By Joe Snyder
Serra High’s football team is getting on a roll with a 2-0 Mission League record after outscoring Notre Dame High from Sherman Oaks 45-35 in its annual homecoming game last Friday at Serra.
With the game tied at 14 after the first quarter, the Cavaliers, who improved to 5-2 overall, took the lead for good as running back Cincere Rhaney scored on a 12- yard run with 10:20 left in the second period.
Serra padded its lead to 28-14 with 2:02 remaining before halftime as sophomore quarterback Nicholas Johnson scored on a 10-yard run.
The Knights, though, stayed in the game, cutting the Cavaliers’ lead to 28-21 with 8:01 to go in the third period on a 20-yard touchdown run by running back Jimmy Monte lead to 28-21 with 8:01 to go in the third period.
Each time after Notre Dame scored, though, the Cavaliers would answer back. On Serra’s pursuing drive, Zacharyus Williams brought Serra’s lead back up to 14 points on a 10-yard TD reception from junior quarterback Jimmy Butler.
Serra upped its lead to 42-21 with 11:32 remaining in the game when Butler tossed a 20-yard scoring pass to wide receiver Duvay Williams.
Just 32 seconds later, the Knights got to within 42- 28 when junior quarterback Steele Pizzella connected with wide receiver Jacob Rincon for a 70-yard TD play.
The Cavaliers’ final scoring came with 7:47 left in the game on a 25-yard field goal by sophomore kicker Nathan Altenberg, the son of Serra head coach Scott Altenberg.
Rhaney continued to have strong showings as he rushed for 223 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries. He also scored a TD in the first quarter that game Serra a 7-0 lead.
Notre Dame scored its final touchdown on a 4-yard pass from Pizzella to wide receiver Elikas Puidzunas with 8.9 seconds left in the game.
Serra had to play without two key starting offensive linemen but a pair of 6-foot- 5, 290-pound linemen, Elijah
Henderson and Andy Nieves, were able to step up to help the Cavaliers score six touchdowns and have more than 500 yards total offense.
Serra, though, will hit the road for key league games that includes Friday’s contest at Bishop Amat in La Puente Friday at 7 p.m. The Cavaliers, then, will have an even bigger one at Sierra Canyon in Chatsworth, ranked fifth in the CIF-Southern Section by Maxpreps, on Oct. 20. Serra is currently 10th in the Southern Section.
North Saxons shut out rival South
North Torrance High’s football team is 2-0 in the Pioneer League after blanking cross town rival South Torrance 34-0 last Friday at North.
The Saxons, who improved to 4-3 overall, continued to have an outstanding showing from the freshmen-brother combination of quarterback Boogie Anetema and wide receiver Kingston Anetema. Both connected for two touchdowns as Boogie finished the game by completing 19 of 24 passes for 220 yards and four TD’s. Kingston caught seven passes for 122 yards and two touchdowns.
Junior wide receiver Felix Alvillar added six receptions for 72 yards and one TD. Wide receiver-defensive back Trysten Henry also had one scoring catch.
On the ground, North was led by running back Marquette Carter who ran for 28 yards and one touchdown, and Ben Fernseca with 42 yards on 11 carries.
Defensively, Henry, a returning all-Pioneer League and Daily Breeze all-South Bay defensive back, recorded 15 tackles. Koa Moran added 13 tackles and Jayen Sauth had eight.
The Saxons will have a key Pioneer game against Torrance Friday at 7 p.m. at Zamparini Field. Last Friday at Torrance, the Tartars evened their league record to 1-1 with a 35-26 win over El Segundo.
The Spartans (0-2 in league and 2-5 overall) host Lawndale Friday at 7 p.m.
Narbonne shows green in topping Banning Pilots
Narbonne High’s football team showed up at Banning High in Wilmington wearing its green home uniforms that sparked a controversy among the Pilot coaches.
Both coaching staffs argued over the uniforms as the Banning coaches said that the Gauchos should have shown up in their white visiting uniforms.
Narbonne went on to rally from an 11-point deficit to edge the Pilots 22-21.
Banning led 21-10 late in the third quarter but the Gauchos, who are 1-1 in the Marine League, started the rally with a safety. The Pilots were forced into a free kick to the Gauchos and they took advantage of it cutting Banning’s lead to 21-19 on a 7-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Deshawn Laporte to wide receiver Xavier Owens.
After stopping Banning on downs with 3:42 left in the game, Narbonne was able to drive to the Pilot 13-yard line and kicker Jonathan Martinez connected on the winning 30-yard field goal. It was Martinez’s second field goal from the same distance for the game.
The Gauchos come home to face San Pedro, which fell to 0-2 in league after falling to visiting Carson 48-7 last Friday, Friday at 7:30 p.m. The defending league champion Pirates fell to 0-2 in Marine action and 3-4 overall.
After a bye last week, Gardena High’s football team visits Banning in a critical Marine game Friday at 7:30 p.m. The Panthers, who defeated San Pedro in their league opener on Sept. 29 at Gardena, hope to have an amazing finish to a season which saw the Panthers rarely winning league games over the past couple of decades that included an 0-4 Marine record last year. After visiting the Pilots, Gardena comes home to face a currently unbeaten Carson team (8-0 overall and 2-0 in league) on Oct. 20 at the same time before closing league at Narbonne in Harbor City on Oct. 27.
The Panthers are currently ranked fourth in the CIF-Los Angeles City Section as the Colts are second by Maxpreps. In fact, all five Marine teams are in the top 10 as Narbonne is fifth; Banning eighth and San Pedro 10th. Ranked No. 1 in the City Section is powerhouse Lake Balboa Birmingham.
In Pioneer League play last Friday at West, Lawndale shut out the Warriors 35-0.
West, which is 1-1 in league and 1-6 overall, hopes for its second victory as it visits El Segundo (2-5, 0-2) Friday at 7 p.m.
In flag football after losing two weeks ago to Lakewood St. Joseph 37-7 in Camino Real League play, Serra High rebounded for wins of 30-0 on Oct. 2 at Cantwell-Sacred Heart in Montebello and 7-6 over host St. Bernard on Oct. 4 in Playa del Rey.
The Lady Cavaliers, who are 6-4 overall and 4-1 in league, hosted Sacred Heart of Jesus from Los Angeles on Wednesday and close league at St. Joseph on Monday at 4 p.m. and home against Cantwell-Sacred Heart next Wednesday at 6:30 p.m.
North Torrance High scraped up a flag football team but was shut out by host Torrance 13-0 last Thursday.
The Tartars play rival West Torrance today at 7 p.m. at a neutral site.
Last Thursday, host West rolled over South Torrance 46-18.
