September 2010 Archives

Lakewood improved to 4-0 and the Wilson Bruins had a nice (28-23) victory over a previously unbeaten Paramount squad Friday night.

But let's don't try to rationalize anything: The Moore League, as a whole, isn't a very good football league this season.

That point was driven home when, a) the Poly Jackrabbits were bopped around for the second time this season, this time by a Mission Viejo team (37-7) that was playing without its best player, b) Compton was hammered by Dorsey (47-6), c) Jordan was blanked by a Dominguez team (28-0) that had more quality offensive players on the sidelines with injuries that it did on the field, d) Cabrillo was smashed by a medicore Capistrano Valley team, and, e) Millikan was run over a rebuilding Fountain Valley squad, 56-7.

And to think that four teams from the league will advance to Pac-5's 16-team playoff (because of its seven-member status) while the other far-stronger leagues -- the Trinity, Serra, Sunset and South Coast -- are limited to three each because they have six or fewer members (the South Coast has just five).

*On the plus side, those were nice victories by Dominguez (especially considering its injuries) and St. John Bosco (37-15 over Loyola), who are definitely looking like the area's second and third best teams (in the wake of the Lakewood Lancers).

*Los Alamitos suffered its first loss (31-28) but, minus injured star running back Nick Richardson, the Griffins will be cut some slack.

Their final non-league tussle -- at Saddleback a week from Saturday night against Santa Margarita -- is also likely to end up in a loss of Richardson can't make a go of it.

Ryan Anderson, a 6-foot-8 senior forward for Poly High, has committed to sign a basketball letter of intent with Boston College, Jackrabbits coach Sharrief Metoyer said Monday afternoon.

"He just called the coach (Steve Donahue) and told him he was going to sign with them (in November),'' Metoyer said.

Anderson made a recruiting trip to Boston College (a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference) over the weekend after visiting San Diego State the previous weekend.

He had planned to visit Cal on the Oct. 1-3 before deciding upon Boston College upon his return.

Anderson averaged 12.8 points and 8.6 rebounds per game as a junior for a team that went 28-5 with a loss to eventual state Division I champion Westchester in a regional semifinal.

A brief spin around area prep football scene as Friday night bleeds into Saturday a.m.:

*Uh, St. Bonaventure 32, Poly 7: How did that happen?
The Jackrabbits' defense played poorly in the team's 42-28 opening victory over Bakersfield on Sept. 2.
And, apparently, the passing game isn't nearly as good as it looked in that game, either.
The Jackrabbits play at Narbonne next Friday night and they are in no position to look beyond that game
But I can and Poly will be in Veterans Stadium on Sept. 24 to face Mission Viejo, the top-ranked Pac-5 club. That could be ugly.

*Lakewood 27, St. John Bosco 7: The Lancers, obviously, held up pretty well after that glorified scrimmage they played last week against Locke.
Could the Lancers be 10-0 when the Pac-5 playoffs start? Unless Poly improved considerably in the next month, they will be.
*BIshop Amat 21, Dominguez 15: I was at this one. The visiting Lancers (No. 7 in the Pac-5 and they will leap-frog at least Poly on Monday) dominated the game but still need four consecutive big defensive stops in the final minute to hold on against the host Dons.
Dominguez is No. 2 behind Serra in the Western Division but the Dons, even if they reach the final, can't beat the Cavaliers.
*Edison 48, Wilson 7: Welcome to reality, Pac-5 Division style, Bruins.
*Cabrillo 24, Lynwood 7: Enjoy it while you're able, guys -- it gets a lot tougher from hear on out.
*Compton 27, Centennial 14: The Tarbabes will take a 2-0 record into their non-league city battle with Dominguez next week. That one should be, eh, emotional.
*Millikan 46, Artesia 7: Wow . . the Pioneers (who trailed Edison 59-zip at intermission last week) must not be very good, eh?
*La Palma Kennedy 69, Gahr 51: Nice D, fellows!

Carson's football team had a nifty debut under new Head Coach Elijah Afante, edging Mater Dei tonight, 14-10, at Santa Ana Stadium.

The Monarchs, who lost star receiver Victor Blackwell late in the first half (an apparent separated left shoulder), were limited to 168 yards in total offense and QB Max Wittek was sacked four times.

Quarterback Justin Alo completed 11 of 23 passes for the Colts with his only pick leading directly to Mater Dei's only TD. The Colts had 226 yards in offense but got 95 on a kickoff return by Dion Willis for what proved to be the deciding points.

Carson is capable of winning the L.A. City title; Mater Dei will not advance to the Pac-5 playoffs out of the Trinity League if Blackwell isn't healthy for league play.

Defenses have taken over . . . . Mater Dei has third-and-seven at the Carson 4 to start the fourth ...

The Colts have held Mater Dei to a net of 83 yards, sacking Max Wittek (who is committed to USC) three times.

Carson has 155 yards in offense, not counting the 95 that Dion Willis covered on a kickoff for the 14-7 advantage.

Glen Raphael picked off an ill-advised throw by Justin Alo and returned it 74 yards for a touchdown for Mater Dei but on the ensuing kickoff Dion Willis went 95 yards for a TD to put Carson back in front, 14-7, with 6:19 to go in the second quarter.

