By Joe Snyder
With Crenshaw High’s football team getting only barely enough players to participate in last Thursday’s non-league game at Gardena, the game was on.
The Cougars, however, found out what things were like going up against the defending Marine League champion Panthers, who are currently ranked sixth in the CIF-Los Angeles City Section by MaxPreps. Gardena wasted no time on the Crenshaw squad, which had just 19 players suited up, only one above the minimum requirement of 18, according to California State CIF policies. The Panthers scored on their first four plays from scrimmage en route to a 52-0 rout of the Cougars.
After Crenshaw was held, Gardena already had the ball at the Cougar 12-yard line. D’Maj Longley sprinted into the end zone giving the Panthers a quick 6-0 lead with 10:25 left in the first quarter.
On Gardena’s next drive, Xavier Grant scored his first of four touchdowns on a 48-yard run, then quarterback Isaiah Kim found Longley from 55 yards out as the Panthers built a 19-0 first period lead.
Grant quickly started the second quarter as he scored on a 40-yard run for a 25-0 lead just 11 seconds into the period.
Gardena continued to pour it on Crenshaw continuing to score on all its first half drives. Myles Mason gave the Panthers a 32-0 lead when he scored on a 10-yard run and Mason made it 39-0 with 4:16 remaining before halftime on a 47-yard scoring run. Gardena took a 45-0 halftime lead when defensive end David Frankling picked up a fumble and returned it 10 yards for the touchdown.
In the running time second half, Gardena’s final score came with 7:06 to go in the third quarter on a 51-yard pass from Kim to wide receiver Akile Brown. Kicker Omar Villarrel made four of eight points after touchdowns.
“Playing a low ranked Crenshaw team, we knew we would win easily,” Gardena head coach Monty Gilbreath said. “We wanted to show our balanced attack and prepare for the tougher teams; especially in our league.”
Next for the Panthers (2-0) will be another non-league contest at Centennial High in Compton Friday at 7 p.m. Last season at Gardena, the Panthers crushed the Apaches 64-0 but Centennial looks improved as it is 1-1 after topping Compton Early College 47-38 on Aug. 23 before falling to another cross-town rival, Compton, 47-12, last Friday. That is an improvement from losing to the Tarbabes 56-0 last season.
The Cougars, meanwhile, are plagued, not only with the very small roster, but a declining enrollment as Crenshaw has just 547 students. The once powerful Cougars, who won L.A. City Section Open Division crowns in 2009 and 2010, could even find themselves either dropping the football program or settling for eight-man by next season if enrollment and player involvements continue to fall. Even last season, that saw Gardena rally for an 18-13 win over host Crenshaw, the Cougars went on to finish the season at 11-3, finish second (behind rival Dorsey) in the Coliseum League and win the CIF-L.A. City Section Division II championship. Crenshaw had approximately 660 students last year. The Cougars visit Hamilton today at 7:30 p.m.
Of course, Gardena, then under first-year head coach Gilbreath from three years ago, had a small roster and got even smaller due to a rash of injuries. By its final game against Wilmington Banning, the game had to be canceled due to the Panthers being left with just 13 players. Gardena, which finished the 2021 season at 3-6 overall and 1-3 in the Marine League, was unable to make the CIF-L.A. City Section playoffs due to lack of available players. That Gardena squad, though, was very young starting 18 freshmen and sophomores, including current senior standouts Grant and Mason.
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Costly mistakes doom North in loss
After an impressive 49-7 home rout of Long Beach Jordan on Aug. 23, North Torrance High’s football team knew it was in for a very stiff test against host Inglewood in a non-league showdown last Friday at Coleman Stadium.
The Saxons were in the game throughout most of the first half that included a 7-7 tie and they appeared to be on their way to grabbing the lead as they drove to the Inglewood 12-yard line. That was where a pass attempt from quarterback Boogie Anetema had his pass intercepted by the Sentinels’ Aiden Williams who returned the ball 90 yards for the go-ahead touchdown as Inglewood took the lead for good and pulled away for a 41-19 win.
North’s defense was also unable to contain running back Victor Santino, who ran for 152 yards and three touchdowns. Inglewood, ranked second behind Serra in the South Bay by the Daily Breeze, also had a fine performance by quarterback Wyatt McCauley who passed for three TD’s, one of seven to Ray Gilbert, seven to former Serra player Andre Nickerson and another from 42 yards to Nickerson.
