By Joe Snyder
For the first three quarters, it appeared that Gardena High’s football team appeared to be headed for an upset win over No. 2 seed and host South Gate in the CIF-Los Angeles City Section Division I quarterfinals last Friday.
The Panthers had a 24-8 lead through three quarters before the Rams stormed back with two touchdowns and two two-point conversions in the fourth period to tie the game at 24 and sent it into overtime. In the first overtime period, running back Nicholas Fonsesa scored on a 10-yard run that was followed by another two-point conversion as South Gate finished its rally for a 32-24 win and eliminating the Panthers.
Gardena started things well in grabbing an 8-0 first quarter lead on a 13-yard touchdown run from quarterback Kevin Martinez, followed by his two-point conversion run.
With about five minutes left in the second period, the Rams, who are 9-3 overall, tied the game at eight on a 90-yard TD run from Fonsesa and followed by their successful two-point conversion.
Shortly before halftime, Martinez scored his second touchdown on a one-yard sneak and he converted on a run as the Panthers had a 16-8 halftime lead.
In the third quarter, Martinez threw a 35-yard scoring pass to wide receiver Akiah Brown, before successful two-point conversion and Gardena held the 16-point lead.
From there, that was all head of from the Panthers as South Gate came back with two TDs by Nicholas Quintonilla and the Rams were successful on both two-point conversions to tie the game at 24 and sending the game into overtime.
With the loss, Gardena ended its season at 4-7. The Panthers finished in third place in the Marine League behind champion Carson and runner-up San Pedro. The Colts won their Open Division quarterfinal over King-Drew Medical Magnet High 27-2 at Carson but the host Pirates were upset by Crenshaw 30-0 in the rain last Friday night.
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Carson stifles K-Drew in Open Div.
Carson High’s football team entered the prestigious CIF-Los Angeles City Section Open Division playoffs as the top-seed and it proved it on the eighth seed King-Drew Medical Magnet High squad from Willowbrook in a 27-2 win in the rain last Friday at Carson.
The Colts, who improved to 9-3, played a stingy defense against the Golden Eagles, behind defensive end Kingston Sula, who recorded four quarterback pressures, eight tackles, two assists and one forced fumble, which was picked up by Deshawn White who ran the ball to the King-Drew 25-yard line setting up one of Carson’s touchdowns.
The Golden Eagles took an early 2-0 lead on a safety after a mishandled snap rolled out of the end zone.
From there, it was all Carson. The Colts took the lead for good when linebacker Preston Leomiti recovered a fumble in the end zone.
Quarterback Chris Fields III added two quick touchdowns on runs of 35 and 10 yards in the second quarter. His 35-yard score was set up by a King-Drew fumble on a kickoff return.
Carson’s next game is the semifinals against No. 5 seed Garfield which knocked off No. 4 seed and host Palisades 42-21 last Friday.
In the CIF-Southern Section Division III girls’ cross-country prelims in heavy rain last Saturday at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, North Torrance High’s Jaqueline Sato, as an individual, qualified for this Saturday’s championship after a second-place finish in her heat at 17 minutes and 30.3 seconds over the three-mile course.
West Torrance High’s boys won its heat in the boys’ Division II prelims with 46 points, led by Dylan Mehnert who won his heat clocking 15:09.
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Martin assumes role as GHS boys’ basketball coach
Mike Martin, who was an assistant boys’ basketball coach to Ernie Carr last season, moved up to the head coaching job after Carr was forced to retire due to suffering a massive stroke on Sept. 16.
Prior to coming to Gardena, Martin was an assistant boys’ basketball coach at St. Monica High in Santa Monica.
Martin played basketball at Rich Central High in Chicago, where he graduated in 2003. It is the high school that former National Basketball Association star Kendall Gil played at, where he graduated in 1985, Gil played for the Seattle Supersonics (now the Oklahoma City Thunder) and the New Jersey (now Brooklyn) Nets. Martin went on to play at NCAA Division II college Chico State University, where he graduated in 2008. At Chico State, he was the California Collegiate Athletic Association Most Valuable Player as a small forward in his senior season.
Martin played pro basketball in China, Egypt, Baharia, Iraq and Canada before retiring as a player in 2016.
Gone from last season is leading scorer Willie Denham, who is now at El Camino College and Martin is faced with mostly a very young team with little experience.
The Panthers have only two seniors, both returning players in 6-foot-2 point guard E.J. Johnson and guard Tristan Wilburn. According to Martin, Gardena has two promising juniors in 6-foot-3 forward Joshua Ebenea and 6-foot guard Collin Randhel.
“I’m looking forward to him (Johnson) to really grow this year,” Martin said of Johnson. “He has high potential.” Both Johnson and Ebenea are returning players.
Despite youth, the Panthers are hoping to be contenders in the Marine League, led by San Pedro, Carson, and Rancho Dominguez Prep from Long Beach.
“We’re super young,” Martin said of Gardena’s boys’ basketball team. “We have just two seniors. I look for us to play well. We have a good defense.”
The Panthers began play with a non-league game at home against Sherman Oaks Center of Enriched Studies last Monday. Gardena plays next week in the San Gabriel Valley Thanksgiving Tournament before a non-league game at home against El Segundo on Dec. 1 at 7:30 p.m. The Panthers begin the Marine League at Narbonne on Dec. 10 at 6 p.m.
