By Joe Snyder
North Torrance High’s football team received a scare from crosstown rival West Torrance but bounced back to top the Warriors 40-30 in a non-league rivalry last Friday at North.
The Saxons, who improved to 2-1, surged to a 20-7 second quarter lead before seeing West, which is 1-2 and coming off an impressive 30-6 win over Santa Monica a week earlier, rally for 17 unanswered points to take a 24-20 lead but, behind the outstanding sophomore brother passing combination of Boogie and Kingston Anetema, North was able to go on a 20-0 run and finish off with the victory.
“We made way too many mistakes,” North head coach Todd Croce said. “We can’t make mistakes. The Anetema passing really stepped up.”
The Saxons started off well but West, behind senior quarterback Eli Brandt, inched back in the game and finally took a 24-20 lead on a 63-yard fumble recovery return by Tyler Black with 8:44 left in the third quarter.
From there, the Anetema brothers took over for three touchdown passes. They connected on TD passes of 15, 12 and 25 yards and turned around the game with a 40-24 advantage with 8:54 remaining in the game.
Behind some outstanding passing by Brandt, the Warriors scored the game’s last touchdown on a 2-yard run from senior running back Justin Jaimes but North was able to receive the ball and run out the clock.
North was able to take a two-touchdown lead late in the second quarter behind a 2-yard scoring run from running back Will Pineda, a 20-yard TD pass from Anetema to sophomore wide receiver Jayden Andrade and a 2-yard touchdown quarterback keeper by Boogie Anetema.
Boogie Anetema completed 20 of 32 passes for 295 yards and three TDs. Kingston, who caught all scoring passes from Boogie, had nine receptions for 157 yards.
The Saxons, who are ranked sixth in the South Bay by the Daily Breeze, remain home for a CIF-Intersectional non-league game against Carson Friday at 7 p.m. The Colts, who are currently ranked No. 1 in the CIF-Los Angeles City Section by MaxPreps, are coming off a 66-0 shutout of Paramount last Friday. Last season, North lost to host Carson 21-7.
“We got to come and play every week,” Croce said.
West hosts Cerritos High Friday at 7 p.m.
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GHS avenges earlier losses to Dymally
Gardena High’s football team continues to be on a roll after its third consecutive blowout victory of 55-6 over Mervyn Dymally High from South Los Angeles last Friday at Gardena.
The Panthers’ rout of Dymally avenged their two earlier defeats from 2021 and 2022. Two years ago, Gardena lost to Dymally 30-14 in the first round of the CIF-L.A. City Section Division I playoffs at Dymally.
The Panthers had three touchdown passes by senior quarterback Isaiah Kim and running back Xavier Grant scored three TD’s.
In four games, Gardena (4-0) outscored its opponents by a combined total score of 187-13, including 173-6 in the last three games. In its previous two games, the Panthers blanked Crenshaw 52-0 and Compton Centennial 66-0.
The Panthers have a bye week before hosting Dominguez High from Compton on Sept. 27 at 4 p.m.
Serra had a bye week last week and will visit Oaks Christian High in Westlake Village today at 7 p.m. The Cavaliers are 2-1 after outlasting non-league rival Long Beach Poly 27-21 on Sept. 7 in an Honor Bowl game at Cathedral Catholic High in San Diego. Serra is still the top ranked team in the South Bay by the Daily Breeze.
In other games involving local teams, host Narbonne avenged two earlier defeats to top CIF-Southern Section teams from Los Alamitos and Culver City by crushing Venice 55-7 last Friday in Harbor City. Host Carson routed Paramount 66-0; Torrance Bishop Montgomery rolled over South L.A. Washington 48-8, and South Torrance lost to host El Segundo 16-7.
The Gauchos, ranked second in the L.A. City Section by MaxPreps, visit Cathedral High near Downtown L.A. Friday at 7 p.m. The Colts travel to North Torrance at the same time. The Knights begin Camino Real League play at home against St. Genevieve High from Panorama City and the Spartans are at home against Hawthorne. Both games are also Friday at 7 p.m. After a bye last week, Torrance (3-0) visits El Segundo at the same time.
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ECC is 1-1 after home opening loss to Palomar
After opening its season with a 29-10 win at Southwestern College on Sept. 7 in Chula Vista, El Camino College’s football team had some key mistakes and failed to capitalize on opportunities in a 14-10 home opening loss to Palomar College from San Marcos (San Diego County) last Saturday at Murdock Stadium.
After the Comets scored first on a 41-yard interception return by Mason Thomas, the Warriors came back to grab a 10-7 second quarter lead on a 2-yard touchdown run by Azeen Nelson and a 32-yard field goal from Cooper Delevia.
Palomar came back to take the lead on a 66-yard TD pass to K.J. Chatham and, from there, there was no further scoring.
The Warriors (1-1) lost to the Comets despite outgaining them 443-249 in total yards and had 21 first downs to nine for Palomar.
Quarterback Tyler Karen completed 20 of 36 passes for 216 yards for ECC. Wide receiver Manuel Reynoso caught five passes for 107 yards.
Rosh Zamin rushed for 80 yards on just two carries. Nelson had 60 yards and one touchdown on 10 carries.
Against Southwestern, El Camino jumped out to a 13-3 halftime lead behind a 3-yard TD run by Zamir Hall and field goals of 20 and 30 yards by Delevia, then added 16 more second half points on a 24-yard field goal from Delevia and two TDs; by Aiden Semo (3-yard run) and Azeon Nelson (one-yard run).
Things will not get any easier for the Warriors as they host always highly regarded Riverside City College Saturday at 6 p.m.
