PREP FOOTBALL SPOTLIGHT / FACTS, FIGURES AND COMMENTS FROM LAST WEEK’S GAMES

COMING DOWN HARD

Tony Uruburu could deal with the four North Torrance turnovers. What the Saxon Coach couldn’t tolerate was the behavior of his team after it defeated West Torrance, 9-6, Friday night to move into sole possession of first place in the Pioneer League.

Moments after the game ended, North’s players ran up the embankment at the east end of West’s field and celebrated by jumping around on the large yellow W. Some of West’s players followed, but coaches and administrators kept the teams apart and prevented a confrontation.

Once he gathered his players, an angry Uruburu lit into them.

“We embarrassed ourselves and our school by doing something like that,” he yelled. “We can’t even enjoy a victory because you guys are doing something stupid and classless like that. That’s terrible. That’s not Saxon football. That’s an embarrassment.”

The incident marred what should have been a joyous occasion for North (4-4), which has rebounded from 1-4 nonleague season to lead the Pioneer League with a 3-0 record. Jeremy Keith broke a 6-6 tie with his first field goal of the season, a 31-yarder with 5 minutes 28 seconds left to play.

North’s postgame celebration apparently was a pay-back for a similar incident that took place when it played at West two years ago, West Coach Kerry Crabb said.

“We got to school in the morning and the W had been painted (North) blue,” Crabb said. “So after the game when our kids won, they went over and basically reclaimed the W. This was one of those things brought out of the past.”

Although North dominated the statistics--the Saxons outgained West, 277 yards to 100--it trailed, 6-0, until quarterback Rocky Jackson completed a nine-yard touchdown pass to fullback Dino Harris on fourth-and-eight late in the third quarter. The extra point was blocked. The TD came four plays after defensive back Eman Peters intercepted a pass by West quarterback Cory DeVry and returned it 16 yards to the West 11.

North was hurt by three lost fumbles and an interception, but the defense played superbly. West (4-4, 2-1 in league) gained only four first downs, and was held to one first down and 26 yards in the second half. The only time the Warriors got past the North 40-yard line was in the second quarter when linebacker Marcus Hooks intercepted a Jackson pass deep in North territory and returned it to the two, setting up West’s only touchdown.

“All the credit goes to them,” Crabb said. “They completely shut us down.”

TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES

The North-West game ended late. How late? In the third quarter, the bus taking Morningside home from its game at Redondo could be seen heading east on Del Amo Boulevard. Both games had 7:30 p.m. kickoffs.

By the time North and West were through playing, it was around 10:45. The game was delayed for 45 minutes before the start of the second half when the stadium lights went out, and play was stopped briefly in the final minutes after the sprinklers came on.

(CA)MACHO MEN

Sometimes overlooked, but never forgotten, the Hawthorne offensive line played another impressive game Friday in a 20-12 Bay League victory over Peninsula.

The blocking of tackles David Camacho (6-foot-7, 295 pounds) and Ricardo Camacho (6-3, 265), guards Rene Sandoval (6-1, 260) and Marlon Coronado (5-10, 245) and center Josue Torres (5-10, 230) was instrumental in helping the Cougars rush for 222 yards and three touchdowns against a Peninsula defense that had been giving up an average of 100 rushing yards a game.

Hawthorne running back Omarr Morgan praised the line after rushing for 77 yards and two TDs, including a 33-yard score with 1:29 left that broke open a close game.

“The holes were wide open every time,” Morgan said. “I just walked into the end zone. Camacho, Rene, Josue, all of them; I give them the whole game. They deserve it.”

All but one of the linemen, Coronado, were starters on the 1992 team that won the Southern Section Division III title.

“Those kids are so close,” Hawthorne Coach Dan Robbins said. “They’re like a family. They did a super job. We told them, ‘We have to control the ball. Can you drive (Peninsula) back?’ ”

The answer came on Hawthorne’s first two scoring drives. The Cougars marched 80 yards in six plays to score on a nine-yard run by running back Eric Chaney late in the second quarter. They opened the second half with a 10-play, 65-yard drive capped by a 12-yard scoring run by Morgan. The extra point made the score 14-0.

With its seventh consecutive victory, Hawthorne (7-1) moved into sole possession of first place with a 2-0 league record. Peninsula (7-1, 2-1) dropped to second.

DIFFERENT STROKES

The contrasting offensive philosophies of Hawthorne and Peninsula were evident on each team’s first series.

Peninsula ran the ball four times before having to punt. Hawthorne went for the element of surprise, completing passes on its first three plays, including a 25-yard option pass from receiver Kelvin Hunter to Morgan. The drive ended when quarterback Kenji Tatum lost a fumble at the Peninsula 11-yard line, the first of four Cougar turnovers that kept the score closer than it would have been otherwise. Hawthorne outgained the Panthers by 200 yards, 343-143.

But mistakes never seem to restrict Robbins’ play-calling. He enjoys utilizing all the weapons in his offensive arsenal, which are considerable.

In contrast, Peninsula’s Gary Kimbrell is the Rush Limbaugh of coaches. Successful, but sometimes conservative to a fault.

The Panthers may have paid the price for that conservatism on a critical series. After stopping Hawthorne on fourth down, Peninsula took possession at its own 16 with five minutes left and trailing, 14-12. Three dives by fullback Mike Margolf gained eight yards, bringing up fourth-and-two.