Carson's defense has held Mater Dei to just one first down on the first two possessions.

Quarterback Justin Alo led Carson on an 80-yard scoring march on the first possession of this evening at Santa Ana Stadium, capped by an 11-yard run by Myles Johnson with 7:20 to go in the first quarter.

Perusing some other scorers after returning to my Laguna Niguel abode after covering Lakewood's 49-0 dominance (in a game that wasn't THAT close; it was 49-zip at intermission):

Three other victories jumped out at me:

*St. John Bosco 47, San Diego Mission 21: The Braves had 264 yards in the first half and scored TDs on their first four possessions in their debut under Jason Negro.

Lakewood at St. John Bosco next Friday night should be a dandy!

*Los Alamitos 34, Norwalk 0: Very impressive opener for the Griffins. Another Suburban League team (Mayfair) is on tap next Friday night at Cerritos College. Santa Margarita (Oct. 2 at Saddleback College) now shapes up as Coach John Barnes' team stiffest non-league test.

*Long Beach Jordan 34, L.A. Jordan 20: The Panthers pick up a nice win in Thomas Barnes' first game as the program's head coach.

Other noteworthy games:

*Gahr 48, Millikan 22: Wow! But it will be interesting to see which Gladiators and Rams aren't playing next week based upon the scuffle that took place during the game.

*Wilson 28, Huntington Park 26: The Bruins play host to Edison (59-0 over Artesia) next Friday evening and that will be a much more difficult challenge.

St. Paul 24, La Mirada 17: Props to Marijon Ancich, arguably the greatest high school football coach in Southern California history.

The second half was playing with a running clock.

. . . late in the third quarter, according to Robert Morales.

. . . thanks to Nick Richardson who went 70 yards for TD No. 4

Make that "Nick Richardson scores again" as the senior running back just hit paydirt from 50 yards out for his third TD to increase the Griffins' advantage to 21-0 at Veterans Stadium.

Tyler Schultz has thrown four touchdown passes and Malik Gilmore and Darius Powe have scored twice apiece -- and there are still quarters.

I would hope that the starters get a lot of spectator time after intermission.

And, at Millikan, Gahr leads at intermission, 9-7.

The Griffins are up on Norwalk 14-0 at the half and Gahr has gone up on Millikan, 9-7.

Schultz to Gilmer for 24 more yards and another TD, 8:46 before intermission. Lots of reserves are going to get a lot of time for the Lancers tonight.

Two plays into the second quarter the Lancers are up by four scores after a 32-yard burst by Allie Long. This is already ugly . . .

Schultz connected with Malik Gilmore from three yards out to make it 21-0 Lancers, and Millikan has gone up on Gahr.

Tyler Schultz and Kevin Medearis hooked up for 49 yards and another Lakewood score, while Los Al struck first at Veterans Stadium.

Darius Powe returned a Locke punt 49 yards for a Lakewood TD . . . 7-zip.

And, at Millikan, Gahr has gone up 6--0.

The kickoff is about 20 minutes away for Lakewood and Locke.

I'm covering this one and hope to get text updates from Veterans Stadium (Norwalk-Los Alamitos) and Millikan (for the Rams' game with Gahr) throughout the evening, so that I can pass score updates along to all of you sitting at home (or reading this on your hand-helds at other stadiums).

And that was a pretty cool way to open the high school football season . . .

And how about the performance by Poly junior quarterback Chaiyse Hales?

Hales completed 15 of 24 passes for 312 yards and five touchdowns -- three of those to Richard Smith -- as the Jackrabbits defeated Bakersfield, 42-28.

It was the most impressive passing performances by a Poly quarterback in a long, long while.

Bakersfield averaged 36 points and about 430 yards a game a year ago while finishing 9-3 and its offense was certainly impressive for large chunks of the game.

The Drillers had about 410 yards with Walter Hunt (128 yards on 17 carries) and quarterback Brian Burrell (156 throwing) leading the way.

After James Nelson recovered a fumble, Hales threw his fifth TD of the evening, this one covering 23 yards to Donald Byrd. It's 42-21 with nine minutes to go.

The Drillers punch out Poly with their Wing-T, marching 80 yards on 7:40 to score and cut Poly's lead to 28-21 in the third quarter.

Bakersfield running back Walter Hunt scored on a 26-yard burst with 44 seconds to go to get the Bakersfield Drillers within 28-14 at intermission.

Senior Kameron White scored from 36 yards outs late in first half.

Quarterback Brian Burrell scored from six yards out, with 8:21 to go in the second quarter, to cap a march that was helped by 36 yards in Poly penalties -- 30 on personal fouls.

Hales and Smith hooked up for 31 yards and another score. Hales very impressive.

On the first play from scrimmage, quarterback Chaiyse Hales hit Richard Smith for a 49-yard score.

On the ensuing kickoff, Bakersfield fumbled and on the next play Hales and Randall Goforth combined for an 18-yard score.

. . . and just 24 seconds into the game!

There is a small crowd (maybe 1,000) but the weather is marvelous at Veterans Stadium just before the kickoff of the Bakersfield-Poly football opener.