Page 4 September 27 , 2012 Joe’s Sports Up and Adam Lawndale Rallies for Overtime Win Dodgers Down in the Dumps By Joe Snyder Leuzinger (0-4) broke the shutout when By Adam Serrao would think Tom Petty was the head of the Lawndale High’s football team finished quarterback Sami Puloka scored on a three- The Dodgers may have the joker, but there team--not Don Mattingly. A manager who non-league play with its best record in three yard run late in the final period. The Olympians is certainly no wild card in the hand that has been deemed a “players’ coach” by all seasons after coming from behind for a 34-31 struggled on offense throughout most of the they’ve been dealt this year. On August 13, the of his confidants, Mattingly has consistently overtime victory over Rolling Hills Estates game, including mustering just 26 total yards Dodgers held sole possession of first place in struggled to get all of his players on the same Peninsula last Friday at Lawndale. Down and two first downs in the first half. the National League West. August 13 seems page since the trade. As a result, the team’s 28-14 at halftime, the Cardinals came back Leuzinger hopes to bounce back and pick up oh-so-far away now. In just over one month’s spirit is gone. Their confidence is nonexistent. with 14 unanswered points to knot the game its first win in two seasons as it visits Hawthorne time, the Dodgers have not only dropped out A team that previously found so many ways at 28 when Emergerson Lambert scored on a in their annual Mayor’s Cup rivalry Friday at of first place, but also fallen to as many as 10 to pull out one-run victories at the beginning 25-yard touchdown run with 25 seconds left 7 p.m. The Olympians’ last victory was in games back of the San Francisco Giants for of the season has now taken it upon itself to in regulation. After the Panthers (1-3) grabbed 2010 when they won their ninth consecutive the division lead. Not only that, but with two find ways to lose at the end of the games. “I a 31-28 lead on a 28-yard field goal from Mayor’s Cup with a 50-30 win over the host wild card spots available this year, it looks as can’t really explain to you what’s going on,” Tony Burnsbag, Lawndale was able to pull Cougars. Hawthorne ended that streak with if the star-laden lineup of the Dodgers will fail said Kemp, who has seemingly hit a wall. Oh, out the contest when running back Timothy a 19-9 victory at Leuzinger last season, as to even attain one of those. An offense full of wait. On August 28, Kemp did hit the wall Jones scored on an eight-yard run. Leuzinger had a 0-10 year. The Olympians big names that would tickle the fancy of any at Coors Field against the Colorado Rockies The game started out seesaw as Peninsula currently have a 19-game losing streak. general manager in Major League Baseball, and was later taken out of the game. Like a scored first on an 86-yard run by James The Cougars are 1-3 after a bye last week. the Dodgers simply just can’t get on the same superhero stripped of his powers, Kemp has Nelson, but the Cardinals (3-2) tied the Hawthorne hopes it can regroup after being page. Blame it on injuries, blame it on a lack struggled with the bat ever since. But the All- game when quarterback Anthony Chatman humiliated at home by Gardena 55-14 on of chemistry, blame it on whatever you want. Star centerfielder for the Dodgers isn’t the only completed a six-yard TD pass to Tyler Young. September 14. With an ownership team that has tried anything one who has been rendered powerless lately. The Panthers regained the lead at 14-7 when MORNINGSIDE DOWNS CENTENNIAL and everything to put a winning product on the Since the trade, Adrian Gonzalez has failed Nelson scored on a three-yard run. Morningside High’s football team finished field this year, the Dodgers’ recent performance to reinitiate himself into the National League Lawndale tied the game early in the preseason play at 3-2 after a 20-6 victory is nothing short of one big joke. as his batting average continues to lag with second period on a 71-yard touchdown run over host Centennial High last Friday in It may have been a bad decision by more strikeouts than RBIs and little big hit from Chatman, but Peninsula scored two Compton. The Monarchs had a strong Commissioner Bud Selig to institute the potential since his first at-bat with the Dodgers unanswered TDs, both on passes of 19 and game by sophomore running back Christian rule that allows two wild card teams in each when he homered. Obviously those days, or 23 yards from quarterback Ian Escutia to Williams, who rushed for 91 yards and two league. Well, the American League is using that day, has come and gone. After a 25-game wide receiver Zack Riley. In the third quarter, touchdowns on 12 carries. its opportunity in the correct way--but until a dry spell, Gonzalez finally hit a couple of Lawndale cut the Panthers’ lead to 28-21 on With the score tied at six early in the third recent hot streak by the St. Louis Cardinals, homers, but has still not become the player that Chatman’s five-yard