Times Honors Football Stars

Hawthorne quarterback Curtis Conway, Banning offensive tackle Bob Whitfield and Coast Christian Coach Dan Pride were the South Bay award winners Sunday at The Times football banquet at the Anaheim Hilton.

Conway was named Back of the Year for the second straight season, Whitfield was selected Lineman of the Year and Pride, whose team has the longest winning streak in the CIF Southern Section, was named Coach of the Year.

Conway, who ran or passed for 62 of Hawthorne’s 82 touchdowns in the last two years, guided the Cougars to an 8-3-1 record and the quarterfinals of the Southern Section Division II playoffs this season.

This season the elusive senior led Hawthorne in rushing (813 yards, 11 TDs) and passing (1,159 yards, 10 TDs) and was the team’s top defensive back and kick returner. Conway had a hand in 23 of the Cougars’ 40 TDs.

Whitfield, a 6-7, 275-pound senior, helped pave the way for a productive Banning running game that netted 3,296 yards in 14 games and produced two 1,000-yard rushers (Derek Sparks and Keith Mims). Whitfield, an honor student, is being heavily recruited by Division I colleges.

Pride coached Coast Christian of Redondo Beach to its second straight CIF Eight-Man Small Division title and second consecutive 12-0 season. Those 24 victories represent the longest winning streak in the Southern Section.

Pride, a former linebacker with the Chicago Bears, has a 3-year record of 31-4, including a 7-1 mark in the playoffs, at Coast Christian.