Coastal Conference : Dunn and Grant Lead Top-Ranked Muir Past Hart

Jim Brownfield, Muir High School coach, spent so much of the last week whining about his team’s injuries and lack of size, Hart Coach Rick Scott offered to pull out a violin and play a sad tune for extra effect.

The feeling was that Muir couldn’t be in as bad shape as Brownfield was making it sound.

The feeling was right.

Muir (13-1), lived up to its No. 1 ranking Friday night at College of the Canyons, beating Hart, 28-14, to win the Southern Section’s Coastal Conference championship.

The lead players were Mustang quarterback James Dunn, in his first starring role, along with a regular--Cary Grant.

Grant, a running back, rushed for only 26 yards, but had 11 catches for 160 yards and a touchdown.

Dunn, who spent most of the season handing off to running back Ricky Ervins, completed 19 of 28 passes for 244 yards and three touchdowns.

And while Dunn and Grant were having a field day on offense, the Mustang defense was manhandling those big guys on the Hart offensive line that Brownfield feared so much.

Hart (9-4-1), managed 274 yards in total offense, but much of that came late in the game after the outcome was obvious.

Hart’s only impressive drive came on its first possession of the second half.

The Indians drove 67 yards on 11 plays to score, using the right blend of running, passing and Muir penalties.

Jim Bonds completed passes of 14 and 17 yards to Jim Shrout to keep the drive alive, but the key play was on offside call on Muir on a fourth-and-two situation.

The penalty gave the Indians a first down, and Bonds eventually scored on a quarterback sneak from a yard out.

Mitch Spake’s PAT hit the right upright and Hart trailed, 14-6, but Scott was breathing a little easier on the sideline.

“We came out with intensity. We have a great drive, and we’re back in the ballgame,” Scott said.

Wrong.

But Muir came right back to score as Dunn eluded a heavy rush in time to see Grant run past two Hart defenders to haul in a 57-yard touchdown pass.

It was a typical Mustang drive: 60 yards on three plays for a 21-6 lead.

“That was the killer,” Scott said. “We get our foot in the door and they slam it shut again. We have a mistake in the secondary and we’re back chasing them again.”