Page 4 November 22, 2012 Up and Adam Joe’s Sports Kiffin Keeps on Whiffin’ Leuzinger Seeks Another By Adam Serrao coach who faced USC earlier this season said. Championship“It’s an embarrassment of riches. You’ve got toThere is absolutely no doubt that the players on the USC Trojans’ football team are some of the, find a way with those guys.” It certainly is an if not the most, talented college football players embarrassment to have all of the talent in the in the nation. That’s why when Matt Barkley world but be on the verge of losing five games announced in the offseason that he planned to play in a season. That’s why when news broke shortly a part in the team’s “serious unfinished business” after their loss to UCLA that Kiffin will indeed that they had to tend to, everyone immediately be back for another year as head coach of the crowned them as national champions before Trojans, it came as somewhat of a surprise to even one game had the chance to get underway. those who follow college football everywhere. With all of the excitement surrounding the team Mark Saxon of ESPNLA.com reported that as it entered the season at number one in the athletic director Pat Haden assured coach Lane AP poll, it is an understatement to say that the Kiffin that he would return in 2013 regardless of Trojans have been a huge disappointment this the outcome of the Trojans’ last few games. The season. Already having been eliminated from decision by Haden is so questionable because if Rose Bowl consideration with last Saturday’s Kiffin can’t win with all of the talent that he has loss to UCLA, the Trojans not only have to on his team this year, what will the team look watch as UCLA finishes the season above them like next year when they all leave for the NFL. Leuzinger’s Trey Anderson shoots a basket during last week’s David Egans takes over as the head boys’ basketball coach at in the standings, but also must watch as their To be fair, Kiffin isn’t shying away from preseason practice. The Olympians begin play in the Pasadena Hawthorne High. The Cougars open at home against St. Bernard bitter cross-town rivals compete in the Pac-10 any of the blame. “Obviously, we’re extremely Rose City Classic against Sylmar next Tuesday at 8 p.m. on December 1. Photos by Joe Sport. title game--a position that USC is accustomed disappointed in the season,” Kiffin said. “We’re By Joe Snyder Egans, though, feels that other players like to being in most of the time. With all of the too talented to have this many losses and that falls Over the past several seasons, Leuzinger six-foot-one senior point guard Devon Garner, turmoil surrounding the team in a season that on me.” But, simply taking the blame doesn’t High had one of the top boys’ basketball six-foot junior guard Akeen Allen and six- was supposed to be one of the Trojans’ best ever, make everything better. You have to be willing to programs in the South Bay. This coming foot-four senior forward Dominic McClendon is there anyone else to blame but Lane Kiffin? make changes and actively try to improve your season is expected to be no exception. The have the potential to contribute a lot. Six- Losses to Stanford, Arizona, Oregon and team. Kiffin hasn’t done that. Recognizing that Olympians will be a senior-studded squad foot-two junior guard Brian Self also has a UCLA have all dropped the Trojans to 7-4 on he is the problem is the first step in getting the with three returning starters from last season’s great deal of potential, according to Egans. the season with three of those losses coming ship turned around for the Trojans, but Kiffin Bay League championship and CIF-Southern “The viewpoint is for them to be very in the last month. Not only that, but coming up apparently isn’t the one who needs to begin to Section Division IIA quarterfinalist team. competitive,” Egans says of his team. “We this week they have a huge game against the realize that he is the problem with the team. As Perhaps the top player for Leuzinger will should be a hardnosed, tough and up-tempo Notre Dame Fighting Irish that certainly might athletic director, Pat Haden makes the decisions be six-foot senior guard Eric Childress. In team. We’re looking to win the league. We’re just wind up adding another loss to be tacked on and if he doesn’t do something quickly, his job the 2011-12 season, Childress was first team working hard and we’re competing every day.” to the Trojans’ list of failures this year. All that will be on the line soon too. all-Bay League, all-CIF Southern Section and Egans spent the past few seasons as a college having been said, someone deserves the blame. The thing about Lane Kiffin is that he has never fifth team all-California state. He averaged assistant. He worked at Xavier University in Kiffin’s star quarterback doesn’t appear to be been a successful head coach. He was a talented 19 points, four assists and three rebounds Louisiana from 2006-09, before moving to improving at all. After a stellar season last year, coordinator under head coach Pete Carroll, but per game. the Los Angeles area to work as an assistant Matt Barkley still shows big play potential, but once he was plucked out of the college system Also back is six-foot-one senior all-league at West L.A. College from 2009 through last according to NFL executives, his draft stock is and brought to the NFL to coach the Raiders, guard Trey Anderson, who averaged 10 points season. Egans replaces Ben Wardrop, who steadily plummeting with every game that he it was quickly evident that he was not fit for per game. “Anderson played real well over head coached the Cougars over the past takes the field. The defense that Kiffin’s father the job. Al Davis drew