PREP FOOTBALL : Coastal Conference Final : Muir Gives Brownfield a Farewell Gift, 37-0

After his Pasadena Muir High team had defeated Antelope Valley, 37-0, Friday night for the championship of the Coastal Conference, Coach Jim Brownfield made a quiet admission.

“I’m taking a leave of absence from coaching for one, maybe two seasons,” he said. “I had already told the team.”

Brownfield, 57, has high blood pressure and almost stepped down after last season, his ninth at the school. Now, he leaves a team with a 24-game winning streak, the longest in the Southern Section, and two straight conference titles.

“This was our greatest game,” he said. “What a way to go out.”

On the cold but windless night at Antelope Valley High, before a crowd of 4,000, Muir quarterback Vince Phillips completed 14 of 20 passes for 116 yards and rushed for 101 yards. The left-handed senior hit wide receiver Tony Johnson with two scoring passes in the first half as Muir (14-0) took a 21-0 halftime lead.

Halfback Charles Crowther rushed for 77 yards in 4 carries, scored a touchdown, and recovered two fumbles. Running back Ricky Ervins rushed for 101 yards, including a 54-yard scoring run on the game’s final play.

Antelope Valley (11-2-1), the Golden League champion, was outgained by Muir, 494-169. “Their linebackers went with our first move,” Brownfield said. “So we used a lot of counters and misdirection stuff.”

Muir effectively took Antelope Valley running back Eric Mortensen out of the game. Mortensen, who had rushed for 1,816 yards and 29 touchdowns this season, was held to 25 yards in 13 carries.

Antelope Valley quarterback Ron Whipple, a junior, could not pass the Antelopes back into the game. He completed only 12 of 29 passes for 134 yards. Muir defensive linemen sacked him four times and forced several hurried passes.

Muir scored on its second possession of the game, driving 46 yards after Crowther recovered a fumble by Shon Grimes. Crowther scored on a 27-yard misdirection run.

The Mustangs scored again with 10 minutes left in the half on a five-yard pass from Phillips to Johnson. A 42-yard run by Crowther on the same play he had scored on earlier advanced the Mustangs from midfield to inside the 10.

After driving from the Muir 45 to the two with three minutes left in the half, Phillips fumbled, and it appeared Antelope Valley might go into the locker room down by only two touchdowns. Mortensen fumbled on the Antelopes’ third play, however, and Crowther recovered at the 13. Three plays later, Johnson caught a pass from Phillips in the left corner of the end zone. After John Ruiz’s third straight conversion kick, Muir led, 21-0.

And when Marcus Robertson returned an interception 40 yards for a score late in the third quarter to give Muir a 28-0 lead, Brownfield was assured of going out a winner.