El Camino Real Stuns Granada Hills, 16-9

Among other things, El Camino Real High fullback Jamal Anderson is called “Jam” by teammates, basically because it’s an abbreviated version of his first name.

It also fits his bruising running style.

Friday night, Anderson rushed for 159 yards in 16 carries to lead El Camino Real to a shocking 16-9 win over second-seeded and previously unbeaten Granada Hills in a City Section 4-A Division quarterfinal game at Granada Hills.

Consider what the 5-foot-11, 205-pound senior did. He broke a school record for yardage--he now has 1,099 for the season, breaking the mark of 971 set in 1980 by Tony Lewis. He became the first player this season to gain 100 yards in a game against the Highlanders. He also played most of the game at linebacker.

This guy’s not only Jam, he’s their bread and butter.

“He’s an animal,” fellow linebacker Bobby Kim said. “I’ve never played with anyone who wanted to play as bad as him. He never gets tired.”

Good thing, because the Conquistadores passed for a net zero yards and Anderson had to pick up the slack. In the semifinals next Friday, upstart El Camino Real (6-5) will play Dorsey, a 25-14 winner over Palisades. “I could almost cry,” said a visibly moved Mike Maio, the El Camino Real co-coach. “The defense did a helluva job. Jamal Anderson is a very underrated player, and we’re starting to learn what football is all about.”

Trailing, 9-7, at the half, El Camino Real took the lead for good when Anderson blasted in from six yards with 6:57 left in the third quarter. Anderson keyed the drive with a 47-yard scamper down the left sideline on a third-and-seven play at the El Camino Real 47.

The run gave Anderson the single-season rushing record and the Conquistadores the ball at the Highlander two. After a one-yard gain and an offside penalty moved the ball back to the six, Anderson managed to take a handoff from quarterback Tony Bordwell--the latter nearly missed his fullback on the exchange--and slammed in for a 13-9 lead.

El Camino Real moved ahead, 16-9, with 2:55 left when sophomore kicker Joseph La Firenza kicked a 25-yard field goal.

With plenty of time left, Granada Hills (10-1) started at its own 28. After a 16-yard sack, quarterback Bryan Martin--who completed 11 of 19 passes for 214 yards and a touchdown--hit Ricky Mathews for a 26-yard gain. Martin then hit Jermaine Love for a nine-yard completion to the Granada Hills 47 with 1:32 left.

But the Highlanders would not cross the 50. A motion call against Granada Hills and a pass to fullback Brett Washington (25 yards rushing in 12 carries) netted minus-six yards. Martin’s second-down pass fell incomplete and on third down, he was sacked by Lejon Carr for an eight-yard loss to the Granada Hills 38 with 23 seconds left.

After a timeout, Granada Hills tried a gimmick play. Martin threw a lateral in the left flat to backup quarterback Chris Gadomski, but Gadomski was tackled for no gain before he could unload downfield.

Granada Hills accounted for minus-43 yards rushing and was limited to just four first downs after halftime. The Highlanders had 216 yards in total offense, including just two on the ground.

“I was worried about this team all week, because nobody likes to play a team twice,” Highlander co-Coach Darryl Stroh said, referring to his team’s 21-0 defeat of El Camino Real seven weeks ago. “We didn’t play very well then and we didn’t play very well tonight.”

And El Camino Real, which two seasons ago was in the midst of a 24-game winless streak, pulled off the upset of the year in the Valley. “We were prepared all week for them, we had a real rigorous practice,” said Anderson. “We knew their offense to a T.”

And they teed off early. On the Highlanders’ first possession, El Camino Real’s Troy Snider broke through the middle and blocked a Martin punt at the Granada Hills 25. El Camino Real’s Chris Griggs pick up the loose ball and raced in for the score to give the Conquistadores a 7-0 lead.

“That set the tone for the whole night,” Stroh said.

El Camino Real seemed poised to expand the lead on its next possession. The Conquistadores drove to the Granada Hills 15-yard line, but on third and four, a double-pitch play went awry. Bordwell pitched the ball to Anderson, who flipped high to trailing tailback Brian Astgen, but the ball bounced off his left shoulder. Granada Hills defensive back Alonzo Finney recovered at the 33.

The Highlanders moved within 7-3 on Andy Petroski’s 37-yard field goal with 9:01 left in the half. The Granada Hills defense stiffened--El Camino Real had 53 yards in the half--and the Highlanders took over on their own 20 with 2:57 left.

The Highlander passing game immediately flexed its collective muscle. After Love gained 12 yards on a reverse and Washington bulled up the middle for three, Martin hit receiver William Moringlane for a 31-yard gain to the El Camino Real 34.

On the next play, Martin hit Mathews near the left sideline. Mathews cut back across the grain, leaving defensive back Ronnu Griffin sprawled in his wake, and into the end zone for a 9-7 lead with 1:30 remaining. The point-after attempt by Petroski sailed wide right.