With additional reporting by Greg Goodyear.
The Culver City football team’s 2015 lineup will be on display this Saturday during the annual Blue and White game on the Culver City campus at the Jerry Chabola football field. Junior Varsity and freshmen teams will play at 3 p.m. and the varsity game will start at 6 p.m.
This year, the team is hoping to rebound from a disappointing 2014 season that saw the Centaurs fall to 2-8. They will have a new quarterback that will try to improve on the quarterback production. Last year, that position was the weak link on an offensive team that had other limitations.
The Centaurs will rely on two signal callers who are currently battling for the starting job: Bryce Lewis-Wolfe and Jonathan Martin. Both have shown that they can handle a team leader’s duties.
As running backs, Fred Poindexter and Cahlil Hooper are ready to carry the load. Poindexter is the leading returning back and Hooper, who is the fastest runner in the school, should add excitement and long touchdown runs.
The receiving crops will be led by 6’6 Deven Osborne, Mason Mulvihill, Justin Cox and new comer Kyle Johnson. Johnson is a two-sport star in basketball – he’s the best player in the school and volleyball. He hopes that his magic can carry over to the football field.
Protecting the quarterback on the offensive line will be veteran guard Richard Yoshida, who is the strongest player on the team. Cameron Lowe is the other guard. The tackles will be Kyle McKinnis and Sebastian Knowles. Holding down the center position will be Cameron Williams.
On defense, the Centaurs hope that linemen Cameron Newman, Jayden Porter, McKinnis and Yoshida can stop the run and put pressure on the opposing quarterbacks.
The linebacker positions should be in good hands with Elijah Salazar, Elijah Zavala, Jacob Weiner, Alex Sanchez, Antwon Smith, Marcell Brown and Ryland Sugars.
The defensive back field should improve behind the play of Louis Schulze, Mekhi Ware. Quintourious Truitt, Mulvehill and Cox.
The 2015 team will be better than last year because most of the players have more experience. The big question this team must answer is at the quarterback position. You can have a great team, but if your competition is better you will still have a problem on Friday nights.
Their first game of the season will be against a very good West Torrance team at Culver City on Friday, September 4, at 7 p.m.
Mr. Finley may be contacted at sfinley50@aol.com.
