Page 4 October 25 , 2012 TORRANCE TRIBUNE Best in the West Up and Adam By Adam Serrao Cowboys of the AFC. Whether you like the Saxons Still SupremeChargers or not, though, it is disappointingWith a 13-6 victory over the Seattle Seahawks last Thursday night, the San Francisco 49ers to see such great talent wasted. Despite all By Adam Serrao thrashing last week in PV. may have just proven that they are indeed for of the big names that have come through the The North High Saxon know that they The Sea Kings got out to a quick lead in the real this season. The 49ers proved themselves Chargers’ franchise over the past 10 years, the have what it takes to go all the way and game, scoring the game’s first points and the last year when they wound up one play shy of team has still yet to win a championship and bring the CIF championship trophy back to only points of the first quarter to make it 7-0 a Super Bowl appearance, but the NFC West it is likely all because of Turner’s inability to Torrance. Originally, last year was supposed in the second quarter. Palos Verdes didn’t let isn’t quite as fragile this year as it was a year get them motivated enough to win games on to be their year. After the team was decimated up from off the gas there, as it continued on ago. Going into the game with a 4-2 record, the the big stage. For that reason and that reason by injuries, however, things took a turn for to score two more touchdowns in the second Niners were in a three-way tie for first place alone, the 49ers are a better team. the worse. Out to prove that injuries were quarter to pull away from the Warriors at 21-0 with the Arizona Cardinals and the Seattle With only two losses on the season so far, the only thing wrong with last year’s team, with just over two minutes remaining in the Seahawks with the Rams not far behind. The the Niners have proven why they are one of the Saxons have come back strong this year half. It was then that starting quarterback Joey inner division win against the Seahawks not the best teams in the league. With wins against and are in turn mowing down any and all Notch finally brought his team to life when only proved that San Francisco remains the the Green Bay Packers, the Detroit Lions competition that stands in their way. So when the Sea Kings used 10 plays to go 80 yards team to beat in the NFC West, but also that and the Seattle Seahawks, San Francisco is the El Segundo Eagles came on the schedule and score their first touchdown of the game the 49ers have solidified their role as the best beginning to put together quite the resume. for North, nothing changed at all. All the with one second remaining in the half to make team on the West Coast. The two losses were against good teams in Saxons did was walk into the visiting stadium, the score 21-7. Coming out of the gate in the Best in the West isn’t really saying much the Minnesota Vikings, who have come out rout the Eagles by a final score of 35-7 and second half attempting to keep the momentum when the competition is the Oakland Raiders of nowhere to surprise this year, and the keep their Pioneer League supremacy going. going, West’s first possession spelt the story and the San Diego Chargers. The Raiders reigning Super Bowl champion New York The Eagles aren’t a bad team by any stretch of the night for the team. Notch dropped back haven’t had a good season since 2002 when Giants. Those defeats certainly leave open a of the imagination. In fact, the game between and threw an interception, giving the ball and El Segundo and North High was one that had momentum right back to Palos Verdes as the Last Thursday night, the San Francisco 49ers first place positioning in the Pioneer League latter ran off 19 consecutive unanswered points may have just proven that they are crisp fall weather surrounding the stadium the deal for the Warriors on the night.to make the score 40-7--pretty much sealingriding on the line. That’s why the cool, indeed for real this season. complemented the intensity of the game The Warriors have two games left in the perfectly. And that’s just what the Saxons season to try to get a much-coveted league they got ousted out of the Super Bowl by cause for concern, but what is so promising is were--intense. “They learned a lot of lessons victory and improve their standing in the the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. But that’s when the 49ers’ ability to bounce back from defeat. from last year,” explained head coach Todd Bay League. With Palos Verdes Peninsula Jerry Rice was still in the league, so that tells With their victory over Seattle, San Francisco Croce of his team this year as compared to last and Leuzinger on the schedule, West may you just how long ago it was. Since then, the improved to 5-0 after regular season defeats year’s squad. “The record was not what they just be able to pull one out. The Warriors Raiders have been miserable just about every since head coach Jim Harbaugh took over wanted last year. They haven’t forgotten the currently sit one play behind Peninsula in year in the league and if they have ever had before last season. The team has never lost lumps they took.” In what has almost become the standings at fifth in the Bay League, just a chance at being a good team, they fire their two games in a row under the reigning NFL a tradition for North High, it started things off ahead of last place Leuzinger. head coach and start all over again from Coach of the Year. “Coming off a loss, we on the opening drive of the game by avenging soUth high square one. Even this year, the Raiders show wanted to go out there and get that mojo back,” some of those lumps when starting quarterback The South High Spartans came out last signs of having potential and display flashes linebacker Patrick Willis said. “We never lost Jorge Hernandez finished off a 15-play, 91-yard Friday night against the last place Lawndale of athleticism and pure talent that would lead it, but at the same time, you never want to lose drive with a four-yard touchdown pass to wide Cardinals and quite frankly won in a game viewers to believe that they have a chance at a game. It’s a bad taste in everyone’s mouth.” receiver Devonte Jenkins. The Eagles would that they had no business losing. The idea being a decent ball club. When it comes down That bad taste Willis speaks of disliking so answer back, keeping the game close before on the night for the visiting Spartans was to to