PREP FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS : CITY 4-A : Carson vs. Banning : Colts and Pilots Replay It Again : They Meet for Championship for 7th Time in 8 Seasons

For the seventh time in eight seasons, Carson and Banning will play for the 4-A title in City Section high school football, the traditional reunion taking place Friday night at 7:30 (KDAY, 1580, Prime Ticket, 11 p.m.) at East Los Angeles College.

But it could be said that this championship meeting is unlike any of the previous.

Banning (8-3) has really had two seasons in one. The Pilots, after losing in the championship game last season to Carson, started a fumble-plagued 1985 by squeaking past Santa Maria by four points and then dropping the ball and two games too many to please Coach Chris Ferragamo.

Losing consecutive games to Huntington Beach Edison and Long Beach Poly, the finalists in the Southern Section’s Big Five Conference, was not cause for frustration in itself, but the Pilots really were playing like a 1-2 team.

“After the first few games, I really did not think we would get here (the championship),” Ferragamo said. “But I’ll tell you what. If it weren’t for those early season losses, we wouldn’t be here.”

Playing poorly so early forced Ferragamo to realize that changes had to be made. Top linebacker Earl Saunders went to tailback, Michael Padilla moved from tackle to guard, and junior defensive tackle Terrance Powe emerged as a strong player.

Since making the adjustments, the Pilots have been almost unbeatable. Almost. They lost a tough game to Carson, 6-0, to open the Pacific League season.

After that they blew out Fremont, previously unbeaten Dorsey, Crenshaw and Gardena, and went into the playoffs on a roll.

Banning has given up 31 second-half points all season, including six in the last nine games, and seven points in the fourth quarter all season. Its best defensive game all season, Ferragamo said, was last week’s semifinal victory over San Fernando, 28-9.

Carson, despite having lost only once in 11 games--against Santa Fe Springs St. Paul of the Southern Section--has had some unimpressive moments, too. Coach Gene Vollnogle was aware of that weeks ago.

“We are going to end up Nos. 1 and 2 in most polls, but in the beginning I wasn’t so sure,” he said. “I remember thinking at that time that we’re not nearly as good as we could be. But with a little luck we made it.”

A little luck and an outstanding defense. The Colts set a City record with 57 sacks and, according to Vollnogle, gave up an average of only 1.8 yards a running play. Tui Suiaunoa, Randy Strickland, Naiuli Lepisi and Stephen Otis start left to right across the line. Should a ballcarrier get past them, Carson also has a good group of linebackers headed by Pete McLachlan.

Besides that, Vollnogle said, the offense is “at least 1,000% better than when we first met Banning.”

Quarterback Marc Walters, who was switched to wide receiver at one point during the season, is set and has 12 touchdowns and 1,502 yards in statistics as proof. Alvin Goree and Calvin Holmes, the junior running backs, have combined for 18 touchdowns and almost 1,300 yards.

So the bottom line this season, 3 1/2 months during which Carson and Banning showed they are human and had troubles like everyone else, could be that the game is interesting even without the hype of the rivalry.

Concluded Vollnogle: “If we can beat Banning, I don’t think there is another team in Southern California who can beat us.”

Certainly no one else in the City.