Banged up Venice goes bye-bye

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When Carson and Loyola decided not to play Venice this season, the Gondoliers scrambled to fill an empty Sept. 14 date but were unable to do so. Now the unplanned bye week looks heaven sent because the Gondoliers came out of the Taft game with a bunch of injuries.

Lead running back Curtis McNeal sustained what appeared to be a mild concussion. Linebacker Kevin Suruki hurt his right ankle. Running back Kris Johnson took an opponent’s helmet in the knee and has a bone bruise. And lineman Jason Otero has a balky hamstring.

‘Thankfully we don’t play this week, which gives us a chance to heal,’ Venice Coach Angelo Gasca said. ‘We hope to be at full strength when we go to Santa Monica’ on Sept. 21.

Gasca said he would know more about McNeal and Suruki on Monday.

Gasca wants the time to tweak and polish the offense and defense. Neither has yet to play a full game, in his opinion, even though Venice is 2-0.

‘We put in some new defensive schemes over the summer, and now is the time to refine them,’ Gasca said. ‘We also need to solidify a couple of things on the offensive line. And we have to get our intermediate passing game going. For us it’s been pretty much screens or going for the home run.’

- Mike Terry