Instead of a pass, Kimbrell called another run between the tackles. Tailback James Durroh was stopped short of a first down by linebacker Raul Sanchez and safety Justin Stallings. Two plays later, Hawthorne scored on Morgan’s 33-yard run.

“I’m second-guessing myself on that fourth-and-short,” Kimbrell said afterward. “I should have taken a chance and come back with a play-action pass.”

Robbins was surprised Peninsula waited until fourth down to give the ball to Durroh, who had only 12 carries for 63 yards. He entered the game averaging 183 yards rushing a game and 9.6 yards a carry.

“They may have out-thought themselves,” Robbins said. “They figured everybody would be keying on Durroh. Well, that’s true. But the man runs for 10 yards every time he touches the ball.”

SECOND CHANCE

Carson junior quarterback Ramon Rogers, who passed for 219 yards and three touchdowns in the Colts’ 20-14 victory at Veterans Stadium in Long Beach, didn’t start the game on a positive note.

Rogers was benched by Carson Coach David Williams for two series in the first quarter because Rogers wasn’t making the correct reads against the Banning defense.

“He’s slow making certain reads sometimes, and slow releasing the ball,” Williams said. “He’s immensely talented, but he’s only a 16-year-old kid, and in a big game like this, you have to execute. He understands that it is nothing personal.”

When Rogers returned to the game, he was determined to make things happen.

“When I went to the sidelines, I told myself to calm down,” Rogers said. “I told myself that I was better than this.”

Rogers responded by completing touchdown passes of 65 yards to Nakia Wheeler late in the second quarter, 18 yards to Tony Harvey early in the fourth quarter and 26 yards to J.R. Redmond, who made a diving catch in the end zone with 8:29 left for the winning score. The last TD erased a 14-13 Banning lead provided by Melvin Blue’s 84-yard kickoff return in the fourth quarter.

It was Carson’s first victory over Banning since the 1990 City Section 4-A Division final and moved the Colts (5-3, 4-1) into sole possession of first place in the Pacific League, a game ahead of the Pilots (4-4, 3-2).

BIRTHDAY PARTY

San Pedro’s 90th anniversary homecoming nearly upstaged the Pirates’ 28-6 victory over Crenshaw. An overflow crowd on the home side sang happy birthday to the school, enjoyed elaborate pregame and halftime shows, and cheered 15th District Councilman Rudy Svorinich’s announcement for plans to install a new scoreboard at Daniels Field.

Meanwhile, San Pedro struggled against Crenshaw until late in the third quarter, when quarterback Chris Pappas and receiver Bryan Castaneda took over.

With the Pirates leading, 10-6, Pappas completed a 49-yard touchdown pass to Castaneda. Pappas hit Castaneda again for a 40-yard gain on San Pedro’s next series, leading to a 15-yard TD run by tailback Jeff Williams and a 25-6 lead entering the fourth quarter.

“Offensively Crenshaw was inviting us to throw the ball, so we threw it,” San Pedro Coach Mike Walsh said.

San Pedro (7-1, 4-1 in the Southern League) appeared to invite Crenshaw (2-6, 2-3) to throw the ball as well, with the opposite result--the Cougars completed no passes.

LOOKING AHEAD

After what has amounted to a series of quizzes, Mira Costa may finally be tested Friday at Culver City in a battle for first place in the Ocean League. The Mustangs (8-0, 2-0) remained the only unbeaten team in the South Bay with a 40-10 victory over host Beverly Hills.

Mira Costa Coach Don Morrow scouted Culver City’s 20-9 nonleague victory over Leuzinger and came away impressed with the Centaurs (5-3, 2-0).

“We were pretty wowed by their athleticism,” Morrow said. “They’re the fastest team we will have played.”

Mira Costa has not played a close game all season. Their closest margin of victory was 13 points against Inglewood, and they have trailed only twice.

ON THE RUN

It was the different kind of game for normally pass-happy Torrance in a 28-20 Pioneer League victory over host Centennial.

Running back Jason Dimacali rushed for 113 yards and a touchdown in 15 carries, marking the first time in three seasons under Coach Bill Bynum that a Torrance player has rushed for more than 100 yards in a game.

“We would end up second-and-three or third-and-one and we would just run it,” Bynum said. “All we hear is how we can’t run the ball, and our offensive line wanted to prove otherwise.”

Torrance (4-3-1, 2-0-1) may have a tougher time running the ball Friday against North in a match-up of league leaders.

IN QUOTES

Hawthorne wide receiver-safety Justin Stallings, who played a limited role in Friday’s 20-12 victory over Peninsula after missing two games because of a knee injury: “I was begging to get in. The doctor wasn’t going to give me clearance, but I talked him into it. I gave him a sad face.”

Bishop Montgomery Coach Matt Giacalone, whose team fell behind, 14-0, in the first quarter in an eventual 27-12 Mission League loss to Chaminade: “If football was a three-quarter game, we would have beaten them. But the first quarter just killed us.”

Redondo Coach Chris Hyduke on the first varsity start of quarterback Doug Francis, a 6-4 sophomore, who passed for 136 yards and a touchdown in a 28-7 Ocean League victory over Morningside: “He did a great job. He stood tall.”

Narbonne Coach LeRoy Wilson, staying optimistic after his team suffered its third consecutive defeat in a 25-7 loss to Washington: “My heart’s still pounding, the sun came up and most of the fires are out. It will all get better soon.”