After losing its 2016 season opener to Wilmington Banning on Aug. 26 at North Torrance High, the Saxons’ football team came back and reeled off back-to-back victories over Aliso Niguel and Bishop Montgomery.
Last Friday, North traveled to Culver City in a match-up between two young but talented teams. The Centaurs, however, used the better of their talent, along with very good speed, and pulled away from the Saxons 37-14.
After losing its 2016 season opener to Wilmington Banning on Aug. 26 at North Torrance High, the Saxons’ football team came back and reeled off back-to-back victories over Aliso Niguel and Bishop Montgomery.
Last Friday, North traveled to Culver City in a match-up between two young but talented teams. The Centaurs, however, used the better of their talent, along with very good speed, and pulled away from the Saxons 37-14.
The game started out like it was going to be evenly matched. Culver scored first with just over two minutes into the contest on a 2-yard run by sophomore Kevin McGuire. With 7:43 left in the first quarter, the Saxons, who fell to 2-2, tied the game at seven when quarterback Glenn Searcy completed a 44-yard touchdown pass play to junior wide receiver J.J. Belmontes.
Behind standout junior quarterback Jonathan Martin, the Centaurs dominated the remainder of the game. Culver, which is 2-1 against three Torrance schools (The Centaurs opened their season falling short of host West Torrance 34-33 on Sept. 2 then rolled over Torrance 49-14 on Sept. 9 at Culver.), took the lead for good on a 2-yard keeper by Martin with five seconds remaining in the first period.
The Centaurs made it 21-7 in the second quarter on a 5-yard TD pass from Martin to junior wide receiver Charles Ross. This score stood at halftime.
Culver added a 30-yard field goal from junior kicker Carlos Barillas but North got itself in the game, cutting the Centaurs’ lead to 24-14 with 11:57 to go in the game when running back Saeed Galloway scored from a yard out.
From there, the Centaurs wore down North with two touchdown passes by Martin. His first went to McGuire from 13 yards out with 6:53 remaining and the final with about three minutes left when he, for the second time, connected with Ross for a 23-yard score.
“We had terrible execution,” North head coach Todd Croce said. “We couldn’t put anything together. Culver City did a good job.”
The Saxons had a bright spot by Galloway who rushed for 113 yards and one TD on 18 carries. Searcy passed for 129 yards and one touchdown.
For the Centaurs, Oun carried the ball 25 times for 185 yards and one touchdown. Martin completed 14 of 25 passes for 225 yards and three touchdowns.
Culver won handily despite turning th-e ball over five times.
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ECC Football
Turnovers doom ECC in loss to Grossmont
By Joe Snyder
Sports Editor
Five turnovers proved costly for El Camino College’s football team as it lost its first game of the season to host Grossmont College 35-14 in a non-conference game last Saturday in El Cajon.
Among the turnovers for the Warriors included three lost fumbles and two interceptions.
The game started well as El Camino took a 14-7 lead early in the second quarter on a 23-yard touchdown pass from quarterback David Sills to wide receiver Erik Heinemann. From there, though, Grossmont dominated the rest of the game outscoring ECC 28-0.
Less than a minute later, Grossmont, which improved its unbeaten record to 3-0, tied the game with a TD. Grossmont took the lead for good with about a minute left before halftime on a 12-yard run by Keith Fulton. Grossmont added two more touchdowns in the second half to break the game open.
Sills completed 16 of 28 passes for 219 yards, one touchdown and one interception. He also scored the Warriors’ first TD in the first period.
El Camino (2-1) entered the game ranked 12th in California, while Grossmont was unranked despite being unbeaten. ECC comes home but things will not get much easier as it hosts Saddleback College from Mission Viejo, which is ranked No. 2 in the state, Saturday at 6 p.m. The Gauchos are 3-0 and coming off a 46-14 home rout of the Warriors’ rival Los Angeles Harbor College last Saturday.
Despite the lopsided loss, the Seahawks (1-2) had a strong showing by quarterback Tyler Sestich who completed 13 of 23 passes for 109 yards and one TD.
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Prep Football Roundup
Gardena falls to 0-4 after loss at North Hollywood
By Joe Snyder
Sports Editor
Gardena High’s football team is winless in its first four games after a 25-10 loss at North Hollywood last Friday.
The Panthers will take off this week to prepare for their Sept. 30 game at Newbury Park. That contest starts at 7 p.m. It will be Gardena’s final non-league game before a brutal Marine League opener at powerful Narbonne on Oct. 7 at 7 p.m. The Gauchos are 3-0 with wins over top CIF-Southern Section programs in Serra (34-12 on Aug. 26 at Serra), Long Beach Poly (25-13 on Sept. 2 at Long Beach Veterans Stadium) and Palos Verdes (28-7 on Sept. 9 at Narbonne). Last week, the Gauchos had a bye in preparation of their non-league game at home against Paramount Friday at 7 p.m.
