By Joe Snyder
After a heartbreaking one-point loss to host Wilmington Banning on Oct. 13, Gardena High’s football team came home last Friday to take on an undefeated Carson team that entered the game ranked No. 2 in the CIF-Los Angeles City Section by Maxpreps.
The Colts won a large majority of their games by lopsided scores and the Panthers knew what they were in for.
Gardena used a stingy defense that forced four turnovers, including two lost fumbles, to upset Carson 27-7.
It was the Panthers’ first win over the traditional City power Colts since 2002. In that year, Gardena, head coached by Marshall Jones, advanced to the L.A. City Section Division I semifinals before losing to eventual champion Lake Balboa Birmingham.
With the win, the Panthers improved to 8-1 overall and 2-1 in Marine action. Carson has the same record as both teams are tied for first place in league.
Gardena was sparked by a junior trio of quarterback Isaiah Kim, running back-defensive back Xavier Grant and wide receiver Myles Mason.
Kim and Mason connected for two touchdowns. Grant forced two fumbles including one that he returned for a TD.
In the game, Mason scored three touchdowns, two receiving and one rushing, as he totaled 152 yards with one interception.
The Colts, who dominated all their other opponents that included a league-opening 48-7 rout of host San Pedro on Oct. 6, appeared like it would do the same to the Panthers. Carson took an early 7-0 lead on a 30-yard scoring pass from quarterback Lincoln Iakopo to tight end Dayton Norris.
After Gardena botched a punt, Carson received the ball at the Panther 30-yard line with a big opportunity for an early two-touchdown lead. That all ended as Mason intercepted a pass by Iakopo and that got things started for inspired Gardena.
The drive started when Kim founded Johan Wallace for back-to-back first down passes. Later in the drive, a bad snap by the Panthers put the ball on the Carson 35-yard line but, four plays later, Kim connected with Mason for a 13-yard TD but the point after touchdown attempt was missed as the Colts continued to lead 7-6.
Shortly after Carson received the ball, Grant forced a fumble and Gardena got the ball at the Colt 32-yard line. It took only two plays for the Panthers to grab a 13-7 lead on Kim’s 28-yard scoring pass to Mason. Gardena would never trail from there.
With 2:19 left in the game, Mason scored his third touchdown on a 40-yard run.
A few plays on Carson’s ensuing drive, Grant sacked backup quarterback Stephen Tua, who replaced the injured Iakopo, forcing the fumble that he scooped up and raced 60 yards for the Panthers’ final TD.
Kim had a fine game throwing for 173 yards and two touchdowns.
Gardena will look for its first Marine League title since 1974 as it visits Narbonne in Harbor City Friday at 7:30 p.m. Last week the Gauchos had a bye after falling at San Pedro 35-26 on Oct. 13. Carson will host its traditional rivalry against Banning at the same time. The Pilots are coming off a 42-20 loss to San Pedro last Friday.
The Panthers are currently ranked fourth in the L.A. City Section while the Colts remain at second, despite the loss.
Cavaliers fall on late tie-breaking touchdown
Serra High’s football team fought hard but finally fell on the short end of a 35-28 score to host Sierra Canyon in a Mission League showdown last Friday in Chatsworth.
Serra led 21-14 late in the second quarterback Jimmy Butler scored on a 12-yard keeper.
Shortly before the end of the first half, though, the Trailblazers came back to tie the game at 21 on a 30-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Wyatt Becker to wide receiver Cole Crawford, who made a diving catch in the end zone.
The third period was scoreless.
Sierra Canyon, ranked third in the CIF-Southern Section and California by Maxpreps, started the fourth quarter well and took a 28-21 lead with 10:23 left in game on Becker’s 6-yard TD run.
Later in the fourth period, Serra tied the game at 28 on a 25-yard scoring pass from Butler to wide receiver Zacharyus Williams.
With about two minutes left in the game, the Trailblazers attempted a 53-yard field goal but the kick was blocked but Serra was called for roughing the kicker and Sierra Canyon had a chance. The Trailblazers took advantage of it as, about a minute later, scored the eventual winning touchdown on running back Dane Dunn’s 2-yard run.
From there, Sierra Canyon’s defense was able to hold down the Cavaliers.
The Trailblazers opened the scoring in the first quarter but Serra bounced back with a 14-7 lead behind two TDs on each side by Camron Harris-Wilcot. His first was on a 45-yard run and his second was a 55-yard interception return.
Sierra Canyon tied the game at 14 on Dunn’s one-yard scoring run.
The Cavaliers will seek to close league and the regular season with a victory as they host last place Alemany from Mission Hills Friday at 7 p.m.
North clinches Pioneer grid title
On Oct. 13, North Torrance High’s football team defeated host Torrance 20-10 but received even better news when South Torrance stunned Pioneer League power Lawndale 7-0.