it, however, the team that the Raiders are much is exactly why this 49ers’ team is the the half with a touchdown of their own, but it use their run game effectively to dominate a putting out on the field isn’t playoff caliber. team to beat in the West and in the NFL. It’s was the second half that spelled the difference relatively weak Lawndale defense and control Sitting at nearly last place in their division once also what separates a team like this from one in the game between the two teams. the scoring of the game and the clock. That’s again looking up in the standings at a Peyton like the Chargers. There is a different type of With a little less than half of the third quarter exactly what South did as early as the first Manning-led Denver Broncos squad, it is clear motivation floating around the locker room expired from off the clock, Hernandez really possession of the game. Starting running back this year that the Raiders are headed nowhere and on the field. Harbaugh, as head coach, came to life, starting by hooking up with Ryan Bowman proved to be the star of the and that the 49ers are clearly the better team has his team consistently motivated to play. Jenkins again on a 12-yard touchdown pass to night, taking the first two possessions for South in this comparison. Whether they win the Super Bowl this year make the score 21-7. “We needed to come out in for touchdowns to give the Spartans the The San Diego Chargers pose somewhat of or not remains to be seen, but one thing is for and not let off the gas pedal,” said Hernandez. early 14-0 lead. Because of South’s ability to a bigger threat to the 49ers’ supremacy in the certain and that is that the San Francisco 49ers And on their next possession, they did exactly dominate the ball on the ground, Lawndale West. With Philip Rivers, Antonio Gates and are California’s best chance at getting there. that as Hernandez and Jenkins began to show was unable to get into any offensive rhythm Ryan Mathews on the team, the talent is there Maybe it’s not much solace to the coaches off a little bit by connecting on yet another of its own all night. The final score of the in San Diego. The team, however, just hasn’t and players on the team, but at least we here scoring play as the quarterback threw a 38-yard game was 21-0, as South went on to take been able to put all the pieces together and on the West Coast have a successful team to touchdown pass to his receiver to blow the game the easy league victory. win. The main problem may be head coach root for if we so choose. A team should be open at 28-7. To finish the scoring off for the Bowman carried the ball 27 times for 206 Norv Turner. Turner is a defensive specialist headed to Los Angeles soon and with that, night, Hernandez ran the ball in from one yard yards on the night, adding three touchdowns at heart and doesn’t have what it takes to success will hopefully come. Until that time away in the fourth quarter as the game was to his resume to help his team to victory. The coach a team to a Super Bowl victory. Every arrives, however, it looks like the hopes of already pretty much done to bring the score win was the first league victory of the year year the expectations are through the roof for seeing a Super Bowl championship arrive to its final count at 35-7. The win gave the for the Spartans, who now sit in fourth place the Chargers, but every year the team ends here on the West Coast fall short of Oakland Saxons their third consecutive league victory. in the Pioneer League standings. With games up falling short and most times even misses and San Diego and lie instead in the heart of Jenkins may have been the most impressive remaining against North High and El Segundo, the playoffs. They are kind of like the Dallas San Francisco. • player on the night, delivering nine catches for the Spartans will have two tough challenges 119 yards and three touchdowns. Hernandez ahead of them in order to try to improve on threw for four scores while receiver Michael their record for any possible playoff positioning. Jurado had six catches for 76 yards and a torranCe high touchdown. The Saxons remain in first place The Torrance Tartars kept their playoff in the Pioneer League with surprisingly only hopes alive last Friday night at home against two games remaining on the schedule before Centennial with a 21-12 victory over their the playoffs. The fast-paced season will bring inner division rival Apaches. The game was the South High Spartans into North High for close in the fourth quarter, as the Tartars’ lead a matchup before the Saxons end their season was only two points with under eight minutes on the road at Torrance High. to go in the contest. Running back Jonathan West high Heard and the rest of the Tartars took care of My name is Peter, down from their atmospheric success and it to score a one-yard touchdown--all but endingthat scare, however, by going on a 7:45 driveThe West High Warriors have come back and in eight years I’ll be an alcoholic. has taken league play to do it. After winning the game in Torrance’s favor. The victory I’ll start drinking in middle school, just at parties. seven consecutive games dating back to last keeps the Tartars in the thick of things in But my parents won’t start talking to me about it until high school. And by then, I’ll already be in some trouble. year, the Warriors have now lost three in the Pioneer League, behind only North and The thing is, my parents won’t even see it coming. a row, beginning with their first game of El Segundo in the standings. Last week, the league play against Mira Costa and ending Tartars were stopped on a two-point conversion START TALKING BEFORE THEY START DRINKING with their last loss of the season last Friday that kept them from tying the game up and Kids who drink before age15 are 5 times more likely possibly beating El Segundo in a 24-22 loss.night at Palos Verdes High School. The Sea to have alcohol problems when they’re adults. Kings brought it to the Warriors in much the Next they have a matchup against Lawndale To learn more, go to www.stopalcoholabuse.gov or call 1.800.729.6686 way that the Warriors were bringing it to all and finish the season off against North High other opponents when they were on, giving with the hopes of winning out and attaining West its third loss of the season with a 47-14 the top seed in the league standings. •
Torrance 10.25.12
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