By Joe Snyder
When a team plays in one of the toughest prep football leagues in California, it must keep all its players healthy to compete.
That was the case with Serra High’s football team in its homecoming game against Chaminade High from West Hills last Friday night. Things looked good for the Cavaliers to get their first Mission League victory with a 27-10 second quarter lead. Then, went down two premiere players in senior wide receiver-defensive back Davohn Moutra, Jr., and wide receiver defensive back Duvay Williams with injuries.
From there, the Eagles proceeded to score 27 unanswered points to pull off a 37-27 victory, leaving Serra with an 0-3 league record and 3-5 overall. It is the first time since 2019 that the Cavaliers lost three straight games, losing in the first two weeks to Chatsworth Sierra Canyon and Los Angeles Loyola.
Serra started out well by scoring four touchdowns in its first five possessions to build the 17-point lead with 4:13 left in the second period.
The Cavaliers scored on their first possession on an 80-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Malik Tunai to running back Jayshaun Edwards.
In the third quarter, Chaminade cut Serra’s lead to 27-24 when its back-up quarterback Jeremy Mellaliaun tossed a 41-yard TD pass to wide receiver Elijah Williams.
The Cavaliers had a chance to extend that lead but could only get five yards on its first three plays forcing a fourth-down-and-five as the team lined up to punt. Instead Tunai attempted to run but was stopped 17 yards short.
From there, the Eagles needed just three plays to get their first lead at 30-27 on when running back Ronnell Hewitt scored his second of three touchdowns on a 4-yard run. He added another scoring rush in the fourth quarter to put the game away for Chaminade.
Tunai, a sophomore replacing another injured player in senior Nicolas Johnson, did well in the first half completing eight of nine passes for 193 yards and two TDs. In the second half, he was just 3-for-7 for 29 yards making him 10-for-15 for 222 yards.
Serra will still attempt to snap its losing streak in hosting Notre Dame High from Sherman Oaks at L.A. Southwest College Friday at 7 p.m.
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North gets first Pioneer win over Peninsula
North Torrance High’s football team picked up its first Pioneer League victory over host Peninsula 34-21 last Friday in Rolling Hills Estates.
The Saxons, who are 5-3 overall and 1-2 in league, got off to a quick start when Dakota Taylor returned a kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown on the first play of the game and they never trailed from there.
Senior quarterback Ethan Edwards completed 14 of 24 passes for 216 yards and one TD. Wide receiver Vincent Aleman caught seven passes for 106 yards. Taylor had four receptions for 26 yards and one touchdown.
Edwards finished with 247 total yards, including 216 passing and 31 rushing.
Kicker John Roa added two field goals.
The Saxons will host cross town rival South Torrance in another league game Friday at 7 p.m. The Spartans are coming off a 48-28 loss to unbeaten Torrance (8-0, 3-0) last Friday at South. The Tartars visit Santa Monica at the same time. The Vikings (5-3, 2-1) lost their first league game at Redondo 47-7 last Friday.
Gardena High’s football team improved to 2-1 in the Marine League and 4-4 overall after downing host Narbonne 48-26 last Friday in Harbor City.
The Panthers will have a critical league game at home against San Pedro in their homecoming game Friday at 7 p.m.
Carson continues on a roll in league after blanking rival Wilmington Banning 40-0 last Friday at Carson.
The Colts host Narbonne today at 7:30 p.m.
West Torrance rolled over winless Beverly Hills 50-0 last Friday at Beverly Hills. The Normans are 0-8 overall and 0-3 in league.
The defending Ocean League champion Warriors (4-4, 3-0) are at home against Centennial High from Compton Friday at 7 p.m. before their league showdown at El Segundo on Oct. 30 at the same time.
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ECC enjoys big night in Palomar win
El Camino College’s football team had a big offensive night as it set a pair of rushing records in its 45-31 win over Palomar College from San Marcos (North San Diego County) in a National South Conference game last Saturday at Murdock Stadium.
The Warriors, as a team, rushed for an astounding 469 yards smashing the previous record of 343 set in 2021. Running back Damonte Bias ran for 266 yards on 27 carries breaking the previous record of 263 set in 1998 by Delvon Flowers.
ECC, which improved to 6-1 overall and 4-0 in conference, had a 21-point lead (31-10 in the third quarter) before seeing the Comets score a pair of touchdowns to cut its lead to 31-24, then 38-31.
The Warriors upped their advantage to 45-31 with about six minutes left in the game on a 7-yard TD pass from quarterback Andrew Maukshardt to running back Jaden Moore. It was set up by Bias’ runs of 21 and 44 yards.
Moore also had an outstanding game rushing for 184 yards and two touchdowns.
El Camino scored on its first two possessions of the game. It grabbed a 7-0 first period lead on an 11-yard scoring pass from Maukshardt to former Torrance Bishop Montgomery High standout Cameron Brewer. On the next Warrior drive, Christian Miranda kicked a 29-yard field goal for a 10-0 advantage.
After Palomar scored a field goal, Maushardt threw his second touchdown pass to Brandon Jones giving ECC a 17-3 lead shortly before halftime.
El Camino built its lead to 24-3 early in the third quarter on a 57-yard run by Bias.
The Comets, who fell to 1-6 overall, got TD’s from Bibba Garcia (99-yard kickoff return following Bias’ scoring run). ECC scored but Palomar had 14 unanswered points on touchdowns by Garcia (27-yard run) and Michael Perry (26-yard pass from quarterback K.J. Chatham.
The Warriors led 38-24 early in the fourth period on a 2-yard scoring run by Moore.
El Camino visits Southwestern College in Chula Vista Saturday at 6 p.m. before coming home to face powerful Riverside City College on Nov. 1 at the same time.
