Culver City High School’s undefeated football team took over sole possession of first place in the Ocean League last Friday night, avenging a onesided loss from last year when the Centaurs beat Santa Monica, 30-27.
In the last home game of the regular season, just-promoted junior varsity kicker Devin Sylvester, a sophomore, provided the winning margin.
37 Was Magic Number
He kicked a 37-yard field goal on the opening drive of the fourth quarter to give Culver a 23-20. The two teams traded touchdowns near the end, the Centaurs widening their lead to 10 with 1:25 to go, and Samohi countering in the final seconds.
[img]32|left|CCHS Quaterback, Darius Bank (Photos by George Laase)||no_popup[/img]
Quarterback Darius Banks had another big game, running for two touchdowns and passing for one. He completed 13 of 24 passes for 199 yards, and he rushed 17 times for 59 yards. Lowell Rose ran for 117 yards in 14 attempts for the winners.
Culver City is 8-0 overall and 3-0 in the Ocean League, leading Beverly Hills (2-1) and Inglewood (2-1) by one game after Inglewood defeated Beverly, 25-7, last Friday.
[img]33|left|CCHS Linebacker, Victor Burnett (Photos by George Laase)||no_popup[/img]
Turning It Around
For the second year in a row, Culver City went into the Santa Monica game with a perfect 7-0 record. Last year, Samohi turned the Centaurs upside down, 63-35, which may have motivated the Centaurs to play an inspired game last Friday. They dropped the Vikings to 1-2 in league and to 4-4 overall.
Oh what difference a year makes.
Culver City played with emotion on Senior Night. The Centaurs came into this year's game determined to avoid another shellacking such as last year when Santa Monica rushed for more than 450 yards and totaled more than 630 yards on offense
Culver will finish the Ocean League season on the road, traveling to Hawthorne (0-7, 0-2) this Friday and Beverly Hills (3-4-1) next week. Culver’s crosstown rivalry game at Beverly Hills next week could determine the league championship and playoff seeding.
Holding the Vikings
Opening the game on defense, the Centaurs kept the Santa Monica running game in check, forcing a punt. Culver wasted little time, driving 79 yards in just seven plays with quarterback Banks running into the end zone from seven yards out.
Senior kicker Matias Henriquez, who was injured while playing soccer, was not at the game. So the left-footed, JV kicker Sylvester was brought up to the varsity. Due to a bad snap, however, his first point-after varsity try was no good, and the Centaurs had an early 6-0 lead.
After exchanging punts, Santa Monica took the lead early in the second quarter on a two-yard run by tailback Christian Ross. His 50-yard run to start the drive helped set up the score and 7-6 Santa Monica lead.
Bouncing Back
Culver City answered right back when Banks fooled the Samo defense on an option. He kept the ball and scored from 20 yards to give Culver the lead, 13-7. Santa Monica struck back on the ensuing drive, quarterback Ryan Katz scoring from the one-yard line.
The Viking defense kept the Centaurs out of the end zone the rest of the quarter, and Santa Monica held a 14-13 halftime lead.
At the start of the second half, Santa Monica took advantage of the only turnover in the game. On Culver's first play from scrimmage, Banks threw a long pass deep into Viking territory. Defensive back Al-rilwan Adeyemi made the interception to give Santa Monica the ball at its own 20-yard line.
Increasing a Lead
The Vikings used six minutes to drive down the field, and Ross scored his second touchdown on a three-yard run to increase the lead to 20-13. On the point-after try, Centaur senior defensive back Lenyatta Kiles got into the Santa Monica backfield and blocked to keep the margin at 7.
Culver City tied the game just a few moments later. Following an offensive penalty, the Centaurs were backed up to near midfield. Banks faked an option run, which caused the Viking secondary to move up. He found a wide-open Moutra for a 45-yard scoring pass. With Sylvester’s extra point, Culver tied the score at 20-20.
Following a Viking punt and penalty at the conclusion of the third quarter, Culver started the fourth quarter at its 44-yard line. The Centaurs used 5:37 to drive down the field to set up the decisive 37-yard field by Sylvester goal to give Culver City the lead at 23-20.
If You Can’t Pass, Run
Banks was sacked twice early in the drive, and the Centaurs were faced with a third down and 18 yards to go. When Banks could not find an open receiver and was forced to scramble, he used his legs to break tackles and to find openings and ran for 22 yards to give the Centaurs a first down and kept the drive alive.
Culver City's defense then forced Santa Monica into a three-and-out. Later, Centaur senior Lowell Rose scored from five yards out with 1:25 remaining in the game, and Culver City widened its lead to 30-20.
The Vikings added a late touchdown on a nine-yard pass from Katz to Isai Carrillo with 15 seconds on the clock.
Culver City offense:
L. Rose, 14 rushes, 117 yards, 1 touchdown
D. Banks, 17 rushes, 59 yards, 2 touchdowns. Passing: 13 for 24, 199 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception. Sacked 4 times for 15 yards in losses.
A. Moutra, 6 catches for 155 yards,m 1 touchdown.
E. Cunningham, 2 catches for 18 yards.
C. Feifer, 2 catches for 17 yards
J. Anderson, Z. Davis, L. Rose, 1 catch apiece.
Culver City Defense:
J. Barkley, 1/2 sack.
Santa Monica Offense:
C. Ross, 27 rushes for 162 yards, 2 touchdowns.
R. Katz, 7 rushes for 33 yards, 1 touchdown. Passing: 5 for 15 for 94 yards, 1 touchdown. Sacked 2 times for minus 9 yards.
I. Carrillo, 2 catches for 20 yards, 1 touchdown.
T. Wright, J. Dunn, L. Zelon, 1 catch apiece.
Santa Monica Defense:
J. Johnson, 3 sacks. R. Austin, 1 sack.
Culver City, 400 yards total offense, 201 rushing, 199 passing.
Santa Monica, 327 yards total offense, 233 rushing, 94 passing.
Turnovers:Culver City 1; Santa Monica 0
Penalties: Culver City, 5 for 32 yards; Santa Monica, 8 for 75 yards
