Preps : Russell White Is There When Crespi Needs Him in Playoff Opener

Top individual performances were abundant over the weekend as the high school football playoff season began.

Probably the most impressive effort was turned in by Russell White of Encino Crespi, 2-time Big 5 Conference player of the year in the Southern Section.

White rushed for 181 yards in 36 carries as Crespi upset previously unbeaten Long Beach Poly, 26-23, in Division I.

White gained only 27 yards in the first half but rolled to 154 yards and 2 touchdowns after intermission, including the game-winner with 2 minutes 44 seconds left. Surprisingly, however, it was his defensive play that saved the game for Crespi.

On the final play, White intercepted Poly quarterback Michael Carter’s pass in the end zone, ending the Jackrabbits’ season and sending the Celts into a rematch with Anaheim Servite at Pierce College in Woodland Hills Friday night.

Crespi will need another great performance from White to reverse a 35-20 early-season loss to the Friars.

The game will also feature the Battle of the Backs III, between White, who has gained 1,218 yards in 11 games, and Servite’s Derek Brown, who leads the Southern Section in rushing with 1,985 yards.

Last year, these schools met in the quarterfinal round of the playoffs with Crespi winning, 45-37. In that one, White outgained Brown, 253 yards to 217. Brown, however, returned the favor this season, when he rushed for 312 yards to White’s 81.

Brown is also coming off of a stellar first-round performance.

In the Friars’ 35-17 victory over Rialto Eisenhower last Friday night, Brown rushed for 274 yards in 24 carries and scored 4 touchdowns.

Running back Tommie Smith of Antelope Valley also had a great opening-round game.

In the Antelopes’ 37-10 win over Dos Pueblos in Division II, Smith rushed for 254 yards and scored 4 touchdowns in 32 carries.

Smith, who has 1,436 yards for the season, scored on runs of 1, 4, and 7 yards before breaking the game open with a 64-yard dash early in the fourth quarter.

In City action, Curtis Scott of Monroe High School in Sepulveda may not be as well known as White or Brown, but his performances are gaining notice.

Scott, the San Fernando Valley’s leading rusher with 1,827 yards, carried the ball 54 times, gaining 254 yards and scoring 3 touchdowns in the Vikings’ 26-18 3-A victory over Roosevelt.

Scott, a 5-foot 10-inch, 190-pound senior, has not gone unnoticed by college recruiters. According to his coach, Frank D’Alessandro, Scott has narrowed his choice of colleges to USC, Arizona and Iowa State.

In other 3-A action, Gardena running back Khybdeed Hairston rushed for a school-record 307 yards and 3 touchdowns in the Mohicans’ 43-12 win over Marshall.

Gardena will play defending 3-A champion Franklin Wednesday. The Mohicans lost to Franklin in the third game of the season, 12-0.

Franklin, thanks to the running and catching of the Lovett brothers, Lamont and Lamar, defeated North Hollywood, 21-0.

Lamont Lovett, who has rushed for 1,939 yards this season, ran for 2 touchdowns and Lamar caught a 21-yard touchdown pass from Santiago Alvarez.

In the City cross-country meet last Saturday at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Craig Lawson of Granada Hills won the varsity individual title with a dramatic come-from-behind finish over Wilson sophomore Martin Morales.

Lawson out-sprinted Morales in the last 20 yards to win by 1 second in 15 minutes 4 seconds.

Belmont won its seventh consecutive team title, beating second-place Wilson, 35-91.

In the girls’ competition, Wilson won its third consecutive team championship and its lead runner, Arcelia Gomez, won the individual title, defeating defending City champion Martha Segura of Lincoln. Gomez finished in 18:18, Segura in 18:29.

The Palos Verdes girls cross-country team won its fourth straight 4-A Southern Section title Saturday at Mt. San Antonio College.

The Sea Kings had 3 of the top 5 finishers overall, Ashley Black leading the way with her second-place finish. Black finished in 18:14.

Jamie Park of Santa Barbara won the 4-A individual title in 17:57. Karon Hecox of West Covina South Hills tied Park for the best time of the day in winning the 2-A title.

Prep Notes

Carson won the City 4-A girls’ volleyball championship over Roosevelt last Saturday night at the UCLA Wooden Center. Last season, the Colts lost in the final in 3 straight games to Palisades, but this year they defeated the Roughriders, 16-14, 15-3, 15-12. . . . In the 3-A final, Garfield defeated Lincoln, 15-12, 15-10, 15-9.

In the Southern Section 5-A girls’ volleyball final, Irvine defeated Mira Costa in a battle of undefeated teams. Irvine won in a sweep, 17-15, 15-10, 15-6. The Vaqueros received the No. 1 seeding in the State Division I playoffs, which start tonight.