Last Friday, the Saxons came home to face the Cardinals, who were missing 10 starters with injuries. North picked up its first win over Lawndale since 2018 at 21-12 in the league showdown last Friday to win its first Pioneer crown in five years.
The Saxons, who are 4-0 in Pioneer action and 7-2 overall, put the game away with 4:56 left when Marquette Carter scored on a 34-yard touchdown run. Carter rushed for 66 yards on seven carries just on North’s final TD drive.
Lawndale, defending four-time Pioneer champion, attempted to make the game close and, possibly, pull it out, but its drive was stopped by an interception by Brandon Smith with 1:57 remaining. North was able to down the ball a few times.
With the rash of injuries, the Cardinals (5-4 overall and 2-2 in league) were forced to use freshman Chris Fields at quarterback. He managed to play well throwing for 163 yards and rushed for 106 more, including two 4-yard scoring runs.
North took a 14-0 halftime lead on touchdowns by freshman wide receiver Kingston Anetema (one yard from his freshman brother Boogie Anetema) and running back Ben Fonseca (one-yard run).
The Cardinals came back with two touchdowns but missed a point-after-touchdown attempt and a two-point conversion before seeing the Saxons pull away behind Carter’s TD run.
North closes its season with its Pioneer finale at West Torrance Friday at 7 p.m. Last Friday, the struggling Warriors (1-8, 1-3) lost at home to Torrance 30-13.
In another game, South Torrance defeated host El Segundo 28-7 and will host the Tartars in their league finale Friday at 7 p.m.
Gardena runner wins LB Marathon
Ryley Fick, a 23-year-old Gardena resident, captured the women’s division of the Long Beach Marathon on Oct. 15.
Fick topped the field in two hours, 58 minutes, and 29.5 seconds to defeat second place Patten Makenzie from Eagle, Idaho (3:04:44) over the 26.2-mile course. Finishing third was Liz Arnold from Venice at 3:05:18.
The top male and overall finisher was 32-year-old Jason Yang of Los Angeles clocking 2:27:03.9. Placing second and third, in order, included Raymon Ornelas (age 23, Long Beach, 2:29:01) and Fernando Villeda-Reyes (age 35, Guadalajara, Mexico, 2:35:30.9).
Winning the men’s half marathon (13.1 miles) was Azrtib Kedesma-Fuentes, a 25-year-old Azusa resident in 1:05:27. Taking second and third, respectively, were Robert Miranda (age 23, Venice, 1:07:30) and Luis Gutierrez (age 29, Rancho Cucamonga, 1:08:35).
For the women, 24-year-old Jennifer Sandoval of Fontana won timing 1:08:35. Finishing second and third, in order, included Marquax Avix (age 31, Los Angeles, 1:20:02.3) and Laura Velasco (age 22, Downey, 1:15:19).
The event also included the Aquarium of the Pacific 5-kilometer run. The top overall finisher was 31-year-old Kevin Horchler of Fullerton in 16:43. Placing second was Parth Surte (age 28, Pasadena, 17:10) and Noah Lopez (age 33, Torrance, 17:57) was third.
For the women, 32-year-old Annalise O’ Toole of Bismarck, North Dakota won clocking 20:41. Taking second and third, respectively, were Hollie Sick (age 33, Lancaster, 20:59) and Sierra Harden (age 12, Ladera Ranch, 21:48).
In the CIF-Southern Section Division II girls’ volleyball playoffs, South Torrance advanced to the quarterfinals by outlasting host Pasadena Poly, 25-11, 18-25, 15-25, 25-18, 15-13 last Saturday. The Spartans hosted Moore League co-champion Long Beach Poly, with rival Wilson, on Wednesday. The winner will play in the semifinals on Saturday at 6 p.m.
Torrance lost in the second round of the Division II playoffs to host and top seed Redondo, 25-19, 28-30, 25-15, 25-17, last Saturday.
On Oct. 18 at Torrance, the Tartars began the playoffs by sweeping Chino Hills, 25-11, 25-12, 25-16.
Chino Hills was a familiar opponent to Torrance, which it defeated for the Division V crown two years ago. The Tartars, though, lost to Chino Hills in the first round of the Southern California Regional playoffs.
El Camino College’s football team improved to 5-2 overall and 3-2 in the Western States Conference with a 45-20 win over host Santa Barbara City College last Saturday.
The Warriors were led by quarterback Dayton Tafoya who completed 16 of 23 passes for 299 yards and four touchdowns.
Wide receiver Joshua Lorrick caught six of those passes for 78 yards and two TDs.
Running back Jakai Torres rushed for 118 yards on 13 carries. Kevin Balimana had a 13-yard scoring run.
ECC comes home to face Antelope Valley College from Lancaster Saturday at 6 p.m.
