Carson Hopes to Keep History From Repeating Itself in Semifinal

Carson is the top-rated high school football team in the City Section, the defending 4-A Division champion, and is taking a 9-1 record into tonight’s semifinal game against Crenshaw at Veterans Stadium in Long Beach.

In last Friday’s 31-0 victory over Granada Hills Kennedy, quarterback Armin Youngblood threw for three touchdown passes to set a school record for a single season with 27.

Despite all that, Coach Gene Vollnogle is worried. Five times since 1978, Carson has lost the division championship to a team it had beaten during the regular season.

So what makes Vollnogle nervous is that on Nov. 17, Carson defeated Pacific League rival Crenshaw, 39-12.

“They have a very good team,” Vollnogle said of Crenshaw (8-4). “They have two excellent athletes in running back Kevin Hicks and quarterback Derrick Williams.”

Crenshaw Co-Coach Robert Garrett believes that the Cougars can win.

“Carson can be had,” he said. “We just have to worry about Crenshaw and not be overly concerned with what Carson does.”

In the other 4-A Division semifinal game, El Camino Real (6-5) which began the playoffs under .500, hopes to keep the magic going against Dorsey (8-3) at Jackie Robinson Stadium.

In one 3-A Division semifinal, Locke (6-3-2) and Garfield (9-1-1) play in a Southeastern Conference rematch at East Los Angeles College. Garfield defeated the Saints, 27-20, during the regular season. In the other semifinal, South Gate (10-0-1), the defending champion, and Franklin (11-1) meet at Wilson High School. Both games begin at 7:30 p.m.