El Camino Holds Off Taft; Harbor Wins Opener, 14-7

El Camino College, the nation’s 10th-ranked community college team, held off a late charge by sixth-ranked Taft for a 33-32 victory Saturday night at Murdock Stadium.

Warrior quarterback Rod Harvey was impressive, completing 14 of 23 passes for 269 yards and three touchdowns.

The Warriors scored first with 4:46 remaining in the first quarter. Harvey, a sophomore, completed a five-play, 78-yard drive with a 14-yard pass to sophomore Shannon Thompson, who eluded several defenders to find the end zone. Louis Perez’ conversion put the Warriors up, 7-0.

Taft scored two possessions later when sophomore Joe Randolph returned an El Camino punt 60 yards for a touchdown with 10:02 remaining in the second quarter.

El Camino took a 26-14 lead with 5:14 left in the third quarter when Harvey hit receiver Bryan Reeves for 78 yards on the first play of the possession. The freshman from Carson High caught the ball at about the Taft 30-yard line and sprinted into the end zone after fighting off two Cougar defenders. El Camino failed to convert a two-point conversion attempt.

The Warriors increased their lead to lead 33-14 when Taft’s Montrell Degree fumbled at the Cougar 15-yard line with 1:46 remaining in the third quarter. El Camino freshman linebacker Chad McGovney (South Torrance High) recovered and the Warriors scored five plays on Daigle’s one-yard run.

With 6:18 left to play, Taft scored when freshman Stanley Carmichael, the Cougar’s third quarterback, hit Arthur Davis for a 38-yard touchdown to cut the lead to 33-20.

Carmichael ran eight yards for the Cougars’ next touchdown with 2:02 left to play, narrowing El Camino’s edge to 33-26. Taft missed its second consecutive point after touchdown kick.

With seven seconds left in the game, Carmichael scored on a six-yard run, but a two-point conversion attempt failed.

Sophomore running back Bill Harris and freshman receiver Vini Bjazevich provided most of the offense as Harbor College won its season opener, 14-7, over Victor Valley (0-2) at Casey Field.

Harris ran for a five-yard touchdown with 1:10 remaining in the first half and Bjazevich caught a 27-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Glenn Baham early in the third quarter.