Senior quarterback Darius Banks scored the tiebreaking touchdown with 12 seconds left last Friday night to lead undefeated, untied Culver City High School to a 35-28 victory at home over Leuzinger in the first round of the CIF football playoffs.
The Centaurs, 11-0, go on the road next Friday, playing St. Paul in a 7:30 game the day after Thanksgiving in Santa Fe Springs.
St. Paul, which shared the Mission League championship with Alemany, defeated Quartz Hill, 24-14, in its playoff opener.
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Record-setting Culver quarterback Darius Banks was a hero again. Photo by George Laase.
Catching Record Fever
In a season of many new and expanded records, and senior wide receiver Antwon Moutra entered the record book in a big way against Leuzinger.
Moutra, who caught the game-tying touchdown pass in the fourth quarter, tied a school record with 11 receptions for the game.
He broke a 13-year-old record — held by Jasiri Rodell — with 232 receiving yards for a single game.
More Moutra Records
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Culver receiver Antwon Moutra holds or shares four records. Photo by George Laase.
Moutra now has 2650 yards and 33 touchdowns (also a new Centaur record) in his high school career.
Additionally, Banks also had a banner night. He joined a select group as he surpassed 9,000 (9,115) yards passing and over 100 (103) touchdowns for his high school career.
Playing in front of a large crowd at Culver High, Leuzinger and the Centaurs appeared to be headed for overtime when Banks broke through.
Falling Back — Briefly
Banks’ run capped a huge Culver City comeback, falling behind by two touchdowns, 28-14, late in the first half before rallying to score the game’s last three touchdowns.
Coach Tom Salter saluted his players. “The kids showed tremendous heart and great character to come back when they were down 28-14,” he said
The Centaurs’ defense stiffened in the last two quarters and did not allow the Inglewood school to score.
In fact, Culver was down by two touchdowns only for a moment. On the first series after Leuzinger took the big lead, Banks rallied the Centaurs. They struck back in one long play, a 59-yard Banks’ pass to Zach Davis.
A Big Davis Game
It was one of two touchdown receptions by Davis, who had five catches on the night.
Leuzinger used its strong running game to lead early ansd commandingly while Culver City excited the crowd with an aerial assault.
Banks provided a majority of the Centaurs offense, and he was involved in every score. He completed 20 of 39 passes for 445 yards with four touchdowns and two interceptions. He also ran six times for four yards, including the winning score, and was sacked twice for a minus 4 yards.
Testing the Defense
Culver City began the game on offense and Leuzinger attempted to set the tone early with a hard-hitting defense.
The Olympians were known to have a very strong defense corps, and they showed it. This was one of the hardest-hitting games Culver City has had this season. During Culver’s first series, however, a defensive penalty for an illegal hit to the head on the Centaur quarterback put the ball into Leuzinger territory. Shortly, Banks connected with Davis on a 33-yard pass play just 1:31 into the game for an early 7-0 lead.
Two-Pointer Is the Difference
Leuzinger took its first lead of the game midway through the first quarter when leading rusher Johnny Davis (44 carries, 227 yards) scored the first of his three touchdowns. With the 2-point conversion, the Olympians led 8-7.
Leuzinger usually runs a spread offense. But coach Deon Toliver decided to employ a running game, changing the game plan after viewing Centaur films.
“Once we saw the film, we felt we could run the ball,” Toliver said. “If it didn't work, we would have gone away from it. But we had early success. So we kept doing it.”
Thirty-seven seconds after Leuzinger went ahead, Culver City responded when quarterback Banks threw his second touchdown pass.
They Looked Motivated
In a play similar to the previous week against Beverly Hills, Banks threw a short pass to Jeremi Anderson who broke tackles and streaked down the sideline for a 51-yard score as the Centaurs regained the lead at 14-8.
Leuzinger retaliated late in the first quarter on a 10-play, 65-yard drive when running back Joshua Brown (18 rushes, 80 yards), who shared time with Davis, scored his only touchdown.
Culver’s defense stopped Davis short of the goal line on the 2-point conversion try, leaving the game tied at 14.
Wasting No Time
Leuzinger regained the lead on its next series, early in the second quarter, when Davis scored from 13 yards out.
Not long afterward, the Olympians capitalized on a Culver City turnover.
Olympian linebacker Issac Foster intercepted a Banks pass, and he returned it 24 yards to the Culver three-yard line. Tailback Davis scored his third touchdown one play later, and Leuzinger extended its lead, 28-14.
Culver City did not let the turnover dissuade its players, bouncing right back just 18 seconds later.
