Friday’s Highlights : Dorsey Wears Down Hamilton, 26-6

Coach Dave Lertzman was upset that his Hamilton High School football team wasn’t included in The Times’ preseason City top 10 football poll.

“It’s a bunch of malarkey,” he said of the Yankees’ exclusion.

But after his team was rather handily beaten by Dorsey, 26-6, in a nonleague game at Hamilton Friday afternoon, Lertzman still didn’t realize the logic behind the rankings.

“I still think we’re in the top 10 in the 3-A (division),” Lertzman said. “And we should still be included in the top 10 in the City.”

The Yankees, who mustered only 9 yards on total offense in the first half (55 for the game), managed to get across the goal line but once, while trailing, 26-0, late in the fourth quarter and with the help of several Dorsey penalties.

Dorsey, a 4-A Division team, simply overpowered the smaller Hamilton team. And though the Dons had their troubles in the first half, they seemed to iron out their problems in the second.

“We were hurt by some key penalties in the first half and didn’t execute the way we should have,” said Dorsey co-coach Paul Knox. “We went into the locker room and sorted out our problems and came out and performed much better.”

After gaining 104 yards in total offense in the first half, including a 28-yard touchdown pass play from quarterback Dana Frelow to tight end Donald Martin, which gave the Dons a 7-0 lead, Dorsey plowed away in the second half, gaining 271 yards and scoring 3 touchdowns.

Fullback Reginald Reed led the ground attack, gaining 72 yards in 9 carries, while Frelow completed 7 of 17 passes for 133 yards and 2 touchdowns, one a spectacular 21-yard catch by split end Damon Bekon with 8:44 left in the game, putting the Dons ahead, 20-0.

According to Lertzman, the Dons were just bigger and more aggressive. “They simply wore down our offensive line,” he said. “Those guys were just bigger.”

Dorsey had nine sacks in the game--three by defensive end Larry Beverly--and plagued the Yankees’ offensive line throughout the game.

Offensively, the Dons didn’t do too badly either.

Running back Michael Jackson raced 14 yards off tackle to set up a one-yard touchdown run by Henri Spears, which put the Dons ahead, 14-0, with 6:39 left in the third quarter.

After that, Dorsey held Hamilton in check and scored on its final two possessions to ward off any possible threat by the Hamilton.

In other games Friday:

CITY L.A. Jordan 20, Locke 12--Ivan Jasper ran for two touchdowns and threw for a third to lead the Bulldogs to a nonleague upset win at Locke in the “Super Bowl of Watts.” Jordan took an early lead when Jasper went 11 yards for a touchdown on a bootleg in the first quarter. Locke tied it on a touchdown run by Darian Hagan. In the second quarter, Jasper hooked up with Trevon Daniels for a 45-yard touchdown pass for a 14-6 halftime lead. Daniels finished with 4 receptions for 101 yards. Jasper added another touchdown run in the third quarter to give Jordan a 20-6 lead. Jasper completed 13 of 17 passes for 240 yards, and ran for 55 yards in 11 carries as Jordan amassed 531 yards in total offense. Jordan also had two touchdowns nullified by penalties. Jordan’s keep Locke, the Times sixth-ranked team, winless, as the Bulldogs forced four turnovers and five sacks. Jordan is now 1-2, and Locke is 0-2-1.

Cleveland 7, Taft 0--Junior quarterback Mario Hull completed four of four passes and running back Albert Fann scored on a four-yard run with 53 seconds remaining to culminate a 65-yard drive and give the Cavaliers the win in the nonleague game at Cleveland. Hull was one of six passing before his four straight completions. Fann, who had gained 357 yards in his first two games, was held to just 55 yards in 16 carries. Taft’s Adam Zutler tried a 32-yard field goal earlier in the fourth quarter but the attempt was blocked by 5-11, 255-pound sophomore Byron Jarrett. Cleveland, The Times’ No. 10-ranked team, is now 3-0 and Taft is 2-1.

Birmingham 35, Verdugo Hills 13--Three Braves ran for over 100 yards to lead Birmingham to a nonleague win at Verdugo Hills. Mike Flores ran for 133 yards in 11 carries and had touchdown runs of 44 and 1 yards. Flores also scored on a 59-yard touchdown pass play. Marcel Sellers, in only 5 carries, had 100 yards and 2 touchdowns, one on a 74-yard run. Vince Tolliver added 133 yards in 12 carries as the Braves scored three touchdowns in the third quarter to break open a 7-7 game. Birmingham is 2-1, Verdugo Hills 0-3.

SOUTHERN SECTION Bishop Amat 21, St. Francis 12--Bishop Amat’s Tom Martinez recovered a St. Francis fumble on the St. Francis 30-yard line early in the first quarter and six plays later Eric Bieniemy scored on a six-yard run to give the Lancers a 7-0 lead. St. Francis closed to within one point midway in the second quarter on Bill Stavropolous eight-yard run. Bishop Amat came right back and scored on a 75-yard drive that was culminated by Carlos Hernandez’ five-yard reception from J.R. Phillips. Stephon Pace got the Lancers final touchdown in the third quarter on a 4-yard pass from Phillips. Bieniemy finished the game with 77 yards on 21 carries for his lowest totals four games. Phillips completed 7 of 14 passes for 160 yards. Bishop Amat, The Times No. 1 ranked team, is now 4-0. St. Francis is now 1-3.

Oxnard 25, San Marcos 15--Fullback Wayne Jones rushed for 311 yards and scored on touchdowns runs on 23 carries in the Channel League game at Oxnard. The Yellowjackets, ranked No. 3 in the Coastal Conference, are now 4-0 and San Marcos is 1-3.

Crespi 23, Westminster 6--Sophomore Russell White gained 158 yards, includeing an 88-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter, on just 11 carries to lead the Celts to their fourth straight win in a nonleague game at Crespi. In four games, White has now gained 610 yards on 39 carries for a 15.6 average. Junior quarterback Rob O’Byrne completed all ten of his passes for 129 and two touchdown passes to John Carpenter. Westminster is now 1-2-1.

Lynwood 14, Downey 0--In the San Gabriel Valley league opener for both teams, senior fullback Austin McCwan opened the scoring on a one-yard run after a blocked punt by Melvin Johnson in the first half. In the third quarter at Lynwood, the Knights drove 68 yards to set up a second touchdown by McCawn, who had 107 yards for his third consecutive 100-yard game. Defensive tackle Emmanuel Owutuebe had six tackles and three sacks to lead the Knight defense. Lynwood improved its record to 3-1 with its 31st consecutive league win.

Canyon Country Canyon 28, Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 7--Playing without veteran starters Chad Zeigler and Lance Cross, and getting a less than outstanding performance from quarterback Ken Sollom, Canyon still had enough firepower to win its 42nd straight game at Notre Dame. The Knights, in 1983, were the last team to defeat Canyon. Sollom finished with 11 of 23 completions for 211 yards but overthrew several open targets. Canyon running back Paul Chadwell, a 5-6, 155-pound running back who took the place of cross, gained 97 yards rushing and had 134 yards on seven receptions. Canyon, The Times’ No. 5 team, is now 4-0. Notre Dame is now 2-2.