By Joe Snyder
Gardena High’s football team began its annual homecoming game as a heavy favorite over winless King-Drew Medical Magnet High, which is fielding football for just the second time this season.
Last year, the Panthers rolled over the host Golden Eagles 37-6 in King-Drew’s homecoming game at Los Angeles Harbor College.
Shortly after the Gardena High 1973 CIF-L.A. City Section championship team was honored, Gardena’s offense was unable to unravel against the inspired Golden Eagles. Also, the Panthers entered the contest recording four shutouts in the other five games, including three in a row in their wins over Compton Centennial, L.A. Jordan and Washington.
Gardena’s defense tried to keep it a scoreless game but King-Drew (0-5) was finally able to end the Panther’s scoreless streak when quarterback Keenan Jackson tossed a 21-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Jonathan Brown for a 6-0 lead with 20 seconds left before halftime.
With 44 seconds remaining in the third quarter, Jackson scored from two yards out that gave the Golden Eagles a 12-0 lead.
The fourth quarter finally saw Gardena hand the chores over to star junior running back Xavier Grant and he responded well as he ran for two touchdowns and kicker Angel Munive added two points after touchdowns as the Panthers pulled off a 14-12 victory to increase their record to 6-0 entering the brutal Marine League at home against de- fending league champion San Pedro on Friday beginning at 7:30 p.m.
Just 12 seconds into the fourth period, Grant quickly answered the call as he sprinted 69 yards for the TD cutting King-Drew’s lead to 12-7.
Grant, then, added his second and winning touchdown on a 40-yard run with 3:23 to go in the game that was followed by Munive’s second extra point.
From there, Gardena’s defense was able to hold down the Golden Eagles and was able to run down the clock for the win.
Prior to the game, Gardena’s 1973 squad, then called the Mohicans that won the L.A. City title, was honored for their 50th anniversary of their feat. It was Gardena’s third City title, winning previously in 1964 and 1969. Gardena would win two more City crowns in 2000 (Invitational) and 2019 (Division III).
Head Panther coach Monty Gilbreath feels that the Panthers are capable of surprising the Marine League with their first title since 1974 and even entering the L.A. City Section Open Division playoffs. Last year, Gardena was last in the rigorous Marine after a 6-0 non-league record and lost in the first round of the L.A. City Section Division I playoffs to host Mervyn Dymally.
The Panthers will get their first taste of this year’s Marine against the always powerful Pirates on Friday.
The homecoming contest was marred by an approximately 20-minute delay due to an illegal flying of a drone over the field midway in the second quarter.
The homecoming king and queen were Gardena player Desmond Wright and Anahi Juarez, respectively.
ECC starts WS Conf. with rout of Moorpark
El Camino College’s football team began the Western States Conference with a 65-29 home win over Moorpark College last Saturday.
The Warriors spotted the Raiders an early 10-0 lead by outscoring them 65-19 the rest of the game.
Down by 10 points, ECC scored 21 unanswered points in the first quarter behind two touchdown passes by quarterback Nicholas Poulos, one of 62 yards to Marceese Yetts and 76 to Joshua Lorick that gave El Camino (3-1 overall and 1-0 in conference) a 21-10 lead at the end of the period. The other touchdown was scored by Poulos on a 5-yard run that gave the Warriors a 14-10 advantage and they never trailed from there.
The second quarter saw ECC extend its lead to 38-17. After Moorpark cut El Camino’s lead to 21-17 on a 68- yard scoring pass from quarterback Macloud Crowton to wide receiver River Stout, El Camino finished the first half with a 17-0 run behind a 20-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Dayton Tafoya to Bryant Williams, a 46-yard pass from Poulos to Joshua Lorek and a 29-yard field goal by Cooper Dileva.
The Warriors continued to pour it on the Raiders with two touchdowns each in the third and fourth quarters. Yetts scored on a 40- yard run and Poulos tossed a 6-yard scoring pass to Khyren Ross giving ECC a 51-17 third period lead before Moorpark came back with two touchdowns.
Running back Zamir Hall finished El Camino’s scoring in the fourth period on runs of 59 and eight yards.
The Warriors had 667 to- tal offensive yards to 347 for the Raiders. Poulos completed 14 of 18 passes for 303 yards, four touchdowns and one interception. Tafoya was 6-for-8 with 81 yards and one TD. Lorick had four receptions for 161 yards and two touchdowns.
Amani Givens rushed for 99 yards on eight carries. Hall ran for 73 yards and two touchdowns on three carries. Yetts rushed for 51 yards and one TD on five carries.
ECC will visit Bakersfield College in an always challenging conference game Saturday at 6 p.m.
Lady Cavs win two straight after losing first three
Serra High’s girls’ flag football team began their first CIF-Southern Section season with three consecutive losses to powerful squads in Irvine Woodbridge, Newport Beach Corona del Mar and Long Beach Poly before bouncing back to begin the Camino Real League with a 25-18 victory on a 40-yard run with 3:23 to go in the game that was followed by Munive’s second extra point.
From there, Gardena’s defense was able to hold down the Golden Eagles and was able to run down the clock for the win.
Prior to the game, Gardena’s 1973 squad, then called the Mohicans that won the L.A. City title, was honored for their 50th anniversary of their feat. It was Gardena’s third City title, winning previously in 1964 and 1969. Gar- dena would win two more City crowns in 2000 (Invitational) and 2019 (Division III).
Head Panther coach Monty Gilbreath feels that the Panthers are capable of surprising the Marine League with their first title since 1974 and even entering the L.A. City Section Open Division playoffs. Last year, Gardena was last in the rigorous Marine after a 6-0 non-league record and lost in the first round of the L.A. City Section Division I playoffs to host Mervyn Dymally.
The Panthers will get their first taste of this year’s Marine against the always powerful Pirates on Friday.
The homecoming contest was marred by an approxi- mately 20-minute delay due to an illegal flying of a drone over the field midway in the second quarter.
The homecoming king and queen were Gardena player Desmond Wright and Anahi Juarez, respectively.
