The Gardena Mohican Pee Wee Pacific Coast Conference youth football team shut out the Crenshaw Raiders, 14-0, last Saturday at Gardena High.
The Mohicans, who improved to 5-1, started their scoring with a 4-yard touchdown run from quarterback Jonathan Johnson, then put the game away in the fourth quarter on a 10-yard scoring run from Jordyn Heath.
Gardena played a very good defensive game, behind Joshua Johnson who had an interception that set up its final TD.
The Gardena Mohican Pee Wee Pacific Coast Conference youth football team shut out the Crenshaw Raiders, 14-0, last Saturday at Gardena High.
The Mohicans, who improved to 5-1, started their scoring with a 4-yard touchdown run from quarterback Jonathan Johnson, then put the game away in the fourth quarter on a 10-yard scoring run from Jordyn Heath.
Gardena played a very good defensive game, behind Joshua Johnson who had an interception that set up its final TD.
“It was an all-around great defensive effort,” Gardena head coach Bernard Heath said. “We have two shutouts this year but we’re still trying to find ourselves. We are together now.”
The Mohicans will face the Santa Monica Vikings at St. Mathias High in Huntington Park Saturday at 3:30 p.m.
Gardena had one other winner from its Mitey Mites which blanked the Wilmington Pilots, 19-0. The Mohican flag team lost to Crenshaw, 6-0, and its Tiny Mites also fell to the Raiders, 19-12.
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Serra slips by Crespi 20-21, now 1-1 in Conference
By Joe Snyder
Sports Editor
After a disappointing 14-7 loss at Bishop Amat at La Puente in a Mission League game Oct. 3, Serra High’s football team bounced back to edge host Crespi, 21-20, in league action last Friday in Encino.
Quarterback Khalil Tate continued to key the Cavaliers, who improved to 5-2 overall and 1-1 in Mission play, by completing 14 of 26 passes for two touchdowns and rushing for 83 yards on 11 carries.
Darion Naylor gave Serra the lead for good when he scored on a 24-yard run with 2:52 left in the game that gave the Cavaliers a 21-14 advantage.
The Celtics cut Serra’s lead to one point but a missed point after touchdown enabled the Cavaliers to hold them off.
Crespi held a 14-7 lead through three quarters, but Serra tied the game early in the fourth period on a 3-yard TD pass from Tate to Asten Perez.
Tate also threw a 22-yard scoring pass to Zeke Zindler in the second quarter.
Deontay Burnett had two catches for 60 yards.
John Houston sparked the Cavaliers’ defense with 16 tackles, five of them solo, and one fumble recovery.
Serra has a bye this week before visiting Alemany in Mission Hills in a key league game on Oct. 24. The Indians were nationally ranked (20th by Maxpreps Xcellent 25) before falling at home to Bishop Amat, 47-20, last Friday. Alemany faces Loyola at Los Angeles Valley College in Van Nuys Friday at 7 p.m.
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Banning overwhelms Gardena in Marine opener
By Joe Snyder
Sports Editor
After a miserable 0-5 preseason, Gardena High’s football team knew it was in for big trouble in the rigorous Marine League.
At Banning High in Wilmington last Friday, the Pilots outmatched the Panthers, 42-0.
Banning, which improved to 4-2 overall, was led by Joe Villarreal who rushed for 129 yards and two touchdowns.
Three other players scored for the Pilots, two of those rushing. These included Jeremiah Valoaga (4-yard run) and fullback Juan Garcia (1-yard run).
Banning’s other TD was scored by Chris Fernandez on a 27-yard pass from quarterback Matt Arredondo. Arredondo completed 13 of 19 passes for 151 yards.
Gardena mustered just 30 yards and two first downs on offense.
Things are not going to get any easier for Gardena (0-6, 0-1), although it comes home. The Panthers host powerful Carson Friday at 7 p.m. The Colts began league play by routing Washington, 54-8, last Friday at Carson.
Other Prep Scores: Over the past few seasons, Torrance High’s football team has played several high scoring games including last Friday’s Pioneer League opening contest against cross town rival South Torrance.
The Tartars outlasted the Spartans, 62-47, at Zamperini Field.
Torrance, which improved to 4-2 overall, was led by running back Tyree Harris who rushed 321 yards and seven touchdowns. Harris scored on runs of four, 57, 11, one, 27, one and 25 yards.
Gabe Zuniga sparked South, which fell to 4-2, by throwing for 365 yards, three interceptions and rushed for 77 yards and three TDs. Wide receiver Bailey Bjazevich caught nine passes for 159 yards, including a 45-yard touchdown.
Despite being without nine players, including standout Mique Juarez, North Torrance was able to edge Centennial, 20-19, last Friday at Centennial in Compton.
Quarterback Chris Kuaea had a fine game that included the eventual winning touchdown pass to wide receiver Makelty Davis that gave the Saxons (4-2, 1-0) a 20-12 lead with 7:53 left in the game.
Kuaea passed for two TDs as North rallied from a 12-0 deficit.
The nine players were ineligible for the contest due to the Saxons’ bench clearing confrontation in their non-league home game against Inglewood caused by a Sentinel ballcarrier being hit hard while returning a punt on Sept. 26. North had a bye a week earlier.
In another Pioneer game, West Torrance, the top ranked team in the CIF-Southern Section Western Division, rolled over host Leuzinger, 45-7, last Friday in Lawndale.
Narbonne rallied from a 24-14 fourth quarter deficit to edge San Pedro, 28-24, Friday at Narbonne.
The Gauchos had the winning touchdown scored by Louis Citizen on an 83-yard run with 1:09 remaining in the game.
Quarterback Roman Ale completed 16 of 21 passes for 219 yards and three touchdowns.
The Gauchos visit Washington Friday at 7 p.m.
Bishop Montgomery routed host Bosco Tech, 49-0, last Friday at Gabrielino High in San Gabriel. The Knights, who won their South Catholic League opener, visit St. Anthony at Clark Field in Long Beach Friday at 7 p.m.
A key Pioneer game will feature West Torrance visiting North Friday at 7 p.m.
ECC can’t hold late lead: El Camino College’s football team was unable to hold a 26-14 lead with approximately 3-and-a-half minutes to go in the game in a 29-26 loss to Cerritos College last Saturday at Redondo High.
The Falcons, who improved to 4-2, took advantage of two pass interference penalties on the Warriors to score the winning touchdown on a 1-yard by Joseph Donnell.
ECC was penalized 14 times for 130 yards to eight for 55 yards for Cerritos.
The Warriors were led by quarterback Joey Notch who completed 27 of 49 passes for 250 yards, three TDs and one interception.
