August 23, 2012 Page 5 Sports Adam Swain Begins Third Stint as Head Cougar Grid Coach USC Overcomes Obstacles By Adam Serrao The magical world of college football is the playoffs and no chance at even getting almost all the way back in action and Los into the limelight for two years. That loyalty Angeles’ very own USC Trojans have been and solidarity will make this team one of the listed as the top team to beat in the Associated best that Southern California has seen in a Press Top 25 poll. After a two-year bowl ban, very long time. the Trojans, under head coach Lane Kiffin, Even still, there are many restrictions have found a way to stay consistent and stay placed upon this team. In 2010, the NCAA hot. Surely, the appeal of Southern California subtracted 10 scholarships a year for three can’t hurt the recruitment process, but after years from the Trojans. That meant that 2010 all of the lost scholarships and sanctions would be the worst year for the Trojans. sent down upon the school, one would think With so few scholarships, USC naturally that SC would be looking at more desperate had fewer players ready to suit up and take times. Instead, the Trojans emerge from the the field. Worried about losing even more Pac-12 as the favorites and as legitimates players to injury before the season started, BCS bowl contenders. Matt Barkley is back Kiffin conducted his practices in such a at quarterback after denying what was surely way to limit heavy hitting. When the season a pick in the top 10 of this year’s NFL draft, began, that was evident as the team could and he comes back to throw to receivers like barely tackle and they ultimately wound up Marqise Lee and Robert Woods, to name a with an 8-5 record. This year, it is more of few. Yup, the Trojans are back among the the same. With an estimated 71 players on heavyweights in this year’s college football the team (the maximum amount of players rankings. on a team is 85), Kiffin plans to redshirt It’s not supposed to be this way. What nine freshmen. That will give the freshmen happened to the USC Trojans is supposed a chance for a longer career life at USC, to hit a program where it hurts. Cripple but will also concurrently drop the roster of a program. Make sure that they will be available players down to 62. It goes without unsuccessful for a long, long time to come. saying that the Trojans can afford very few Instead, however, what it did was give the injuries. Case in point, starting defensive end team time. Time to find itself. In his first Devon Kennard is already unavailable for year with the club, Barkley may not have a majority of the season because of a torn Kai Keltz of Devastation shoots under the leaping pressure of Power Circle’s Devan Jones in Sunday’s Hawthorne Parks and Recreation Adult Basketball action. Devastation won 53-50. Photo by Joe Snyder been ready to be the best quarterback that pectoral muscle suffered during the summer. he could be. He may not have had all of the That being so and the risk being so high, By Joe Snyder quarterback. Top linemen include six-foot- pieces around him to make a BCS run. Now, Kiffin will once again attempt to handle his James Swain has been Hawthorne High’s two, 260-pound junior De Shawn Smith. all of a sudden, the team that took the field team with soft hands as to avoid any more athletic director for several years, but he has Swain also likes sophomore strong safety last year looks mighty, to say the least. Last unnecessary injuries. “We’re going to have to been in and out of coaching the Cougars’ Paris McDaniels and senior lineman Thomas year, in what was a dress rehearsal, America manage it really well by the way we practice, football team over the past dozen years. After Espinoza, a transfer from Las Vegas. Espinoza got to see a contender that still wasn’t allowed by the way we play in the games, rotations promising head mentor Joseph Kanach left has very good size at six-foot-four, 275 pounds. to contend put on a display of skill that was of people, special teams,” Kiffin said. “But if and got Hawthorne High’s team to pick up Hawthorne begins its season on Friday at thoroughly impressive. Now that it’s time for you’re going to have a really good year with some victories that followed a futile 45-game Torrance High Friday at 7 p.m. Last season, the real deal, the Trojans are back and have a reduced roster, you’ve got to have some losing streak that dated from 2005-10, Swain the Tartars had one of their best seasons re-achieved their once customary position of luck and you’ve got to find a way to stay is back at the helm and hopes he can keep ever as co-Pioneer League champions and number one--not only the AP, but the ESPN healthy.” Hopefully luck isn’t the only thing the program winning after he was not very made the CIF-Southern Section Northwest power rankings as well. that Kiffin is banking on to