PREP FOOTBALL SPOTLIGHT: FACTS, FIGURES AND COMMENTS FROM LAST WEEK’S GAMES : SPLIT PERSONALITY

It was a tale of two halves Friday night for South Torrance in its 14-6 victory over host Redondo.

In the first half, the Spartans scored touchdowns on two of their first three possessions and gained 183 yards, including 139 rushing.

In the second half, they were shut out and managed only 84 yards, 28 rushing.

Mike Christensen, South’s first-year co-coach, said conditioning may have played a part in his team’s second-half decline.

“I think we got a little tired,” he said. “It might be due to the intensity of the first game. We played a lot of kids tonight but we still got tired.”

South running back Kapono Tumale rushed for 100 yards in seven carries in the first half but only 10 yards in eight carries in the second half.

“We’ve got to get things together,” said Tumale, who scored on a five-yard run in the second quarter. “We’re not as smooth as we should be. But we did all right. I’m happy.”

Co-coach Joe Austin was also pleased, although he acknowledged South could have made things easier on itself. The Spartans missed a chance to extend a 14-0 lead early in the fourth quarter when they were stopped on fourth-and-goal from the Redondo one-yard line.

“We’re happy,” Austin said. “It just could have been prettier.”

It nearly turned ugly for South in the final minutes. After an interception by defensive back Chad Seamans, Redondo drove 76 yards in 10 plays and scored on a five-yard run by tailback Nigel Greer to pull within 14-6 with three minutes 21 seconds left. Redondo failed on a two-point conversion attempt.

After forcing South to punt, Redondo got the ball back at its own 36 with 1:11 left after being penalized 15 yards for clipping on the return. But on first down, defensive back Mel Miller ended the threat by intercepting a pass that bounced off receiver Brian Mahanke.

LETTING GO

Morningside Coach Ron Tatum didn’t make any excuses after being told that the Monarchs fumbled 12 times and lost eight in a 34-14 loss to Inglewood at Coleman Stadium.

“It might have been 13,” he said. “We played everybody. We looked at all of our quarterbacks and each one had at least two turnovers.”

Replacing Stais Boseman might be harder than Tatum anticipated.

HELPING HAND

Senior running back Ron Hand helped make Don Morrow’s coaching debut at Mira Costa a successful one, rushing for 142 yards and three touchdowns as the Mustangs defeated visiting El Segundo, 21-2.

Hand, who had 26 carries, scored on runs of four and three yards in the second quarter and five yards early in the fourth quarter. He was also involved in El Segundo’s scoring play when he was trapped in the end zone for a safety.

Defensively, Mira Costa limited El Segundo to 32 total yards and linebacker Casey Glynn recovered two fumbles. Linebacker Jade Byrd also played a strong game.

Despite a decisive victory, the Mustangs played sloppily at times. They lost five fumbles and Morrow said the offensive line had some problems with El Segundo’s defense.

“They run a certain stunt,” Morrow said. “We knew they were going to run it, they ran it, and they get to our quarterback before he can hand the ball off. It’s embarrassing.”

Although he was pleased with the victory, Morrow said his team must reduce its mistakes. Besides the turnovers, Mira Costa was penalized nine times for 92 yards.

“We asked the players to give a good, physical effort, and they did,” he said. “But we still have a ways to go, that’s for sure.”

GROUNDED

What did Mira Costa and Banning have in common in their openers?

Answer: Each team completed only one pass.

Mira Costa quarterback Ryan Barnes was one for four for 30 yards against El Segundo and Banning sophomore Ira McKenna completed his only pass for seven yards in a 16-6 loss to Muir.

CITY VS. SOUTHERN

When Carson of the City Section and Bishop Amat of the Southern Section played Friday night at Veterans Stadium, it was one of the few times opportunities this season for fans to a see an inter-sectional game.

Because of the demise of the Reebok Bowl, there will be no postseason game in 1993 matching the major division champions from the local sections.

Although the Southern Section is larger, the debate has been raging for years about which section is stronger.

Bishop Amat Coach Mark Paredes has his own solution to ending the controversy.

“I think we ought to play more (against each other) to put the comparisons to rest,” he said.

Of course, Paredes has reason to feel that way. Bishop Amat’s last two victories have been against City schools. The Lancers completed a 15-0 season in 1992 by beating Sylmar in the Reebok Bowl, and they opened the season Friday with a 14-0 victory over Carson.

South Bay schools were on the losing ends of two other inter-sectional games. Muir, a Southern Section Division III semifinalist last season, defeated Banning, 16-6, and Dorsey of the City Section beat Leuzinger, 21-8.

