Banning and Carson Keep Power Structure Intact in City Football

By Lonnie White

Nov. 1, 1988 12 AM PT

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The phrase the more things change, the more they stay the same, definitely held true in the City Section’s Southern League last Friday night, when upstarts Dorsey and Crenshaw lost to traditional powers Banning and Carson.

Before a full house at Harbor College, Dorsey dominated Banning for 3 quarters, taking a 21-0 lead into the fourth quarter. Then, however, the kinds of turnovers and mistakes that the Dons’ had forced in going undefeated in their first 6 games started happening to them, and a clock malfunction came back to haunt them as well.

The Dons, who last won a City championship in the 3-A division in 1982 with current Ram wide receiver Aaron Cox, fell apart in the fourth quarter, losing a fumble deep in their territory and suffering numerous breakdowns in their secondary.

Banning quarterback John Ma’ae, who completed 14 of 24 passes for 226 yards, took advantage of the Dons’ late lapses with 2 touchdown passes in the last 4 minutes.

With 3:48 left and Dorsey ahead, 21-14, Ma’ae threw a 28-yard scoring pass to Lamont Shedrick, making it 21-20. But Ma’ae’s 2-point conversion pass was knocked down, putting pressure on the Pilots’ defense to get the ball back.

After receiving the kickoff, Dorsey nearly ran out the clock, moving the ball to the Pilots’ 25-yard line before turning it over with 23 seconds left. So Banning got one last chance, a chance Dorsey Coach Eugene McAdoo maintains the Pilots would not have had but for the clock malfunction earlier in the fourth quarter.

“It hurt us when three plays were run off and the clock didn’t move,” said McAdoo, who coaches the team with Paul Knox. “The real problem came when they only took off 10 seconds and not more because when you consider that the three plays were a kickoff and two running plays . . . “

Lee Joseph, City Interscholastic Athletics Specialist, was in attendance and also noticed the error.

“More time should have been taken off the clock,” Joseph said Monday. “Dorsey ran two running plays, which ran about 25 seconds each or 50 seconds total. There should have been about 40 seconds more taken off the clock.

“It happened with 7:18 left in the fourth quarter. The officials only took off 10 seconds. I noticed immediately from the stands, but by the time I would have made it down to the field, it wouldn’t have mattered because I would have been too late. The timer and the officials should have had more knowledge. They should have been more aware of the situation.”

The extra time proved a boon to Banning as Ma’ae, without any timeouts, completed 2 passes and moved the Pilots to the Dons’ 33-yard line with only 3 seconds remaining. On the last play, a scrambling Ma’ae threw a desperation pass across the field to a wide-open Shedrick, giving Banning the victory.

Banning’s record is 7-1 and first-year Coach Joe Dominguez has returned Banning--which had a 6-4 mark last season--to the top of the 4-A Division.

For Dorsey, which had gone into the game outscoring opponents, 272-6, the loss was bitter. “We just have to keep our heads together and look at the positive things,” said McAdoo, whose Dons will play host to Carson Friday night at Jackie Robinson Stadium. “I am sure that our players will bounce back.”

Whereas Banning needed a miracle finish, Carson had an easy time with Crenshaw, defeating the Cougars at Gardena High, 37-12, after gaining a 37-0 lead at the half.

Senior Fred Gatlin, who normally shares quarterback duties with Perry Klein, completed 10 of 18 for 196 yards and 2 touchdowns. While Klein sat out the game with an injured right ankle, Gatlin threw touchdown passes of 70 and 32 yards to Michael Ross.

The Colts shut down Crenshaw’s offense, allowing the Cougars only 136 yards. Linebackers Todd Auvaa and Peter Hunt had big games for Carson. Auvaa had 11 tackles and returned a fumble for a touchdown, and Hunt made 13 tackles. Carson limited the Cougars and their star tailback, Shon Ellerbe, to only 72 yards rushing.

Crenshaw, which hasn’t played in a City championship game since 1982, is 5-2, and will play Banning Friday afternoon.