keep his team’s successful in his earlier period. Division semifinals, losing to eventual “Our goal was just to maximize the number one ranking throughout the entirety Swain was Hawthorne’s head coach when champion Lompoc. situation we were put in,” Kiffin can now of the season. If you take a walk around the the Cougars lost 40 of their 45-game skid Top contenders for the Ocean League title say in retrospect. “We didn’t know exactly campus and talk to any of the players, you’ll before stepping down after the 2009 season. include last year’s CIF-Southern Section what that’s going to mean.” Well, Kiffin and soon realize it’s not. There is a different He remained as the athletic director. Over the Western Division finalist Culver City, the Trojans are starting to get a better picture buzz around this team and a different energy four seasons of his second period, he was defending league champion Santa Monica of it. USC is not just a team that is ranked around the school as the season approaches. 0-40 on the field but 1-39 officially since and Inglewood. number one at the beginning of the season With players like Barkley, Woods, Lee and Hawthorne received a forfeit win against Monarchs Seek Improvement when rankings mean nothing and one loss running backs like Curtis McNeal and Silas Compton--a squad that humiliated the Cougars Morningside High’s football team is can change a whole season. USC is a team Redd, it is clear that this team is stacked. 52-0 in 2006 before being discovered that it expected to have very good experience with that players have been faithful to and not USC’s window for success may not be too used an ineligible player. His second period a senior-studded squad. After going 2-8 fled the program. Players who are looking entirely large, but this year that window is was from 2006-09. overall and 1-4 last seasons, the Monarchs for big money, attention and notoriety have wide open as gusts of opportunity breeze In Swain’s first stint during the 2000 and return key starting quarterback Greg Adams. all remained faithful to a school that had right through. • 2001 seasons, he went 11-10 and had a squad Running back Dana Dotson is also back, no chance at a championship, no chance at overall Hawthorne coaching record to 11-50. linemen in Rodolfo Reyes and Trayveon Douglassas is wide receiver-safety Taveon Campbell.Morningside also returns two top startingCarter.What are his Cougars like this year? that made the CIF-Southern Section Division III playoffs in his first year. That put Swain’s 1-4 in Ocean League play in 2011, brings powerhouse Canyon High in Canyon Country M O R T U A R YThe Monarchs begin their season at usual Hawthorne, which went 5-5 overall but only back 10 starters--five each on offense and today at 7 p.m. “Our Family Serving Yours Since 1954” defense. Lawndale Starts Under New Coach B U R I A L - C R E M A T I O N - W O R L D W I D E T R A N S F E R The Cougars lost wide receiver Chris Under first-year head coach Rick Mathiesen, P E T M E M O R I A L P R O D U C T S Bailey and running back Isaiah Brame to Lawndale High’s football team begins its 5 0 0 E A S T I M P E R I A L AV E N U E graduation, but also lost what would have 2012 season at home against last season’s E L S E G U N D O , C A L I F O R N I A 9 0 2 4 5 been a very good returning quarterback in CIF-Los Angeles City Section Division Telephone (310) 640-9325 • Fax (310) 640-0778 • FD658 Rickie Calderon, who transferred to one of II champion South East High from South Hawthorne’s Ocean opponents, Inglewood. Gate Friday at 7 p.m. The Cardinals return Expected to replace Calderon is senior Xavier a few key players, including senior running Clark, who started as a defensive back last back Michael Watkins and offensive guard year. Senior Paul Fuller will be a key wide Edward Banuelos. receiver. Devastation Edges Power Circle “Crystallize your goals. Make a plan for achieving them and set Hawthorne appears to have a good running In a very tight game, Devastation topped yourself a deadline. Then, with supreme confidence, determination game, led by Eric Scott Davis and Chance Power Circle 53-50 in a Hawthorne Parks and disregard for obstacles and other people’s criticisms, carry out Kennedy. On defense, Scott Davis and Fuller and Recreation Adult Basketball League are expected to start at safety and Clark is contest on Sunday. Devastation had balanced your plan” a returning defensive back. Swain compares scoring, led by Shawn Cobles with 15 points. ~ Paul Meyer Scott Davis to last season’s Inglewood High Kai Keltz and Marcus Bailey each chipped standout Derrell Woods. in 13 points. Will Price led all scorers with Swain plans to use six-foot-two, 170-pound 18 points for Power Circle. Marsellus Giray junior Patrick Washington as a backup contributed 15 points. •
Lawndale 8.23.12
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