Serra High’s football team started the season slow with three losses to defending state champions in Saguora of Scottsdale, Ariz., Harbor City Narbonne and New Jersey champion St. Joseph Regional but started the highly competitive Mission League with a key 30-28 victory over a very good Chaminade team from West Hills last Friday at Serra.
Serra High’s football team started the season slow with three losses to defending state champions in Saguora of Scottsdale, Ariz., Harbor City Narbonne and New Jersey champion St. Joseph Regional but started the highly competitive Mission League with a key 30-28 victory over a very good Chaminade team from West Hills last Friday at Serra.
In a league opening showdown that was broadcasted on Fox Sports West, the Cavaliers scored 20 unanswered points from late in the first quarter through the first half to take a 23-7 halftime lead, then held off the Eagles, Serra opened the scoring when junior kicker Antonio Gomez connected on a 30-yard field goal. Chaminade took its only lead at 7-3 when sophomore quarterback Ryan Stevens connected with junior wide receiver Michael Wilson for a 47-yard touchdown.
With 34.4 seconds left in the first period, senior quarterback Jalani Eason broke through and sprinted 80 yards for a TD to give the Cavaliers a 10-7 lead, a lead that they would not relinquished. Serra dominated the second quarter with two more touchdowns; a 2-yard run by Eason with 6:04 remaining and a 2-yard run from Deion Malone with 24 seconds left.
The Eagles, who are one of the highest scoring teams in California, were favorites in the game and they made a run. Their rally began when they completed a 72-yard, five-play drive with a 53-yard scoring pass from Stevens to junior running back T.J. Pledger with 5:45 to go in the third period, then cut Serra’s lead to 23-21 then from Stevens to junior receiver Mac Griffin with 7:32 remaining in the game.
On the pursuing drive, the Cavaliers drove 77 yards in 11 plays that was climaxed by a 5-yard touchdown run from senior running back Randy Anyanyu for a 30-21 lead with just 3:29 left.
Down by nine points with little time left, Chaminade, which fell to 2-2, attempted a desperate comeback and cut Serra’s lead to two points on Stevens’ fourth TD pass to Pledger with 1:37 remaining. Senior kicker Jake Galbo attempted on onside but Anthony Torres was able to recover the ball. Torres had a pair of key runs, one of those for a first down, as the Cavaliers held on for their league opening victory and their second overall win against three losses.
“During this season, we had trouble finishing games,” Serra head coach Scott Altenberg said. “We played well, tonight. I’m real proud of these guys. I would like to see them play better in the second half. We’re young and have a lot of injuries. We had the drives when we had to.”
Eason sparked the Cavaliers by rushing for 136 yards and passing for 181. A large majority of those came in the first half.
Serra will seek its second straight league win and third overall as they host Loyola High in its annual homecoming game Friday at 7 p.m. The Cubs are coming off a 24-23 Mission opening win over Bishop Amat last Friday at Loyola in Los Angeles.
________________________________________
North routs Morningside; Bishop, Narbonne also victorious
By Joe Snyder
After suffering a 37-14 non-league loss at Culver City on Sept. 16, North Torrance High’s football team bounced back to roll over Morningside High from Inglewood 56-13 in non-league action last Friday at North.
The Saxons started the game quickly as Malik Welch returned the opening kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown and North was on a roll form there. Senior quarterback Glenn Searcy scored on four touchdown runs and threw for two more.
Defensively, the Saxons, who improved to 3-2, recorded six quarterback sacks and two fumble recoveries. Robert Skeen, Matthew Seitz and Justin Golembiowski had two sacks apiece.
North has a bye week before beginning the Pioneer League at home against West Torrance on Oct. 7.
Bishop Montgomery rolls over Mary Star: Last Friday, Bishop Montgomery High’s football team traveled to Daniel’s Field in San Pedro to take on an improved Mary Star of the Sea team and the Knights came home with a 40-8 victory.
Bishop Montgomery, which improved to 3-1, was led by quarterback Daniel Schubert who completed 16 of 21 passes for three touchdowns. Edward Lane ran 16 times for 90 yards and one TD. Bernard Amofa caught two passes for 53 yards and two touchdowns.
The Stars, who fell to 3-2, were led by quarterback Robert Enciso who completed 10 of 19 passes for 133 yards and no interceptions. Enciso had a 1-yard TD run.
Bishop Montgomery will host St. Genevieve from Panorama City Friday at 7 p.m.
Narbonne blanks Paramount: Narbonne High’s football team improved to 4-0 by shutting out Paramount 37-0 in an intersectional non-league game last Friday at Narbonne.
Gaucho quarterback Jalen Chatman threw for three touchdowns and running back Kameron Denmark ran for two TD’s to lift Narbonne.
Chatman completed 20 of 31 passes for 286 yards. Two of his scoring passes went to Tyrone Marshall from 20 and 30 yards out. He also tossed a touchdown pass to Stephon Robinson.
