Page 4 September 27 , 2012 TORRANCE TRIBUNE Dodgers Down in the Dumps Up and Adam By Adam Serrao would think Tom Petty was the head of the Warriors Keep Rolling Against Southteam--not Don Mattingly. A manager whoThe Dodgers may have the joker, but there is certainly no wild card in the hand that has been deemed a “players’ coach” by all By Adam Serrao and four touchdowns. they’ve been dealt this year. On August 13, the of his confidants, Mattingly has consistently The West High Warriors seemingly can’t Clearly, this offense has the makings of Dodgers held sole possession of first place in struggled to get all of his players on the same lose and their offense just can’t stop scoring. something powerful. “Our offense has been on the National League West. August 13 seems page since the trade. As a result, the team’s So when they invited the South High Spartans a roll lately,” Warriors’ head coach Greg Holt oh-so-far away now. In just over one month’s spirit is gone. Their confidence is nonexistent. into town last Friday night, it figured to be a said. “That’s always good for our defense.” time, the Dodgers have not only dropped out A team that previously found so many ways good, old-fashioned shootout. The Spartans Certainly, West’s defense came up big in the of first place, but also fallen to as many as 10 to pull out one-run victories at the beginning are pretty potent themselves. South hasn’t game as well and cannot be overshadowed. games back of the San Francisco Giants for of the season has now taken it upon itself to put up less than 28 points in a game this Aside from the touchdown run that was the division lead. Not only that, but with two find ways to lose at the end of the games. “I season. Coming off of a disappointing loss allowed in the first quarter, the defense for wild card spots available this year, it looks as can’t really explain to you what’s going on,” against Mira Costa two weeks ago, though, it West High didn’t allow one point until late if the star-laden lineup of the Dodgers will fail said Kemp, who has seemingly hit a wall. Oh, remained to be seen whether the team would in the fourth when the game was already to even attain one of those. An offense full of wait. On August 28, Kemp did hit the wall have what it takes to pick itself up from off clearly out of reach. When asked about how big names that would tickle the fancy of any at Coors Field against the Colorado Rockies the ground and compete with a high-powered he thought the defense was going, Boesen general manager in Major League Baseball, and was later taken out of the game. Like a offense like West High’s for the second week was relatively candid. “I think we still need the Dodgers simply just can’t get on the same superhero stripped of his powers, Kemp has in a row. The Spartans competed, but they to work a little bit on our run-stopping,” he page. Blame it on injuries, blame it on a lack struggled with the bat ever since. But the All- were eventually overpowered by the Warriors said. Well, since that was the only touchdown of chemistry, blame it on whatever you want. Star centerfielder for the Dodgers isn’t the only in the second quarter in suffering the 49-20 the Warriors allowed when the game really With an ownership team that has tried anything one who has been rendered powerless lately. loss at West last Friday night. mattered, he’s right. It can always be worked and everything to put a winning product on the Since the trade, Adrian Gonzalez has failed The Warriors are on some kind of streak. on, even when it’s already strong. But Boesen field this year, the Dodgers’ recent performance to reinitiate himself into the National League Finishing last year with two victories in a row finished the night with two sacks and a fumble is nothing short of one big joke. as his batting average continues to lag with after a relatively disappointing season gave recovery so for now, he can relax. It may have been a bad decision by more strikeouts than RBIs and little big hit the team all the momentum that it needed The Warriors will take their undefeated Commissioner Bud Selig to institute the potential since his first at-bat with the Dodgers coming into this year. Now at 4-0, West has record on the road to visit the North High rule that allows two wild card teams in each when he homered. Obviously those days, or won six games in a row while outscoring Saxons, who are ready and rested to take league. Well, the American League is using that day, has come and gone. After a 25-game its opponents 276-102. That means that the on West’s high-powered offense after a bye its opportunity in the correct way--but until a dry spell, Gonzalez finally hit a couple of Warriors have been scoring 46 points a game this week. The Spartans, on the other hand, recent hot streak by the St. Louis Cardinals, homers, but has still not become the player that during the streak. That being so, it was only will attempt to end their two-game losing the Braves in the National League were the the Dodgers thought they were getting in the a matter of time before the Warriors got their