Banning Exposes Kennedy’s Flaws With 29-0 Beating

For the 34th time in the last 35 matchups, Banning High beat a Valley-area team.

This time the victim was Kennedy, which lost to the Pilots, 29-0, on Friday at Long Beach Veterans Stadium in a City Section 4-A semifinal.

The Pilots will make their fourth straight appearance in the City final when they meet Carson next weekend. Carson humbled Granada Hills on Friday, 56-14.

Banning, ranked No. 1 in the nation by USA Today, racked up 198 yards in total offense against the Golden Cougars, who had previously given up an average of only 80 yards a game.

“I’m looking forward to meeting Carson in the City championship,” Banning Coach Chris Ferragamo said. “It will be the two best teams in the City.”

Though Banning struck first on a 12-play, 56-yard drive, with quarterback Ed Kapu lunging the final two yards for the game’s first touchdown, Kennedy looked as if it could erupt at anytime. And when it did, the City’s best defense, Banning, stopped the Golden Cougars.

After one of the more dramatic set of plays in recent playoff history, the Banning defense stopped Kennedy quarterback Jeff Newman an inch short of the Banning goal line on the first possession of the second half. At the time, Banning had a 15-0 lead.

“That was definitely the turning point,” Ferragamo said. “They had four plays to get the ball in from the four-yard line, and didn’t. I think our defense had fire in its eyes. After that stand, we were really up, and I think it took a some wind out of Kennedy’s sails.”

Signs of Kennedy’s demise showed early. After Kapu’s first touchdown, the Pilots forced Kennedy to punt. The Pilots took the ball from their own 49-yard line to the Kennedy 29, where they were faced with a fourth-and-eight.

On fourth down, Kapu rolled right and hit Michael Williams for a 15-yard gain. Three plays later, Ricky Moore, who was replacing injured starting running back, Archie Jean, rambled two yards for Banning’s second score. On the conversion, Marlon Primous hit fullback Malili Fuamatu on a trick play for two points.

As Banning apparently prepared to kick an extra point, Fuamatu started running off the field as if he were a 12th man. Just before he reached the sideline, the ball was snapped and Fuamatu sprinted into the end zone where he caught the pass from Primous.

Kennedy was dealt another blow just as the first half was coming to a close. Banning punted and Kennedy’s Jerome Hill ran the ball back 10 yards to the Kennedy 37. After the whistle had blown, Kennedy’s Dion Lambert, the Valley 4-A League defensive player of the year, put a late hit on Banning’s Marvin Pollard. A scuffle ensued and Lambert was ejected from the game, depriving Kennedy of its most potent defensive player, who also played receiver.

With 3:52 left in the game, Banning’s Moore hit Michael Williams on a 48-yard option pass, giving the Pilots the ball at the Kennedy one. On the nest play, Kapu dove in for a touchdown. Tito Martinez’s kick gave the Pilots a 22-0 lead.

With 1:44 left in the game, Kapu hit Gale on a 48-yard touchdown pass, prompting jeers from the Kennedy contingent, which felt that Banning was running up the score. After the game, Kennedy assistant coach Tom Sams had to be restrained by his colleagues from going after Ferragamo.

Animosity aside, Kennedy Coach Bob Francola had praise for both teams.

“We were glad to be here and we deserved to be here,” Francola said. “They came at us with power football and they beat us with power football. They’re a fine football team.

“We felt we played them tough the last time we played them,” said Francola, referring to Banning’s 18-0 win over Kennedy earlier this season. Asked about his team, which started the season off by going 1-3, Francola said “We came back from a lot of adversity. We pulled together and became co-champions. We have a very fine football team and I’m proud to be their coach.”

No one on either side was proud of at least one play the referees made when the gun sounded to end the third period.

Kennedy was forced to punt after All-City linebacker Terrance Powe sacked Newman for a 12-yard loss. When the gun sounded, Kennedy should have had the ball, fourth-and-24 at the their own 43. Instead, Kennedy wound up facing a fourth and 44. After the officials conferred with each other, the placement stood. When you play Banning, as Kennedy found out Friday, things never seem to go your way.