Redondo blows by West: After winning its first two non-league games over Culver City and Lancaster Eastside, West Torrance High’s football team suffered its first loss to host Redondo 58-10 last Friday.
The Sea Hawks, who came off back-to-back losses to powerful Vista Murrieta and San Pedro, returned home to capture their third straight win over the Warriors. Redondo had a non-league win at West and outlasted the Warriors in the first round of the CIF-Southern Section Western Division playoffs last year.
West (2-1) got as close as 14-7 in the first quarter when senior quarterback Drake Peabody sprinted 72 yards for a touchdown before the Sea Hawks (2-2) dominated the remainder of the contest.
Junior running back Jermar Jefferson sparked Redondo by rushing for 135 yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries. Jefferson also had a 62-yard TD reception from junior quarterback Jack Alexander, a 78-yard kickoff return and an interception. Alexander threw for three touchdowns and 254 yards.
Peabody ran for 92 yards on 12 carries, and passed for 62 yards before leaving the game midway in the third quarter where Redondo already led 49-10. Max Parish caught four passes for 37 yards.
The Warriors will come home to face Mira Costa Friday at 7 p.m. The Mustangs, who are one of the top contenders (along with favorite Palos Verdes and Redondo), are 1-2 after losing a home game to El Segundo 18-14 last Friday.
Carson slips past Westchester: Carson High’s football team traveled to take on a much improved Westchester team and pulled out a 41-40 victory last Friday.
The Colts, who improved to 2-1, won the game on the last play that saw sophomore quarterback Jaja Bellinger connect with Joesph Bryson for a 19-yard touchdown.
For the game, Bellinger passed for 224 yards and three touchdowns.
Carson visits Arleta High in the San Fernando Valley tonight at 7 p.m.
Bishop Montgomery downs Bellflower: Bishop Montgomery High’s football team improved to 2-1 with a 27-14 home win over Bellflower in non-league play last Friday.
The Knights were led by quarterback Daniel Schubert who threw for three touchdowns. Bryce Matthews had one of Schubert’s scoring receptions. Matthews also recovered a fumble in the end zone for a TD and added an interception on defense.
Bishop Montgomery will visit an improved Mary Star team (3-0) at Daniels Field in San Pedro Friday at 7 p.m.
Torrance, South fall: Torrance High’s football team lost its third straight game to host Peninsula 35-17 in non-league play last Friday in Rolling Hills Estates.
The Tartars visit El Segundo in non-league action Friday at 7 p.m. The Eagles recorded an impressive 18-14 win over Mira Costa last Friday at Mira Costa.
South Torrance fell to 1-2 after losing to previously winless Santa Fe 29-12 last Friday.
The Spartans managed to have two rushing touchdowns by quarterback Anthony Bjazevich.
South will travel to Santa Monica City College to face Santa Monica High Friday at 7 p.m.
Serra begins Mission with showdown: After a bye week, Serra High’s football team begins the Mission League with a bang as it hosts Chaminade High from West Hills Friday at 7 p.m.
The Eagles, ranked sixth in the CIF-Southern Section Division I, are 3-1 after a 28-20 win at Bakersfield High last Thursday.
Last season, the Eagles closed Mission action by stunning the league champion Cavaliers 38-21 in their league finale. Serra ended up tied with La Puente Bishop Amat for the Mission title but the Cavaliers outlasted the Lancers 41-38 in their league showdown.
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Sports Scoop
Despite little offense, Rams win first L.A. home opener in 22 years
By Joe Snyder
Sports Editor
It has been a long time coming for the Los Angeles Rams National Football League team.
An estimated 91,000 fans packed the L.A. Memorial Coliseum and the Rams gave them something to cheer about with a 9-3 victory over the former University of Southern California head coach Pete Carroll-guided Seattle Seahawks last Sunday.
After a few other efforts to bring the NFL back to L.A., it finally came through when the commission approved the Rams to return to L.A. after 21 seasons in St. Louis. Previously, the Rams played 49 seasons in the L.A. area including the Coliseum from 1946-79 and Anaheim Stadium from 1980-94. They definitely sent the fans home happy.
The only problem, though, is a mostly young and inexperienced offense that struggled in its first two games. They opened the regular season on Sept. 12 where they were shut out by the host San Francisco 49’ers 28-0 on Monday Night Football at Levis Stadium in Santa Clara. Last Sunday, the Rams still failed to get a touchdown but managed three field goals by kicker Greg Zuerlein to just one for Seattle.
The Rams (1-1) have a long ways to go. They have 14 regular seasons left that includes Sunday’s 1 p.m. game at Tampa Bay. Needed to work to improve their offense is at very important positions; quarterback and line. Quarterback Case Keenum completed 18 of 30 passes for 239 yards, which is respectful, but L.A.’s rushing game was held to just 64 yards. The Seahawks, themselves, had only 67 yards on the ground.
The Rams’ next home game will be on Oct. 9 against the Buffalo Bills, starting at 1:25 p.m. Let’s hope their offense will be improved with some TD’s, as well as their defense to keep things up.
