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Dorsey’s First Victory Over Carson Earns City 4-A Title

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TIMES STAFF WRITER

On a night that Dorsey High School fans will remember for many years, the Dons won the City 4-A football title by defeating top-ranked and defending-champion Carson, 26-15, Friday before a crowd of 4,000 at El Camino College.

Dorsey, which lost two of its first three games, avenged an earlier loss to the Colts to win the school’s first 4-A title.

The win, Dorsey’s first against Carson in 10 games, extended the Colts’ losing streak in title games in odd-numbered years to seven. Carson has not won consecutive titles since 1971-72.

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The Dons were led by running back Lamont Warren, who rushed for 101 yards in 25 carries and caught five passes for 110 yards. But it was fullback Larry Edmonds’ 25-yard touchdown run with 2:13 remaining in the fourth quarter that clinched the win.

The title completes a season that the Dorsey team dedicated to the late Kevin Copeland, the Dons’ wide receiver who died from heart failure during a game earlier this season.

“This is the best feeling in the world because Kevin always wanted to beat Carson and Banning but didn’t in his two years (playing),” said Dorsey linebacker Tamecus Peoples. “We did everything this year for him.”

A key factor in the game was Dorsey’s ability to neutralize Carson’s offensive attack and quarterback Armin Youngblood, who set a school record this season with 30 touchdown passes.

Against the Dons, Youngblood completed only 7 of 26 attempts for 96 yards. He was intercepted four times.

“The coaches had their (Carson) offense broken down to the point where we knew every play they were going to run once they lined up,” Peoples said.

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Dorsey co-coach and defensive coordinator Eugene McAdoo said pressuring Youngblood was important.

“We ran more two-deep coverages than we did when we played them before,” McAdoo said “I think we confused him at times tonight.

In a game in which Dorsey never trailed, the Dons drove 66 yards in six plays to score on their first possession. The key play being a 43-yard pass reception from quarterback Chris Cook to Warren, who capped the drive with a five-yard sweep.

Dorsey added to its lead in the second quarter when linebacker Dennis Paige intercepted a pass by Youngblood and returned it 17 yards for a touchdown.

Trailing, 12-0, Carson finally scored after a six-play, 48-yard drive that featured the skills of Michael Ross.

Ross, who owns every Carson receiving record, caught a deflected pass by Youngblood for an 18-yard gain, which set up Youngblood’s 1-yard touchdown run.

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Dorsey capitalized on another Carson mistake after Colt linebacker Nkosi Littleton fumbled on a fake punt attempt on fourth down. The Dons drove 49 yards in nine plays, with Cook scoring on a four-yard run, and after Warren ran in the two-point conversion, Dorsey led, 20-6, at halftime.

Youngblood completed four of 17 passes for 63 yards and was intercepted three times in the first half.

In the third quarter, Carson recorded a safety when backup quarterback Ronald Peebles, who replaced the injured Cook for two series, fumbled out of the end zone after being hit by linebacker Harry Fuamatu.

Carson closed to within five points when Youngblood scored from five yards out on the first play of the fourth quarter. However, the Colts never threatened again as Dorsey was able to make big plays on offense and defense the rest of the game.

“We knew that we had to attack their defense right up the middle because they had too much speed,” said Dorsey Co-Coach Paul Knox. “We saw things from our first game that we thought we’d be able to work on.”

Dorsey finished the season with a 10-3 record. Carson was 10-2.

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