San Dimas: 14 – Bonita: 0
Saturday, November 16, 1974
The San Dimas Saints defeated the previously unbeaten Bonita Bearcats 14-0 in the Saturday afternoon Smudge Pot Bowl game at Mt San Antonio College. Coming into the game, Bonita had the number 1 ranked defense in the Hacienda League averaging only 5.8 points against per game but the Saints were able to capitalize early on two Bonita mistakes.
On the opening kickoff Bonita fumbled the ball on their 28 yard line. Their defense was able to prevent the Saints from scoring but on their next possession the Bearcats turned the ball over again. The Saint’s Shelly White recovered the loose Bonita pitchout on the Bearcat 17. Fred Carter (who recovered the first fumble) sprinted into the end zone from the 17. John Stegmeier with the extra point kick put the Saints up 7-0.
On the Saint’s next possession they went 44 yards in six plays for their next touchdown. Richard Burke pushed through from the 1 yard line for the score. The rest of the game was a defensive battle. The 14 points were the most Bonita had given up all season. Bonita’s offense came alive in the third quarter driving from the Saints 42 yard line to the 3 in nine plays. But on fourth and goal from the 3, San Dimas defense end Sonny LaFargue tackled Bonita quarterback Harold Drake at the line of scrimmage, ending the Bearcats hopes of scoring.
“We thought our defense could hold them,” stated Saints’ head coach, Bob Baiz after the game. “We hoped we could move the ball better offensively. We did move the ball a little in the first half. Bonita did pretty well offensively in the second half, but our defense held when, it had to”.
Bonita by defeating Royal Oak the previous week had clinched the Hacienda League Championship and earned a spot in the CIF playoffs. San Dimas finished the season 4-4-1 while Bonita had a very successful year finishing 8-1.
Teams |
Quarter 1 |
Quarter 2 |
Quarter 3 |
Quarter 4 |
Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bonita | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| San Dimas | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 |
| Stats | SD: Carter 17 yard run(Stegmeier Kick) SD: Burke 1 yard run(Stegmeier Kick) |
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Varsity Bearcats
Row 1: Rick McClintock, Craig Tester, Walter Walker, Lencho Nava, John Barauskas, Scott Sanborn, Jim Franks,
Row 2: Coach Tim Hatchet, David Ramirez , Ross Thompson, Bruce Hines, Bill Forbes, Stan Schechter, Steve Loya, Harvey Hawkins, Tim Clark, Coach Paul Tremblay.
Row 3: Coach Pete Lopez, Phil Mertz, Richard Lober, Dave Drury, Bart Laseke, Harold Drake, Scott Johnson, Mark Maloney, Coach Randy Haskins.
Row: 4 Sanford Coggins, Richard Rodriguez, Brad Frick, Rick Carlton, Richard Grant, Alan Rojas, Keith Brandt.
1974 Hacienda League Champions
CIF… that was the main goal that the 1974 Varsity football team worked for and accomplished. The team started the season on the right foot by shutting out Claremont 12-0 and sacrificing the Azusa Aztecs 23-9 in pre-league action. The Bearcat team opened league play by slipping by Sierra Vista 7-6. The highlight of the next game, against Alta Loma, was a pass play by Harold Drake to Dave Drury. With 59 seconds remaining in the game, H. P. threw a 55 yarder to Drury in the end zone to beat the Braves 13-7. Bonita then proceeded to walk all over Ontario. The defensive unit held the Jags to only 17 yards on the ground and one touchdown which came by air. Bonita came up on top 12-7. The showdown in the game against Royal Oak 14- 9 to clinch the Hacienda League Crown. In the only loss of the season, Bonita was upset by San Dimas, 14-0.
CIF Bound
Bonita then advanced to CIF. After defeating Norco and Mayfair, Bonita went on to play in the quarter-finals only to lose to Neff who in turn went on to take the CIF championship.
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Varsity Saints
Andy Hegel, Steve Loumagne, Ritch Burke, Kevin Pokrajac, Shelley White, Fred Carter, John Stegmeir, Ruben Hernandez, Paul Willman, Phil Agnew, Doug Sphar, Roosevelt Johnson, Dimitri Hollingquest, Richard Hamic, Don Millet, Kip Brogan, Sam Clark, Ron Reinford, Dough Shimansky, Frank Eddy, Mike Barnard, Dough Harbin, Dennis Moore, Randy Milton, Sonny LaFargue, Terry Gillette, Jim Whitaker, Jack Clark, Dan Nork, Jim Button, Bil Whitt, Doug Gates, Dody Dunzweiler, Mike Poland, Jim Turner
1974 was a rebuilding year for the Saints with only 6 lettermen returning. Comprised of mostly juniors and sophomores, The young Saints started slow but finished fast, defeating league champion Bonita in the final game 14-0.
-Coach B. Biaz
The Saints entered the C.I.F. playoffs for the first time but lost to the top seeded El Dorado in the first round.
Smudge Pot Quotes
"This time Shelly White recovered the loose Bonita pitchout on the Bearcat 17. Two plays later. carter sprinted into the end zone from the 17. John Stegmeier added the extra point to put the Saints ahead, 7-0."
Kevin Cole | Progress Bulletin, 17 Nov 1974, Sun