scrutiny upon himself the summer,” Leuzinger third-year head coach four seasons. (Monte Kiffin) runs is clearly not the same by saying of Kiffin, “It was after a short period Ali Parvez said. The other starter back is Hawthorne begins its season at home defense that he had previously employed in the of time that I realized I didn’t hire the person six-foot-four senior forward Deonte Welch. against St. Bernard on December 1 at 6 NFL for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers all those I thought I was hiring.” Davis went on to call The veteran squad should also be sparked p.m. Under head coach Reggie Morris, who years. This year with the Trojans, it is ranked Kiffin a liar and accused him of attempting to by six-foot-one senior guard Michael is now in his first season at Redondo, the 65th in the nation and is awful, to say the least. embarrass and discredit the organization. Well McMillan and six-foot-two senior forward Vikings made the California State Division All of that aside, when asked by SI.com how in retrospect, maybe Davis was right. After a Justin Delgado. “All five of these guys V final where they lost to St. Joseph’s-St. much of the blame for the team’s poor season 5-15 tenure with the Raiders, Kiffin moved on grew up together,” Parvez said. “They’ve Mary’s of Alameda in the 2010-11 season is on him, a restrained Kiffin replied, “All of to Tennessee where he was constantly under been together since the sixth grade. Key and won the Southern Section Division V it.” He may not be getting many of the play scrutiny for outlandish comments and several reserves, according to Parvez, include senior title and advanced to the Southern California calls right for the Trojans over the past month NCAA violations before he surprised everyone Stephan Nathan and six-foot-three De Von regional semifinals last season. After Morris or two, but that response is one call made by in the organization and abruptly jumped ship Abner, who is one of just two juniors on the left, St. Bernard lost numerous players who Kiffin that belongs right between the goal posts. to take over for Carroll at USC. While Kiffin predominantly senior squad. transferred to various other high schools, so When a team full of talented players doesn’t hasn’t necessarily done the same things to Leuzinger begins its season next Tuesday in he is now faced with rebuilding. match its potential, the brunt of the blame needs USC yet, this season may indeed be the start the Rose City Classic against Sylmar High at From December 3-8, the Cougars will vie to be placed squarely on the shoulders of the of something of which to take sight. To sum it Pasadena High School at 8 p.m. The classic in the Blue Pride Classic at El Rancho High head coach. That’s why when SI.com spoke all up, throughout his head coaching career one will last through December 1. in Pico Rivera before visiting Lawndale in with 10 anonymous opposing head coaches thing has become evident about Lane Kiffin. The Olympians have their first non- non-league play on December 13. Hawthorne around the league, they all agreed that USC’s He can’t be trusted. That is one thing that USC league game at home against Lawndale on visits Leuzinger on January 7 before beginning poor play is solely because of Kiffin. “There’s might want to take note of before it’s too late. • December 7 at 7:30 p.m. Leuzinger plays in the Ocean League at home against Beverly no excuses with the players they’ve got,” one two other highly competitive tournaments--at Hills on January 9. Beverly Hills from December 11-15 and the The Ocean is expected to be led by Maxpreps Holiday Classic in Palm Springs Inglewood, which returns all five starters from December 26-29. The Olympians then and has a premiere transfer from St. Bernard visit rival Hawthorne on January 7 before in Brandon Randolph (who also played at • Diabetes Care opening the Bay League a day later against Leuzinger before transferring with head Palos Verdes. coach Morris to St. Bernard in 2010), and •Women’s Health According to Parvez, the Bay League is Santa Monica, which has four returning expected to be very balanced with Leuzinger, starters from last year’s outstanding squad • Prenatal Care Leuzinger and Playa del Rey St. Bernard IAA semifinals. Three other teams, Beverlythat made it to the Southern Section DivisionMira Costa, Peninsula, Redondo (under former High head coach Reggie Morris, Jr.) and West Hills, Morningside and Culver City, should Building Healthy Lives in medically • Pediatrics Torrance all with a shot at the league title. also be highly competitive. underserved communities throughout Los Cougars Have First-Year Coach Hawthorne Adult Racquetball Angeles County for over 40 years In recent seasons, Hawthorne High has The Hawthorne Parks and Recreation • Dental Care found things tough going in the Ocean Department will host an Adult Racquetball League with such powerful programs from Tournament on December 1 at the Betty Appointments: •General Adult Inglewood, Morningside, Santa Monica and Ainsworth Sports Center. Sign-ups are (310) 802-6170 Medicine coach David Egans feels confident that they years old and over. Please sign up at thecontinuing and will run through nextWednesday. The classic is for anyone 18Beverly Hills. It could continue to be toughfor the Cougars, but their first-year head www.sbfhc.org • And more program. Sports Center Desk in the Lobby.For further information, please contact thewill begin their climb to a more successful Hawthorne has just one returning starter Hawthorne Parks and Recreation Department in six-foot-two senior forward Caleb Ross. at 310-349-1640. •
Lawndale 11_22_12
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