San Fernando Can’t Handle Carson : Top-Rated City Team Pulls Away After Close Call for 20-9 Victory

Carson High, The Times’ top-rated City Section football team, headed off San Fernando High at the pass Friday and pulled away for a 20-9 non-league victory.

With host team Carson protecting a 14-9 lead at halftime and the two teams struggling through a scoreless third quarter, the game hinged on a controversial call midway through the fourth period.

Carson quarterback Kevin Tate was sacked on second down and dropped the ball. He appeared to move his arm as he was being pinned. San Fernando lineman Frank Zavala scooped up the loose ball and and ran 60 yards to the end zone--but the referee had immediately ruled the play a forward pass and Carson retained possession.

“It looked like a fumble . . . (but) you’re not gonna get a call down here (Carson),” San Fernando Coach Tom Hernandez said.

Carson Coach Gene Vollnogle saw it differently. “His (Tate’s) arm went forward--it was an incomplete forward pass,” Vollnogle said. “There was no hesitation on the official. He blew it dead right away.”

San Fernando controled play much of the last three quarters but couldn’t find the end zone in the second half. The Tigers (2-2) ran 71 plays to Carson’s 39.

San Fernando scored on its second possession when quarterback Dwayne Calloway burst 67 yards up the middle to Carson’s five to set up a 6-0 lead. Despite that, Carson, which improved its record to 3-1, threatened to make the game a runaway in the first half.

After the Tigers’ touchdown, a three-yard run by Brent Huff, the Colts scored on the next play from scrimmage on a 63-yard run by Calvin Holmes and took a 7-6 lead. Just before the end of the first quarter Carson cornerback Michael Woodson intercepted a Calloway pass at the San Fernando 45. Quarterback Marc Walters found Holmes down the right sideline for 36 yards and Alvin Goree scored on a short run two plays later for a 14-6 lead.

Three plays into the second quarter San Fernando punter Clarence Bradley dropped a snap and Carson recovered at the 10. However, San Fernando’s Kenyatta Morris forced a fumble at the five and teammate Pete Farmer recovered it. The Tigers then controled the ball the rest of the half, getting a 24-yard field goal by Alphonso Ontiveros to cut Carson’s lead to 14-9.

After the disputed call in the fourth quarter, San Fernando went for a fourth-and-20 and Calloway was sacked on his own 20. Goree swept right on the next play for a 20-yard touchdown. Goree finished with 104 yards on 8 carries while Holmes had 96 yards on 9 tries. Carson’s total offense was 224 yards to San Fernando’s 176.

“We played really well,” Hernandez said. “A play here and there . . . we know we can play with these people. I don’t think we’ll face a tougher team than them.”

Vollnogle, who picked up his 247th career victory, was less enthused. “I hope they’re a lot better than we thought,” he said. “We didn’t play offense worth a diddly. We just did not execute.”