Down 35-7, the Saxons, rated ninth in the area by the Daily Breeze, tried to get back into the game as they cut their third quarter deficit to 35-19 behind Boogie Anetema’s quarterback sneak, his second of the game, and a 15-yard run from Kingston Anetema.
Penalties marred the game with a total of 38 infractions called, 23 of those on Inglewood to 15 on North, causing it to last more than three hours.
McCauley’s second scoring pass to Nickerson put an exclamation mark on the Saxons.
North, which fell to 1-1, continues further on the road as it visits Linfield Christian High in Temecula Friday at 7 p.m.
Torrance High’s football team improved to 2-0 by rallying for a 30-24 overtime home win over cross town rival West Torrance last Friday at Zamperini Field.
Running back-linebacker Jake Silverman rushed for the winning touchdown in the overtime period.
Silverman also blocked a West High field goal attempt that could have given the Warriors a lead. The Tartars, though, also had their potential winning field goal blocked as the contest had to be settled in overtime.
West appeared to be headed for an upset win with leads of 17-7 and 24-21 but Torrance, for the second straight time, was able to come from behind for the victory.
For the Tartars, quarterback Gibson Turner completed 14 of 21 passes for 131 yards and one touchdown. He was intercepted once.
Running back Malikai Johnson ran for 135 yards and one TD on seven carries. Issac Mora caught six passes for 77 yards and one score.
The Tartars will face a stiff test as they visit St. Anthony High at Clark Field in Long Beach Friday at 7 p.m. West visits a very good Santa Monica team, which is off to a 2-0 start, Friday at 7 p.m. at Santa Monica City College.
Also last Friday, Narbonne was routed by host Los Alamitos 49-6 due to a rash of special team miscues.
At Long Beach Millikan last Thursday, the Rams, who are expected to battle rivals Long Beach Poly and Lakewood for the Moore League title, rolled over Carson 50-14.
Things will not get much easier for the Colts as they host Inglewood (2-0) Friday at 7 p.m.
Bishop Montgomery won its first game of the season with a 21-17 victory over visiting South El Monte.
The Knights (1-1) were led by quarterback Aidan Morias who completed 21 of 31 passes for 280 yards, two touchdowns and scored the winning TD.
Wide receiver Jack Hall caught 10 passes for 155 yards and two TD’s.
Bishop Montgomery hosts Compton Early College Friday at 7 p.m.
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Serra stifles Warren in half game
For the second straight season, Serra High’s football had to see its game end at halftime after altercations happening in its non-league home game against Downey’s Warren High School.
According to sources, the dangerous incident happened mostly in the Warren stands and officials and security decided to stop the game at halftime, giving Serra a 36-0 victory.
Last year, the non-league showdown between the host Cavaliers and Long Beach Poly was stopped due to a riot happening outside the stadium, then eventually spreading inside. The Jackrabbits won that half game 28-14.
Quarterback Jimmy Butler continued to excel throwing for three touchdown passes and ran for another.
Butler scored his TD on Serra’s first drive of the game on a 7-yard run, capping a 45-yard drive.
The Cavaliers continued to dominate the Bears, who for the second straight time against Serra, played without UCLA-commit quarterback Madden Iamaleava. Last year, he did not play and Serra shut out host Warren 27-0.
Butler completed a touchdown pass to C.J. McBean that was added by Devohn Moutra’s 50-yard interception return for the score. Serra’s other TDs was scored by Malachi Holt’s 26-yard reception from Butler and Jaydn Robinson’s 49-yard punt return.
Defensively, Serra held Warren (0-2) to just 29 yards total offense and two first downs. Moutra, a junior, had two interceptions.
For the Cavaliers, it is on to the Honor Bowl at Cathedral Catholic High in San Diego to take on non-league rival Long Beach Poly Saturday at 7 p.m. The Jackrabbits are off to an 0-2 start after losing at home to CIF-San Diego Section power Lincoln Prep 42-14 last Friday at Long Beach Veterans Stadium. At Folsom in the Sacramento area on Aug. 23, the Jackrabbits were routed by one of the top powers in Northern California 63-20.
