the lead and momentum going into the break.
South Hills coach Matt Bechtel talking to team moments after 20-13 semifinal win over Pacifica pic.twitter.com/52XmJpD9U4
That worked in the Huskies’ favor because they scored on the opening drive of the second half with Ali hooking up with Sanchez again on a 17-yard TD pass to go up 13-3.
Tritons running back Malik Sherrod, who finished with 128 yards, helped get his team back in it with 28 and 22-yard runs that set up quarterback RJ Maria’s one-yard sneak for a TD to cut South Hills’ slim lead to 13-10 with 5:23 to go in the third quarter.
Carranza’s 36 yard FG with 44 seconds to go in the third tied the score and it stayed that way going to the fourth.