Carson, which lost the City 4-A championship game to Granada Hills last season, started the season ranked No. 1 in The Times’ top 10 but dropped below Franklin after losing its second game to Bishop Amat, 17-13.

The victory, however, returned the Colts to the top position, despite unbeaten Franklin’s 56-0 victory over Eagle Rock (1-6). Carson has won 6 straight and has faced stronger competition than Franklin. Franklin, however, largely on the running of Lamont Lovett, the City’s leading rusher, is still the top 3-A team at 7-0. Lovett ran for 210 yards and 4 touchdowns in Franklin’s victory over Eagle Rock.

Franklin may continue to roll, but has two other undefeated 3-A teams--Reseda (7-0) and South Gate (8-0)-- keeping pace.

Reseda defeated Van Nuys, 41-0, with running back William Gaines running for 2 touchdowns and catching a pass for another. The Regents allowed Van Nuys only 13 yards rushing. Reseda will play for the Mid Valley League championship Friday night against 6-1 Monroe, which last week beat Birmingham, 56-0, with wide receiver Terry London scoring 3 touchdowns.

South Gate, off to its best start since 1979, made its claim as the top team in the Central League with a 9-8 victory over Locke. The Rams took the lead for good in the fourth quarter on a 4-yard touchdown run by Ivan Wilson, and then survived a late Locke drive by recovering a Saints’ fumble. Wilson gained 130 yards in 27 carries and also completed a 23-yard halfback option pass on the Rams’ winning drive.

The City playoffs will begin Nov. 18 for 12 teams in the 4-A division and 16 in 3-A. The top three teams in each of the four 4-A leagues qualify, with the first-place finishers in each league earning first-round byes. In the 3-A, the top two teams in each of the eight leagues qualify.

The City playoff committee may have a difficult time seeding the teams, however. The general rule of matching teams from the strongest leagues against the weakest will be difficult because of parity this season. The playoff seeding meeting is scheduled for Nov. 9.

Prep Notes

Curtis Conway completed 8 of 12 passes for 238 yards, with 2 touchdown passes and ran for a score in gaining 106 yards in Hawthorne’s 18-14 victory over Beverly Hills in the Bay League. . . . Tailback Mark Harper of Santa Monica ran for 207 yards and 3 touchdowns in the Vikings’ 41-22 victory over Rolling Hills. . . . Fairfax sophomore tailback Mario Mattison passed the 1,000-yard mark with a 213-yard performance in the Lions’ 13-7 victory over Hamilton.

Tailback Erick McKinney of Venice also broke the 1,000-yard mark with 125 yards in 18 carries in the Gondoliers’ 28-0 loss to Westchester. . . . Darick Holmes of Muir passed for 103 yards and ran for 109 yards in the Mustangs’ 41-3 victory over Crescenta Valley. . . . Burbank running back Tarin Cardenez gained 159 yards in 22 carries in the Bulldogs’ 21-7 win over Hart, ending Hart’s 22-game Foothill League winning streak.

Receiver Tony Pena of Mater Dei caught 5 passes for 130 yards and a touchdown in the Monarchs’ 42-28 victory over Crespi Thursday night. . . . Junior quarterback Todd Gragnano of Los Alamitos ran for 102 yards and 3 touchdowns and passed for another and 156 yards in the Griffins’ 27-7 victory over Katella. . . . Derek Brown of Servite had 241 yards in 24 carries and scored 4 touchdowns Saturday night.

TIMES’ PREP POLLS

Southern Section

No. School, League Record

1. Loyola, Del Rey 8-0-0

2. Fontana, Citrus Belt 8-0-0

3. Mission Viejo, South Coast 8-0-0

4. Long Beach Poly, Moore 6-0-1

5. Leuzinger, Bay 8-0-0

6. Santa Barbara, Channel 8-0-0

7. Servite, Angelus 7-1-0

8. Edison, Sunset 7-1-0

9. CC Canyon, Golden 6-2-0