Croson: Johnson will have feature role against Taft

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Exavier Johnson, pictured below, who transferred to Birmingham from Taft after learning he would no longer be the Taft starting quarterback, will start at quartertback for Birmingham (8-1, 4-0) against host Taft (7-2,4-0) this Friday in a game that will decide the West Valley League title.

‘We’ve talked about the game and we think we have a game plan he will be comfortable with,’ Croson said of Johnson. ‘We know it’s important to him. But we will also stay in the two-quarterback system’ -- that includes Morey Croson, the coach’s son.

Even though Birmingham has clearly been the City’s best team, Croson said the Patriots have plenty of respect for Taft, their biggest neighborhood rival.

‘They have game-breakers in D.J. Morgan, Jarrell Holland and Nick Bruce,’ Croson said. ‘They have more young talent than anybody in the City. And they have as much speed talent as anyone in City.’

-- Mike Terry

-- Image by Stephen Osman/Los Angeles Times