Once you get into the CIF-Los Angeles City Section Division I playoffs, there's no easy road, as the San Pedro High football team can attest to that with five City titles in their resume.

The first test has been passed.

It was a strong defensive effort in critical times that carried the top-seeded Pirates to a 28-7 victory over Roosevelt of Los Angeles in the first round opener at Pirate Stadium Friday. San Pedro (10-1) had kept No.16 Roosevelt scoreless until the final two minutes of the game, using two key interceptions in the second half to pull away.

It appeared that San Pedro would run away early on, as the Pirates used a methodical nine-play, 52-yard drive to open the game, which ended with a four-yard touchdown run by senior running back Chris Alvidrez, giving him sole possession of the single-season school record for rushing touchdowns in a season, with his 18th of the year. It gave the Pirates a 7-0 lead with 6:10 remaining in the first quarter.

Later on in the quarter, junior quarterback Jacob Miller hit up sophomore wide receiver Raymond Geha for a 31-yard touchdown pass connection, and the score was suddenly 14-0 Pirates with 1:25 to play,

Oddly enough, the score would stay that way through the rest of the first half as the offense was forced to punt twice, and Miller was intercepted by Roosevelt junior strong safety Angel Sanabria with 14 seconds left in the second quarter, halting San Pedro's drive to score before the half ended.

Roosevelt (5-6), playing without starting senior quarterback Samuel Hernandez who was injured in a 42-7 loss to Eastern League rival Garfield of Los Angeles in their regular season finale, would take the opening drive of the second half all the way to San Pedro's six-yard line, but a false start penalty drove them back. Junior quarterback Andrew Gallegos would then throw an interception at the goal line to San Pedro junior cornerback Christian Michaels.

Michaels would return his key defensive play to the 40-yard line, and on the very next play, San Pedro junior WR/DB Antonio Frazier Jr. would take a sweep handoff from Miller and go 60 yards for a touchdown, putting the Pirates up 21-0 with 6:59 remaining in the third quarter.

The Pirates' defense would force a three-and-out, and a turnover on downs on the Rough Riders' next two possessions but as San Pedro's offensive failed to cash in, sophomore WR/DB Mikey Hernandez's punt pinned Roosevelt on their own 12-yard line early in the fourth quarter. Two plays later, Frazier picked off a pass over the middle and returned it 29 yards, setting up senior running back Christian Serna's one-yard touchdown run for a 28-0 Pirate lead.

Finally, Roosevelt would use 17 plays and eight minutes to break up the shutout on Gallegos' 10-yard touchdown pass to sophomore wide receiver Adam Martinez for the final scoring tally with 2:15 to play. San Pedro senior wide receiver Anton Srsen recovered the onside kick, and the Pirates would run out the clock.

Alvidrez ran for 67 yards on 14 carries for San Pedro, who will next host eighth-seeded Arleta, a 36-31 winner over No.9 Palisades Charter, in the quarterfinals next Friday at 7 pm.