Talk About Rebounding
For the second time, Banks connected with Davis, who found an opening down the middle of the field, and ran into the end zone for a 59-yard touchdown.
The Centaurs trailed at halftime 28-21, a situation not unfamiliar to the team. Culver has trailed in previous games and has come out inspired in the second half to shut down opposing teams. This game would be no different.
Although Culver City continued to struggle against the run, the Centaur defense came up big. Their bend-don’t-break mentality forced Leuzinger into three turnovers and stopped the running game from big gains. Leuzinger returned to their spread offense style in the second half.
Asked about the change, Leuzinger’s Coach Toliver said, “It was suggested that we do this because we figured they (Culver) would make adjustments and they wouldn’t be ready for this.”
Catching up and Winning
Leuzinger also played a strong defensive second half, but allowed Culver City to score a touchdown in the third quarter to tie the game and then the game-winner at the end of the fourth.
Toliver stated, “We wanted to keep our defense off the field. The speed of the spread wears you out, and it showed in the fourth quarter. The film lies; they (Culver) are really fast. (Jeremi Anderson) and (Zach Davis) can really fly.”
The Centaurs appeared to be headed for a touchdown on their first series of the second half, but Leuzinger safety Dijon Washington intercepted a Banks pass at the goal line and returned it 40 yards.
Leuzinger Drive Sours
The Olympians drove down the field, into Culver City territory. They even converted a fourth down play.
But Leuzinger sophomore quarterback Te’shon Burton, who was playing for the injured Glynn Toliver and attempted only three passes the entire game, may have tried one too many.
Burton threw a deep pass down field, near the goal line. Centaur defensive back Lenyatta Kiles came up with a huge interception at the three-yard line.
Said Coach Salter of Culver City: “The kids showed a lot of heart innot getting down after the end zone pick.”
Leuzinger’s Coach Toliver indicated that the Kiles interception was the turning point of the game.
Getting Even Fast
Culver tied the game at 28 two minutes later on a 29-yard pass play from Banks to Moutra, the record-breaking wide receiver.
The Centaur defense later created another turnover, a fumble, and Culver City had the ball deep in Leuzinger territory.
Following a penalty, Culver City faced a fourth-and-13 at the 23-yard line. They came up just short as Banks completed a 12-yard pass to running back Lowell Rose.
This allowed the Olympians took over at their own 11 yard line. They ran 10 plays, but penalties forced them to punt with 2:33 remaining in the game.
Win or Tie
With the possibility of overtime looming, Banks led the Centaur offense down the field with assistance from Rose.
On the drive, Rose had three carries for 22 yards, and he made a huge 14-yard catch to set Culver City up at the Leuzinger one-yard line.
Coach Salter said that Rose, who did not play in the first half, “gave us a spark.”
Banks swept out to the left side for the touchdown to give the Centaurs their first lead since the first quarter.
Last Chance
Leuzinger still had one more opportunity.
Senior Deshawn Mills returned the ensuing kickoff 49 yards to the Culver City 33-yard line.
The clock showed no time remaining, but the officials indicated that the player was tackled with one second left.
Burton threw a deep pass toward the end zone, where Moutra came up with the interception and the Centaurs were victorious.
“It was a great high school game,” the winning coach, Salter, said afterward. “A lot of emotion and energy. There’s something special about a playoff win.”
Statistics
Culver City — Darius Banks, 6 rushes, 4 4 yards, 1 touchdown (sacked 2 times for minus 4 yards). Passing, 20 of 39, 445 yards, 4 touchdowns, 2 interceptions.
Lowell Rose, 5 rushes, 51 yards (all in the second half; did not play first half)
Antwon Moutra, 11 receptions, 232 yards, 1 touchdown.
Zach Davis, 5 receptions, 135 yards, 2 touchdowns.
Jeremi Anderson, 2 receptions, 52 yards, 1 touchdown.
Leuzinger—Johnny Davis, 44 rushes, 227 yards, 3 touchdowns.
Joshua Brown, 18 rushes, 80 yards, 1 touchdown.
Te’shon Burton, 1 rush , 1 yard (no sacks). Passing, 0 for 3, 0 yards, 2 interceptions.
Total yards — Culver City, 86 yards rushing, 445 yards passing. 531 total yards (52 plays).
Leuzinger, 326 yards rushing, 0 yards passing. 326 total (71 plays).
Turnovers — Culver City 3. Leuzinger 4.
Penalties — Culver City, 7 for 76 yards. Leuzinger, 11 for 107 yards.
