Yessner to Start for Camino in Key Game

The revolving door at quarterback continues for El Camino College on Saturday night in a crucial Mission Conference football game at Murdock Stadium.

Scott Yessner gets the nod at quarterback for the Warriors in the 7 p.m. start with Long Beach City College. He replaces Frank Dolce, who re-injured his ankle in last week’s hard 13-6 victory at Mt. San Antonio.

Dolce and Yessner have traded the starting role all season with better than average results. The Warriors are 5-1-1 overall, 4-1-1 in the conference. They have not lost a game that Yessner has started or played in.

That might provide a psychological edge for the Warriors against a Long Beach team that is having one its best seasons. A football power in the early 1960s, the Vikings have not won a conference title in 25 years, nor have they mounted a serious challenge for one.

“Long Beach has one of its best teams in the last decade,” said El Camino Coach John Featherstone.

The Vikings are 4-2-1 overall, but, like the Warriors, are 4-1-1 in the Mission Conference.

With Yessner at quarterback, El Camino “may not throw as much” as it likes, said Featherstone.

“We’re still a big-play offense,” he insisted. “We feel pretty excited about our team.”

In the latest state rankings, El Camino moved up from 15th to 11th. Long Beach appears for the first time this season, taking the 20th slot.

Harbor College Coach Chris Ferragamo wishes he had the luxury of revolving quarterbacks. Because of an injury to starter Grant Beachley in last week’s 41-0 loss to Glendale College, the Seahawks were forced to use punter Luis Solorio at quarterback. Solorio completed 5 of 15 pass attempts for only 29 yards. He was intercepted three times.

“We’re looking for a quarterback,” said Ferragamo as he prepared for Saturday’s 7:30 p.m. Western State Conference game at Ventura College. Harbor is 1-7 overall, 1-5 in the conference. Ventura, which lost last week to Southwest College, 21-18, is 3-4 overall, 2-4 in the conference.

“It’s important for us, we’ve got to win,” Ferragamo said. “We just have to. I’m not a loser and my kids are not losers. They played their hearts out last week.”

Southwest, rated 15th in Southern California this week, is at Santa Barbara City College in another 7:30 p.m. Western State Conference game. The Cougars are 4-3 on the year, one win more than they had last season. The team is 3-3 in conference.