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Centaurs’ senior defensive back Kevin Beacham runs his goalline interception back to midfield in last Friday’s win over Hawthorne. Photo, George Laase.
[img]2203|right|||no_popup[/img]The Culver City High School football team continues its second season Friday, battling a good Inglewood team at 7 o’clock, and it will be Homecoming at Chabola Stadium.
Emotions will be high for this rivalry game.
The 2-4 Centaurs beat Hawthorne 27-7 last Friday while Inglewood was destroying Beverly Hills 49-0.
The winner of the Homecoming game will move into first place in the Ocean League.
Although Culver City’s victory over Hawthorne was filled with mistakes, the Centaurs looked bigger, stronger and faster than they have in recent weeks.
One reason they looked better was the return of seven previously suspended players, including All-CIF Stanley Norman.
“A win is a win,” said Cornell Myles, longtime assistant and former head coach. “At this point of the season, we don’t care who we play. We just have to get better. We have to get ready for Inglewood and try to win the Ocean League. As a team, we have to make up our minds to get fully prepared to play every week.”
Centaur head coach Jahmal Wright said the win against Hawthorne was a step in the right direction. “I thought the second half of the game was a lot better than the first,” said Wright. “I like the way we ran the ball. We need to run the ball to take pressure off (our quarterbacks) Armani Rogers and David Handler. When you have a young team, players have to learn how to be successful.”
If the Centaurs expect to contend for the league championship against Santa Monica, Inglewood and Morningside, they must pay attention to what the coaches have been saying all season.
“The coaching staff is on the same page,” Myles said. “Now we need the players to buy into what we are trying to do.
“A house divided will fall. We want everyone to stand tall, stay united.”
If Culver City can put together complete games, eliminate major penalties and dropped passes, they will be a serious threat for the title.
If the mistakes continue, they will not make the playoffs.
It starts with Inglewood. “That’s the reason Inglewood is our Homecoming game,” said Wright. “We have been looking forward to this game all year. They have beaten us three years in a row.”
Wright said the defense came to play against Hawthorne, celebrating the return of linebacker Remy Grundy, one of their best players. Because of injury, he missed the last two games. “It was good to have Remy back,” said Wright, “but our whole defense did a great job.”
Others who have played well on defense are linebackers Ty’Jason Roberts and Jeremy Marrero, lineman Marco Cardenas and Fred Wadibia and backs Jericho Flowers, Reynard Saxson and Kevin Beacham.
On offense, the Centaurs will need big games from all four positions to beat Inglewood. Quarterbacks, receivers, the offensive line and running backs must play at a higher level.
“The defenses we saw in pre-season were really good,” said offensive coordinator Aki Wilson. “That should help us in league play. Our No. 1 goal right now is to beat Inglewood.”
Mr. Finley may be contacted at Sfinley50@aol.com