streak as they take on Palos Verdes Peninsula. only other non-division-winner deserving to trade with the Red Sox. Kemp and Gonzalez offense sparked in this one--and for the South Peninsula is 1-3 on the season. make the playoffs. The fact that the Dodgers aren’t the only ones not producing. There is High Spartans, that spelled danger. Once the torranCe HigH have been playing as poorly as they have been basically no leadoff hitter in the lineup and Spartans got out of the first quarter, the score The Torrance Tartars were riding high yet still had a chance to make the playoffs the rest of the “big hitters” on the team are was 14-7 and they had to be feeling good when they opened the season with a 47-6 says less about the talent on their team and batting right around .250 as well. “In baseball, about themselves thinking that they were able victory against Hawthorne. Since that win, more about the woeful play of the St. Louis people go through some times where you don’t to stick around with the Warriors. Once the however, the Tartars had lost two games in Cardinals during the first part of September hit,” Kemp explained. “It just so happens that second quarter rolled around, however, West a row coming into their matchup with the that allowed not only the Dodgers, but the none of us are really hitting.” If you can’t put up 33 unanswered points on the board to Leuzinger Olympians. The main difference for Milwaukee Brewers and Philadelphia Phillies hit the ball, you can’t win the game and the take a 47-7 lead going into the half. the Tartars and head coach Rock Hollis has to stay in the race as well. As of this writing Dodgers aren’t just failing to hit the ball just Running back Barry Thomas was the been in their running game. “We’re going to Tuesday evening, the Cards had righted their sometimes--it has become all the time. one who started things off for the Warriors, run the ball all night,” Hollis said. “And then ship and pulled ahead of the Dodgers by With the season winding down and coming scoring on a three-yard run in the first we’re going to run it some more.” Clearly, four-and-a-half games with just eight to play. to a close, the Dodgers were still technically in quarter. The Spartans were able to respond when the Tartars can efficiently run the ball, “Obviously we could have really been in the hunt for the last playoff spot in the National when running back Ian Van Natta bolted up they put up big numbers and eventually get huge trouble,” said manager Don Mattingly League. After Tuesday night’s one-run loss to the middle for a 68-yard touchdown of his the win. So, that’s exactly what they did last week. “I think we’ve been lucky to be the Padres, the magic number to be eliminated own to tie the game 7-7. Tight end Matt last Friday night at Leuzinger to attain the here right now.” Lucky is right. Not to say from the postseason was any combination of Boesen caught a 48-yard touchdown from 26-7 victory. that there isn’t any talent on the Dodgers’ four Dodger losses or Cardinal wins. But if starting quarterback Joey Notch to respond The Tartars combined for 281 rushing yards roster. There certainly is. Go down the line: the Dodgers find a way to win the rest of their for West High to close out the scoring for the on the night, including Bobby Wilson’s 52-yard Adrian Gonzalez, Hanley Ramirez, Andre games, who knows? They may just see the first quarter. After that, it was all downhill touchdown run on the opening play of the Ethier, Matt Kemp, Clayton Kershaw. The Braves in a one-game wild card in which case for the Warriors. The Warriors and Thomas night for Torrance. Jonathan Heard provided list goes on and on. But this year’s Dodgers the Dodgers, behind Clayton Kershaw, would seemed to be running downhill as well, as a dual threat for Torrance’s backfield as he aren’t the team that you see on paper. This be seen as a pretty dangerous team. Stranger he broke out a 13-yard scoring run to start had a 21-yard touchdown run of his own year’s Dodgers team has seemingly forgotten things have happened in baseball. But barring things off in the second quarter. “They’ve to put the Tartars ahead 13-0. Sam Hudson how to play the game of baseball. a miraculous winning streak to finish out the got a great team,” said opposing head coach followed suit, scoring on a 12-yard rushing The freefall that the Dodgers have been year, it certainly feels as if the remainder of Josh Waybright. “It’s one of the best West touchdown to put Torrance ahead 20-0 going on lately has been going on so long that you this season is a lost cause. • teams I’ve seen in a long time.” Notch, the into halftime. In the second half, it was more starting quarterback for West, may be one of of the same for the Olympians, as turnovers “Baseball is ninety percent mental and the other half is physical.” the biggest reasons for the Warriors’ success stuck behind Hollis’ promise to pound thespelled doom for their offense. The Tartarsthis season. 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Torrance 9.27.12
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