Coliseum League starts out in a “big” hole

This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.

‘Don’t write us off yet,’ Locke Coach Wayne Crawford said. ‘Don’t write off the Coliseum League this season.’

Still, after the Zero Week results, it’s hard envisioning the Coliseum League teams having a championship impact in the City Section.

The three teams expected to challenge for the league title -- Crenshaw, Dorsey and Locke -- are experiencing similar problems out pf the gate. All have big questions about their linemen.

The Dons,who dropped their opener to Fremont (Utah), have good blockers; they just don’t have many of them. This is the one area where Coach Paul Knox’s team has no depth and cannot withstand any injuries. Both Crenshaw and Locke have young, inexperienced linemen, and it showed in their respective losses to Merced and Jordan. And Locke might have lost its best lineman for the season -- senior center Keondre Horn injured his left ankle and knee against Jordan.

Crawford said whichever team’s line play matures the fastest will win the Coliseum League. He gives the early edge to Crenshaw ‘because their skill talent has great speed.’

Perhaps, but I question what happens when league play ends and the playoffs begin.

Dorsey has never done less than reach the quarterfinals in Knox’s 16 previous seasons. Crenshaw won the 2005 City title under Robert Garrett. Crawford has been steadily building Locke into a consistent contender.

This could be the year all three are one-and-done in the postseason, especially if the big fellas up front play small.

- Mike Terry