Denmark rushed for 103 yards on 14 carries. He scored on runs of three and 21 yards. Qadir Dean added a 17-yard TD run.
The Gauchos host Los Angeles High, last year’s CIF-Los Angeles City Section Division II runner-ups, Friday at 7 p.m.
Gardena visits Newbury Park: Gardena High’s football team is 0-4 as it will resume a rigid non-league schedule at Newbury Park Friday at 7 p.m.
It will be the Panthers’ final non-league contest before continuing their brutal schedule in the Marine League opener at Narbonne on Oct. 7.
__________________________________
No. 2 Saddleback dominates El Camino
By Joe Snyder
Sports Editor
El Camino College’s football team returned to its new Murdock Stadium only to have to go up against Saddleback College, the No. 2 ranked community college team in California and sixth in the United States.
The Gauchos, who improved to 4-0, dashed out to leads of 25-0 after the first quarter and 46-13 at halftime en route to an easy 60-33 win.
Having to go with first year head coach Gifford Lindheim’s system, the Warriors are still having problems adjusting. A rash of mistakes included two turnovers that led to Saddleback touchdowns.
The Gauchos started quickly. On their opening drive that went 71 yards on eight plays, they took a 7-0 lead on a 13-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Jacob Gibson to wide receiver C.J. Harris.
ECC’s first drive ended in a fumble by quarterback David Sills and Saddleback recovered at the El Camino 12-yard line. The Gauchos took advantage of it as Remy Washington scored on a 12-yard run. A two-point conversion gave Saddleback a 15-0.
Things began to look hopeful for the Warriors as Sills completed a 28-yard pass to Zaire Andre. Andre, however, fumbled away the ball to the Gauchos/
Saddleback, again, cashed in on the miscue. The Gauchos needed to drive just 27 yards that ended with Harris’ 8-yard scoring run for a 22-0 bulge. Saddleback added a 44-yard field goal for a 25-0 lead.
In the first half, the Gauchos accumulated more than 400 yards total offense to 193 for ECC. Saddleback finished with 663 total offensive yards to 406 for the Warriors.
El Camino did better in the second half with three touchdowns. Sills passed for 162 yards and one touchdown. He also ran for 71 yards and two TD’s.
The tough schedule continues for the Warriors. They host long time rival Bakersfield Saturday at 6 p.m. The Renegades are coming off a 38-17 home win over Harbor College last Saturday.
________________________________________________
Sports Scoop
A fitting Vin Scully Dodger Stadium Finale
By Joe Snyder
Sports Editor
Throughout last week, things were setting up to see the Los Angeles Dodgers Major League Baseball team to win their fourth consecutive National League Western Division title on the legendary Vin Scully’s final call a Dodger Stadium.
Last Sunday, the Dodgers pulled off a 10-inning 4-3 victory over the Colorado Rockies on a walk-off home run by an unlikely hero, Charles Culberson. With two outs in the bottom of the 10th, Culberson hit the ball to the Rockie bullpen and it clinched the divisional crown for the Dodgers.
It’s been a great 67 seasons for Scully that dated back to the Dodgers playing in Brooklyn. Scully saw the Dodgers winning one World Series championship in Brooklyn in 1955 and other World Series crowns by the L.A. Dodgers in 1959, 1963, 1965, 1981 and 1988. Scully also announced Sandy Koufax’s perfect game against the Chicago Cubs in 1965, New York Yankees’ Don Larson’s 1956 World Series perfect game against the Brooklyn Dodgers, Atlanta Braves’ Henry Aaron’s Major League record breaking career home run record against the Dodgers in 1974, Kirk Gibson’s dramatic walk-off 1988 World Series home run against the Oakland Athletics, along with several no-hitters such as Jerry Reuss against the San Francisco Giants (1980), Fernando Valenzuela (1990), Hideo Nomo (1995) and Clayton Kershaw (2014) against the Colorado Rockies.
I have followed the Dodgers since the 1960’s and I’ve always loved his calls when a home run was hit with him saying, “Back goes Smith, a way back, it’s gone.” He was definitely one of the best baseball and other sports commentators ever. I wish him the best in his retirement. It will be awhile before there is any other commentator up with Scully and the late Laker legend Chick Hearn, who did the L.A. Laker National Basketball Association games from 1960 until shortly before his death in 2002.
Scully will call the three final Dodger regular season games against the Giants in San Francisco on Friday, Saturday and Sunday before calling it quits. He won’t call any Dodger playoff games.
Palmer was a legend: On the same day that Scully called his final game at Dodger Stadium, legendary golfer Arnold Palmer passed away of heart disease on Sunday in Pittsburgh, PA at the age of 87 years.
Palmer was a top professional golfer of the 1950s and 1960s, winning numerous top tournaments throughout the world. He had a long career.