GOOSE EGGS

Carson statistician Tim Finney said the Colts’ 14-0 loss to Bishop Amat was the first time in the school’s 31-year history that Carson had been shut out in two consecutive games. The Colts 1992 season ended with a 17-0 loss to Sylmar in the 4-A Division championship game.

FAST START

A sign it was going to be a big night for Torrance came on the team’s first play from scrimmage. Junior running back Andre Hilliard ran 40 yards untouched for a touchdown, and the Tartars went on to overpower visiting Verbum Dei, 43-8.

It was the most points scored by Torrance in three seasons under Coach Bill Bynum.

“Out of the chute, it’s nice to get that,” Bynum said. “I’ll take it every time.”

Quarterback Tony Brown had a strong game in his first varsity start, passing for 124 yards and three touchdowns and kicking a 33-yard field goal and two extra points.

The Tartar defense held Verbum Dei to minus-20 yards in the second half and scored two touchdowns. Joe Greene recovered a fumble in the end zone and Henry Quintana returned a fumble nine yards for a TD after Anthony Martinez knocked the ball loose from the Verbum Dei quarterback.

JUMPING THE GUN

Leuzinger Coach Fred Boehm said Dorsey was mistakenly given seven points by the Leuzinger scoreboard operator on the last play of Friday night’s game.

After viewing the game video Saturday, Boehm said Dorsey actually won, 21-8, rather than the 28-8 score that appeared on the scoreboard. Boehm said the scorekeeper gave Dorsey a touchdown and extra point after defensive lineman George Blackwell intercepted a deflected pass and appeared to return it into the end zone as time expired.

After looking at the video, though, Boehm said none of the officials signaled touchdown because Blackwell ran out of bounds before reaching the end zone. He said he plans to contact the Southern Section office Monday to have the score corrected.

“It’s so plain on the video that the officials are crossing their arms,” Boehm said. “The guy (Blackwell) was out of bounds all the way down the sideline.”

Boehm said it was difficult to tell what was happening during the game because the play occurred on the Dorsey sideline and players immediately rushed the field.

But that doesn’t explain why Dorsey was also credited with an extra point when none was attempted.

“The scorekeeper was a guy who usually doesn’t do it,” Boehm said.

STILL LOOKING

Before Gardena’s game at Fairfax, first-year Mohican Coach Donald Threatt gathered his players and told them: “No one respects you, no one expects you to win. Just go out and play hard.”

The Mohicans played hard, but will have to wait for respect and a victory. Fairfax--the only team that Gardena beat during a 1-8 season in 1992--won easily, 44-0.

“What can I say?” said Threatt, pointing to the scoreboard. “We have a lot of work to do and we’re going to work like hell to do it.”

PLAYING CATCH

If the season opener was any indication, San Pedro quarterback Chris Pappas and wide receiver Bryan Castaneda appear to be one of the area’s better passing combinations.

Pappas completed eight of 11 passes, all of them to Castaneda, for 137 yards and one touchdown in a 42-12 victory over University at Daniels Field.

IN QUOTES

Leuzinger Coach Fred Boehm on a first-half turnover deep in Dorsey territory that kept his team from extending an 8-0 lead in an eventual 21-8 loss: “If we could have got it in on that second chance, I feel we probably would have gone on and won the game.”

West Torrance Coach Kerry Crabb, finding a positive in his team’s 17-0 loss to Mission Viejo: “We’ve got a great defense. Our front four kicked the dog out of their front five.”

Banning Coach Ed Paculba on two second-half fumbles that hurt the Pilots’ comeback effort in a 16-6 loss to Muir: “It was opening-game jitters. The kids were running hard and trying to get the extra yardage, and they played a little loose with the ball.”

Chadwick Coach Sid Grant on a three-hour bus ride home after the Dolphins defeated host Arrowhead Christian, 32-0: “The players slept, but my adrenaline was flowing so much, I stayed up the whole way.”

El Segundo Coach Craig Cousins after his team was held to 32 yards in a 21-2 loss to Mira Costa: “They’ve got a good team and a good coach. They’ll do well. Let’s hope we do.”

Redondo Coach Chris Hyduke, whose team failed to score on six possessions inside the South Torrance 40-yard line, including two inside the 10, in a 14-6 loss: “We had our chances, that’s what’s so frustrating.”

INJURIES

Peninsula quarterback-defensive back Brian Reed is out for the season after suffering a broken right ankle in Thursday’s 20-8 victory over Lakewood. Coach Gary Kimbrell said Reed will be missed on defense as much as on offense.

“He was having an All-CIF game at strong safety,” Kimbrell said. “He was having a Ronnie Lott, Kenny Easley type of game, knocking the heck out of people. If our kids follow his example, we’ll be all right.”