El Camino College Holds Firm, 42-25, Over L.A. Harbor

Regardless of having a much-improved football team, L.A. Harbor College couldn’t manage a victory over defending state champ El Camino College Saturday at El Camino’s Murdock stadium. El Camino won, 42-25.

The Warriors came out in strong form to defeat the Seahawks.

El Camino scored on its first possession when sophomore quarterback Scott Yessner connected with Mike Jones for a 16-yard pass. The play came after freshman Anthony Jefferson returned the ball to the Harbor 18-yard line on a reverse handoff from Charles Burham. Sophomore running back Aaron Craver gained two yards to put the Warriors on the 16-yard line. Joseph Jezulin added the extra point to make it 7-0.

Harbor returned the favor by scoring on sophomore linebacker Jason Wyatt’s interception of Yessner’s pass. That tied the score at 7-all, but the Warriors scored on their next three possessions.

On the first one Yessner connected with sophomore Bryan Burnett for 48 yards. Then El Camino scored after six plays when sophomore Neil Tuihalamaka rushed for 22 yards, making the score 21-7 with the point-after kick.

The Warriors scored again after recovering Darryl Roper’s fumble on the 42-yard line. Craver scored the touchdown on a 13-yard run, making the score 27-7.

The Seahawks refused to give up, however, and drove the ball 64 yards for a touchdown. Sophomore quarterback Eddie Lopez connected with John Howell for 11 yards. After a field goal block, El Camino’s Niu Sale scored on a safety, making the score 29-13 at the half.

The teams traded scores in the third quarter, each coming on a big play.

El Camino struck first when Yessner completed a 69-yard pass to Richard Harrison for a score.

But Harbor came right back. On the first play from scrimmage Lopez threw a flat pass to Marcel Bridges. Bridges caught the ball on his own 27, made a couple of good moves across the middle, then outran two Warrior defensive backs into the end zone.

And with 5:05 remaining in the game Frank Dolce connected with Richard Harrison to give the Warriors a 23-point lead. Harbor answered with a 42-yard touchdown pass from Lopez to Michael Williams with 1:09 left.

The Seahawks never gave up and didn’t get completely blown away as many had expected. The Harbor offensive line allowed nine sacks, yet Lopez, a converted third-string tight end, managed to pass for 263 yards.

El Camino, meanwhile, alternated between Yessner and Frank Dolce at quarterback. Yessner had 211 yards passing and Dolce 83.