By Joe Snyder
A late defensive play leading to a touchdown keyed host North Torrance High’s football team to a come-from-behind 14-9 win over Banning High in a non-league game on Friday.
In a tight contest, the Pilots were leading 9-7, behind three field goals by kicker Kobe Torres and were driving down field in hope to hold off the Saxons. With approximately five minutes left in the game, Dakota Taylor forced a fumble recovered by North, giving the Saxons the ball at the Banning 46-yard line. A few plays later, junior quarterback Ezra Siitia finished the drive by completing a 21-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Joshua Noa Pearson giving North the lead with 3:09 remaining in the game.
The Saxons, who improved to 2-2, were able to hold down the Pilot offense from there.
North took a 7-0 lead when Siitia completed his first of two TD passes to wide receiver Vince Aleman with 3:02 to go in the first quarter.
Banning was unable to score a touchdown in the game but boost its confidence behind two field goals from Torres from 34 and 39 yards out cutting the Saxons’ lead to 7-6 by halftime.
The Pilots grabbed a two-point lead behind a 33-yard field goal from Torres with 6:17 remaining in the third period.
North had some chances to score but its big break came when Taylor recovered a fumble by Banning ballcarrier Pharnell Daniels after chasing him down. Siitia completed a pair of key passes before the winning score to Noa Pearson.
The Saxons remain home to play defending CIF-Los Angeles City Section champion Carson Friday at 7 p.m. The Colts are coming off a key 17-14 non-league win over host Long Beach Poly last Friday at Cabrillo High.
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Shorthanded Serra shut out
Serra High’s football team was unable to get any offense in its 35-0 shutout loss to Orange Lutheran in its home non-league game last Friday.
The Cavaliers mustered just 107 total offensive yards in their sixth consecutive loss to the Lancers from the prestigious Trinity League.
After totaling 271 yards rushing in Serra’s win over host Los Alamitos on Sept. 4, senior Stanford University-bound running back A.J. McBean was held to just 53 yards on 10 carries.
In fact, the Cavaliers were forced to punt five times.
On Serra’s first possession of the game, the Cavaliers gained only seven yards on a run from McBean but Orange Lutheran’s defense, from there, closed all running lanes not giving McBean and the rest of the rushing attack much of a chance. On the next play, McBean was thrown for a three-yard loss and Serra was forced to punt from its own 39-yard line.
Like last season, the Cavaliers were plagued with injuries that included five defensive starters in defensive backs Pole Moala, Wesley Ace, and Lamor Roberson, along with linebacker Andre Ferrira and defensive end Ashton Hope. Starting quarterback Malik Tunai was still out with freshman Hassir Houston still starting.
The Lancers’ offense was led by quarterback Reagan Toki and running back Ryan Christianson. After Toki completed two passes, Christianson had runs of 17, four and three yards getting the ball to the Serra 8-yard-line. From there Toki completed the touchdown pass to Christianson as Orange Lutheran took a quick 7-0 lead.
When the Cavaliers received the ball on their next possession, they went backward and just a 9-yard punt gave the Lancers very good field position. From there, Toki completed a 19-yard pass to Chris Flores, Jr. before scoring on a 4-yard run giving Orange Lutheran a 14-0 lead in the first quarter.
On Serra’s next possession, things started to look promising after Akeem Crawford returned the kickoff 30 yards. Behind a 10-yard run by McBean, his biggest play of the game, and a 6-yard pass from Houston to Ryan Bose, the Cavaliers drove to the Orange Lutheran 46-yard line. However, Serra was not able to go any further and was forced to punt.
That enabled the Lancers to score on their third straight scoring drive. That ended with a 10-yard run by Braeden Alan Bross-Quibuyen for a 21-0 lead with six seconds into the second period.
Christianson scored on a 7-yard run to give Orange Lutheran a 28-0 lead early in the third quarter and added a fourth-quarter touchdown.
Christianson rushed for 107 yards and one TD and added 41 receiving yards and one score.
Toki threw for 109 yards and one touchdown.
Serra, which fell to 2-2 overall, hope to get healthy and return to the win column as it hosts Oaks Christian High from Westlake Village Friday at 7 p.m. The Warriors are coming off a 48-16 loss to Sherman Oaks Notre Dame in non-league play last Friday.
Carson tops Long Beach Poly; Gardena continues to struggle
Carson High’s football team picked up a key 17-14 non-league win over host Long Beach Poly to improve to 3-1 last Friday at Cabrillo High in Long Beach.
A fast start on offense and defense was the key to the Colts’ win.
Leading 14-7 at halftime, kicker Monico Flores-Slgovia gave the Colts a 17-7 lead with about three minutes left in the third quarter.at
The Jackrabbits, that are usually a power in the Moore League but are struggling at 1-3, got to within 17-14 when running back Jeron Johnson scored from one yard out.
Carson could have put the game away but quarterback Chris Fields III was hurried and had his pass to the end zone fall incomplete.
Poly also could have taken the lead but a 66-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Ace Fa’agnta to wide receiver Kasim Shepard was called back due to a holding penalty.
The Colts jumped out to a 14-0 second-period lead behind a 6-yard TD keeper by Fields and a 49-yard fumble recovery from linebacker Preston Leomta.
Fields ran for 160 yards, 113 of those in the first half.
Carson visits North Torrance in non-league Friday at 7 p.m. The Saxons are coming off a dramatic 14-9 win over Wilmington Banning last Friday at North.
Gardena High’s very young and inexperienced football team was, again, routed by host Compton 63-0 last Friday. The Panthers fell to 0-4, while the Tarbabes are off to a 4-0 start.
Compton quickly jumped on the Panthers for a 49-0 halftime lead, then added one touchdown each in the third and fourth quarters.
Gardena plays its fifth and final consecutive away game against Santa Monica Friday at 7 p.m. before coming to its temporary home, L.A. Harbor College in Wilmington, to host Gahr High from Cerritos on Sept. 24 at the same time. The Vikings are 3-1 that included a 22-15 home win over Norte Vista High from Riverside last Friday.
The Panthers were outscored by a combined total of 109-6 in the last two games, a week after falling to host King-Drew Medical Magnet 56-6.
Narbonne picked up its first win of the season by shutting out Hawthorne 39-0 last Friday at Narbonne in Harbor City.
The Gauchos will stay home but with a very stiff challenge against unbeaten Compton (4-0) Friday at 7 p.m.
Torrance saw its record fall to 2-2 after being edged by host Cypress High 21-19 last Friday.
The Tartars travel to Lakewood for its final non-league game Friday at 7 p.m. before beginning the Pioneer League at Santa Monica High on Sept. 25 at the same time.