scoring run. quarter, Williams broke loose for a 42-yard the Braves in the National League were the the Dodgers thought they were getting in the The Cardinals had a very good rushing run to give Morningside a 14-6 lead. Williams only other non-division-winner deserving to trade with the Red Sox. Kemp and Gonzalez attack as Chatman ran for 123 yards and two also scored the Monarchs’ first TD on a 12- make the playoffs. The fact that the Dodgers aren’t the only ones not producing. There is touchdowns. Jones added 102 yards and two yard run in the first period. have been playing as poorly as they have been basically no leadoff hitter in the lineup and TDs. Lawndale’s 3-2 preseason record is the The Apaches (1-3) tied the game at six yet still had a chance to make the playoffs the rest of the “big hitters” on the team are best since starting its 2009 season at 4-1. in the second quarter on a 10-yard TD pass says less about the talent on their team and batting right around .250 as well. “In baseball, The Cardinals, who already clinched the from quarterback Cory Willes to wide receiver more about the woeful play of the St. Louis people go through some times where you don’t mythical Centinela Valley Unified School Ronnie Smith. Morningside added a fourth Cardinals during the first part of September hit,” Kemp explained. “It just so happens that District championship with one-point victories quarter touchdown. that allowed not only the Dodgers, but the none of us are really hitting.” If you can’t over rivals Hawthorne and Leuzinger, have a The Monarchs have a bye week before Milwaukee Brewers and Philadelphia Phillies hit the ball, you can’t win the game and the bye this week, which will be needed. Things opening the Ocean League at home against a to stay in the race as well. As of this writing Dodgers aren’t just failing to hit the ball just could be a lot different in the very highly very good Santa Monica team on October 5. The Tuesday evening, the Cards had righted their sometimes--it has become all the time. competitive Pioneer League as Lawndale Vikings are 2-2, with both losses to very good ship and pulled ahead of the Dodgers by With the season winding down and coming begins at El Segundo on October 5. teams in Santa Ana Mater Dei and Valencia. four-and-a-half games with just eight to play. to a close, the Dodgers were still technically in LEUZINGER FALLS TO TORRANCE INGLEWOOD ROLLS OVER “Obviously we could have really been in the hunt for the last playoff spot in the National Leuzinger High’s football team got off HAMILTON huge trouble,” said manager Don Mattingly League. After Tuesday night’s one-run loss to to a slow start as it lost a home non-league Inglewood’s football team scored early and last week. “I think we’ve been lucky to be the Padres, the magic number to be eliminated game to Torrance High 26-7 last Friday. often as it routed host Hamilton High 54-7 here right now.” Lucky is right. Not to say from the postseason was any combination of Over the past few seasons, the Tartars have last Friday in the Los Angeles Palms District. that there isn’t any talent on the Dodgers’ four Dodger losses or Cardinal wins. But if thrived on their strong rushing attack from The Sentinels started fast, scoring on their roster. There certainly is. Go down the line: the Dodgers find a way to win the rest of their their Double Wing T offense and they put it first drive on a 57-yard run by Eddie Reyes. Adrian Gonzalez, Hanley Ramirez, Andre games, who knows? They may just see the on the Olympians. Torrance, which improved Reyes carried the ball just five times, but for Ethier, Matt Kemp, Clayton Kershaw. The Braves in a one-game wild card in which case to 2-2, rushed for 261 yards. 148 yards and two touchdowns. He also had list goes on and on. But this year’s Dodgers the Dodgers, behind Clayton Kershaw, would The Tartars scored on their first possession a 65-yard TD run in the third quarter. aren’t the team that you see on paper. This be seen as a pretty dangerous team. Stranger of the game on a 52-yard run by running Quarterback Rickie Calderon, who year’s Dodgers team has seemingly forgotten things have happened in baseball. But barring back Bobby Wilson, who finished with transferred to Inglewood from Hawthorne, how to play the game of baseball. a miraculous winning streak to finish out the 139 yards on the ground. Torrance would completed 12 of 18 passes for 194 yards and The freefall that the Dodgers have been year, it certainly feels as if the remainder of go on to add three more TD runs of 21 by three TDs, including tosses from 20 yards to on lately has been going on so long that you this season is a lost cause. • Jonathan Heard, 12 from Sam Hudson and Kenneth Johnson and 35 to Mister Jackson. 15 by Gamal Miller for a 26-0 lead by early Inglewood will visit Torrance in its non- “Baseball is ninety percent mental and the other half is physical.” ~ Yogi Berra in the fourth quarter. league finale Friday at 7 p.m. •
Lawndale 9.27.12
To see the actual publication please follow the link above