By Joe Snyder
North Torrance High’s football team moved into first place in the Pioneer League after a 20-10 win over host Torrance last Friday at Zamperini Field.
The Saxons can thank one of their crosstown rivals, South Torrance, for them to take over the league lead and have a golden opportunity at the Pioneer title. At South last Friday, the Spartans stunned Lawndale 7-0 as North (3-0 in league) has sole possession of first place.
The Saxons can clinch their first league crown in since 2019 when they host the Pioneer power Cardinals Friday at 7 p.m.
North jumped on the Tartars, another strong Pioneer contender, as it scored on its first possession on a 4-yard run by senior running back Mar-quette Carter, his first of two touchdowns.
Torrance, which fell to 1-2 in league and 4-4 overall, cut the Saxons’ lead to 7-3 on a 44- yard field goal by Christopher Ramirez with 6:33 left in the second quarter but the Saxons (5-3 overall) brought their lead up to 14-3 with eight seconds remaining before halftime on the freshman twin brother passing combination of quarterback
Boogie and wide receiver Kingston Anetema who were successful from 25 yards out.
North increased its lead to 20-3 with 8:49 to go in the game on Carter’s 14-yard TD run.
Down by 17 points, the Tartars got to within 10 points when junior quarterback Connor Shering connected with senior wide receiver Ryan Young for a 14-yard score with 6:01 remaining.
Torrance made a few threats but the Saxons’ defense was able to hold down the Tartars.
“Carter and our offensive line were able to step up,” North head coach Todd Croce said. “It was a good team game. Torrance is a very good team.”
Carter finished with 97 yards rushing.
The Tartars hope to keep their CIF-Southern Section playoff hopes alive as they visit West Torrance (1-7 overall and 1-2 in league) Friday at 7 p.m. The Warriors are coming off a 28-7 loss to visiting El Segundo last Friday. It was the Eagles’ first league win.
South visits El Segundo Fri- day at 7 p.m.
GHS rallies, but Banning rallies back
Gardena High’s football team entered last Friday’s Marine League showdown at Wilmington Banning High with an unbeaten 7-0 record.
The Panthers, though, finally ran into a brick wall against the Pilots that ended in a narrow 27-26 loss. Banning took a 21-6 lead early in the fourth quarter on a one-yard touchdown run from quarterback Robert Guerrero before Gardena made its move with a ferocious rally.
It all started when junior quarterback Isaiah Kim tossed a 53-yard TD pass to wide receiver Desmond Wright cutting Banning’s lead to 21-13.
Shortly after, the Panthers suddenly found themselves just two points behind when Kim threw a 9-yard screen scoring pass to Xavier Grant. The two-point conversion, however, failed which could have proved to be the difference in the game.
With about four minutes left in the game, Gardena grabbed a 26-21 lead when Kim handed off to running back Keyshawn Hood who sprinted down the sideline for a 20-yard touchdown.
Guerrero and the Pilots, though, responded. As time expired, Guerrero scored the winning TD on a 1-yard run giving Banning its third straight Marine victory. In the drive, Guerrero had three pass completions to wide receiver Ryan De Angeus before a 21-yard scramble that got the ball to the Gardena 1-yard line.
Guerrero finished with three touchdowns that also included runs of one and three yards. The Panthers (7-1, 1-1) come home but will be pitted against undefeated Carson (8-0 overall and 2-0 in league) Friday at 7:30 p.m. The Colts, ranked second in the CIF-Los Angeles City Section by Maxpreps, won virtually all their games by blowouts that included an impressive 48-7 win over host San Pedro on Oct. 6.
Carson had a bye last week. Entering last Friday’s game against Banning, Gardena was rated fourth in the L.A. City Section.
Serra downs B, Amat; gears for S. Canyon
Serra High’s football team is off to a 3-0 start in the Mission League after pulling away from host Bishop Amat 48-28 last Friday in La Puente.
Leading 20-7 entering the last play of the first half, the Cavaliers ended up with a 27-7 halftime lead when junior quarterback Jimmy Butler hit UCLA-bound senior wide receiver Zacharyus Williams for a 43-yard touchdown.
The Lancers, who fell to 2-6 overall and 1-2 in league, cut Serra’s lead to 27-14 early in the third quarter when quarterback Frankie Villabazo threw a 63-yard TD pass to Talu O’ Dell but Serra brought its lead back to 20 points on Butler’s 71-yard keeper.
Serra senior running back Cincere Rhaney continued his string of 200-yard-plus rushing for the fourth straight game. He ran for 226 yards and three touchdowns.
Despite the loss, Villabzao threw for four TDs, three of those to O’ Dell of 63, 32 and 52 yards.
All eyes will be on this Friday as the Cavaliers visit California’s No. 3 ranked (by Maxpreps) Sierra Canyon in Chatsworth Friday at 7 p.m. The Trailblazers, who eliminated Serra from the CIF-Southern Section Division II playoffs in the quarterfinals and moved on to win the championship with a win over Inglewood but lost in the Southern California Regional Division IAA bowl to eventual state champion San Diego Lincoln, are 8-0 overall and 3-0 in league after shut- ting out host Alemany 48-0 last Friday in Mission Hills.
A week earlier at Bishop Amat, Sierra Canyon rolled over the Lancers 56-14. Currently Serra (6-2 overall) is rated 11th in the CIF- Southern Section. The Trailblazers are also ranked third
in the Southern Section behind national powers Bellflower St. John Bosco and Santa Ana Mater Dei who are first and second, in order, after the turnaround among the two teams caused by the host Braves’ 28-0 shutout in their showdown against the Monarchs last Friday. They are also one-two in the state. In this week’s Maxpreps poll, St. John Bosco is third, behind No. 1 Las Vegas, Nev. Bishop O’ Gorman and No. 2 Chaminade-Madonna from Florida. Mater Dei is fifth.
ECC loses first confer. game to C. Canyons
El Camino College’s football team fell behind early and could not catch up in a 31-21 homecoming loss to College of the Canyons from Valencia last Thursday.
Canyons surged out to a 14-0 first quarter lead behind a 3-yard touchdown run by Denovan Dunn and a short one-yard run from Emery Floyd.
The Warriors, who are 4-2 overall and 2-1 in conference, fought back to tie the game at 14 on a one-yard TD run by Jakai Torres and a 4-yard scoring pass from quarterback Lucas Reynoso to Champion Edwards but Canyons took the lead for good shortly before halftime on an 11- yard touchdown pass from Floyd to Damon Barbus.
In the fourth quarter, Canyons added 10 points on a 43- yard field goal by Asa Johnson and a 40-yard interception return from Mario Ortez. ECC finished off the scoring with 12 seconds remaining on quarterback Dayton Tafoya’s 6-yard scoring pass to Joshua Borick.
Tafoya completed 17 of 28 passes for 127 yards and one touchdown. He was intercepted once which went for the pick-six by Ortiz.
Borick had eight receptions for 92 yards and one TD.
ECC visits Santa Barbara City College next Saturday at 6 p.m. before coming home to face Antelope Valley on Oct. 28 at the same time.
