Tigers fall in State title game, 27-6

The Wasco High Tigers saw their season end on Friday, dropping the State title game to St. Vincent de Paul, 27-6, at Pasadena City College.

The Tigers played a tough game, and the contest was actually a lot closer than the score would indicate. Led by Head Coach Chad Martinez, the Tigers sparred with the Mustangs in the first half, holding the powerful offense of the Mustangs to just one score.

The Mustangs opened the scoring with a short touchdown run in the first quarter. Wasco, led by quarterback David Manzo, answered the score with a long drive ending with a five-yard touchdown run by Juju Granados. The point-after was no good, keeping the score 7-6. That is the way the first half would end. The Tigers had an opportunity late in the half, but they went for a first down on fourth and 2 yards to go and came up short.

In the second half, the Mustangs beat the Tigers at their own game. Wasco normally operates their double-wing offense to grind out yardage and time off of the clock. This time, it was the Mustangs who managed to keep the Tiger defense on the field for long stretches of time, eating up the clock and yardage down the field.

St. Vincent scored to make the lead 13-6, after stopping the Tigers on another fourth and short situation, giving the Mustangs s short field. They made the Tigers pay with a quick scoring drive.

They managed another score to widen the lead as time was running out on the Tigers.

The Tigers ended the season as runners-up in the state's Division 6AA.

Martinez said that it wasn't the ending that they had hoped for, but he was very proud of his time for their work and dedication, accomplishing something that no other team in Tiger history has done. "We are still a young team too, so we plan to be back next year, and finish the job that we have started."