In last Thursday’s scrimmages against Rosemead Don Bosco Tech and Norwalk John Glenn at Gardena High, the Panthers already showed hopes that they want to show the rigorous Marine League that they will no longer be any pushover.
Of course, the Panthers were embarrassed by CIF-Los Angeles City Section Division I champion Narbonne 65-0, City Division I runner-up Carson 64-0 in their homecoming game, San Pedro 42-7 and Banning 42-8, in their 2-8 (1-9 on the field) campaign last year.
In last Thursday’s scrimmages against Rosemead Don Bosco Tech and Norwalk John Glenn at Gardena High, the Panthers already showed hopes that they want to show the rigorous Marine League that they will no longer be any pushover.
Of course, the Panthers were embarrassed by CIF-Los Angeles City Section Division I champion Narbonne 65-0, City Division I runner-up Carson 64-0 in their homecoming game, San Pedro 42-7 and Banning 42-8, in their 2-8 (1-9 on the field) campaign last year.
Gardena played very well against the Techmen and Eagles in their scrimmages last Thursday that included dominating Glenn and it hopes that it can spread throughout the real season. It looks to, at least, play the likes of Narbonne, Carson and San Pedro a lot tougher with more respectful scores this time around.
The Panthers begin their season by traveling some 75 miles northwest to Oxnard to take on Santa Clara Friday at 7 p.m.
Gardena will have a new quarterback in senior Jonathan Mudd with senior Jamar McDonald expected to be a key wide receiver.
The Panthers have three good running backs in returning senior starters Alonzo Meeks and James Henderson. Another top player will be junior Tyler Frazier.
On top of that, Gardena gets to move down from Division I to II, giving the Panthers, even if they still finish in the lower part of the league, a shot at going far in the playoffs or even winning a City championship. Gardena won the City Invitational title in 2000. Washington, which Gardena defeated for its only on-field win of the season, is also in Division II, while Narbonne, Carson, Banning and San Pedro stay in the powerful Division I.
Gardena head coach Vince Smith likes his lineman, especially on offense. Top players include junior Zion Wole-Spurlin, junior Michael Gonzalez, sophomore Ryan Schenck, junior Daniel Farias, along with seniors George Bushio and Chris Jiminez.
Defensively, the Panthers return to key linebackers in seniors Frazier and Ryan Murray. Gardena also has two very good defensive backs in junior Tyler Cater and senior Dajon Owens.
“We’re pretty good this year,” Smith, in his second season, said. “We did a lot of work over the spring and summer. We’re trying to change our culture and improve. Overall, we’re going to get better. We lost just six seniors and are more experienced. Last year, we played a\lot of sophomores and juniors. We had kids who hadn’t played football before.”
After Santa Clara, the Panthers visit Verbum Dei at L.A. Southwest College on Sept. 4, before playing their first home game against North Hollywood on Sept. 18. Gardena visits Morningside at Coleman Stadium in Inglewood on Sept. 25 and Warren High in Downey in its non-league finale on Oct. 2.
The Panthers begin Marine action at always powerful Carson on Oct. 9, before hosting Narbonne, the top ranked team in the City Division I and rated third in Grteater L.A. by the L.A. Times, on Oct. 16. Gardena, then, has back-to-back league road games against San Pedro (Oct. 23) and Washington (Oct. 30), before hosting Banning in its Marine finale on Nov. 6. All games are at 7 p.m.
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North Football
Juarez and Co. hope to get Saxons rolling
By Joe Snyder
Staff Writer
Led by now University of Southern California all-around commit Mique Juarez, North Torrance High’s football team did well but had to settle for a second place finish, behind cross town rival West Torrance, in the Pioneer League.
When Juarez left with an injury in the first round of the CIF-Southern Section Western Division playoffs, the Saxons fell apart and lost to Simi Valley 45-19.
Juarez is expected to be one of the most dominating players in Southern California and he is, no doubt, very capable of beating anyone, single handedly. According to head coach Todd Croce, teammates and others who have seen him, he is a quarterback, wide receiver, running back, lineman, special team player, punter, defensive back and linebacker all in one. He is like several players in one, very similar to Inglewood Morningside sensation Stais Boseman of the early 1990’s.
Juarez also has good speed with a 4.45-second recording in the football 40-yard dash.
He already had a very good showing in the prestigious Opening that included many top players in the country, and proved that he was among the elite.
Juarez, who was all-Southern Section Western Division and all-state, will get some help. Also returning are all-Pioneer Leaguers in seniors Jason Colclaure and Justin Allomond. Colclasure, who was called up from the junior varsity midway last year, played linebacker but could be used as a receiver on offense.
North opens its season at Redondo, a team it edged 13-10 on Juarez’s 97-yard kickoff return that followed the Sea Hawks’ go-ahead field goal in last year’s opener, Friday at 7 p.m. The Sea Hawks, though, have good depth and talent, behind Mira Costa transfer quarterback Jason Silvera. Last year with the Mustangs, who were injury riddled with a 3-7 record, Silvera passed for 1,552 yards and 13 touchdowns. Redondo also has good overall speed, behind wide receiver Warren Jackson and running backs Jerome Jackson and Dallas Branch. Senior defensive lineman Cedric Muzik and junior offensive-defensive lineman Dan Zimmerman, also a standout on Redondo’s CIF-Southern Section Division III championship baseball team of last spring, are other top returning starters.
The Saxons are at Peninsula High in Rolling Hills Estates for a 3 p.m. non-league game on Sept. 4 before their home opener against Beverly Hills on Sept. 11. North, then, hosts Ojai Nordhoff on Sept. 18, before visiting Inglewood on Sept. 24.
After a bye, the Saxons begin the Pioneer at home against Compton Centennial on Oct. 9, before what will be expected to be a showdown at West Torrance on Oct. 16. North closes league with three home games against Torrance (Oct. 23), Lawndale Leuzinger (Oct. 30) and South Torrance (Nov. 6). All games, except at Peninsula, begin at 7 p.m.
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Sports Scoop
Narbonne seeks to compete in state open final
By Joe Snyder
Staff Writer
Narbonne High’s football team captured the CIF-Los Angeles City championship last year and will be looking for more with most of its top talent returning.
Among top players back will be University of Arizona-bound running back Sean Riley.
Also back are third year starting quarterback Roman Ale, senior wide receivers De Vaughn Cooper, Vincent heard, Lewis Citizen and Alex Akigbulu, junior defensive end Lawson Hall, senior linebacker Lawson Hall, along with senior defensive back Daniel Brown and Jamal Hicks.
The Gauchos start the season ranked third in Greater Los Angeles by the L.A. Times.
Narbonne will play a rigid preseason schedule that begins at home against Long Beach Poly on Sept. 3 at 7 p.m. and at defending CIF-Southern Section Western Division champion Palos Verdes on Sept. 11 at 3 p.m. and a showdown at home against Gardena Serra on Sept. 18.
Carson was City Division I runner-up but lost several key starters. The Colts still have some very good players in senior safety-quarterback Deshawn Littleton and running back Adrean Hooper.
West Torrance was top ranked in the CIF-Southern Section Western Division until losing in the semifinals to eventual champion Palos Verdes 28-16. It lost several key players but still have very good talent in running back Bryien Baucham and a very good senior quarterback in Drake Peabody, son of Long Beach City College head football coach Brett Peabody.
The Warriors continue to be the favorites in the Pioneer League.
Torrance and South Torrance appear to be rebuilding but hope to continue to make some noise in Pioneer play and seek Western Division playoff spots.
Bishop Montgomery also hopes to do well in the South Catholic League.
