Torrance Defeats Palos Verdes, 17-0

The CIF-Southern Section Division VIII poll will have a drastically different look next week thanks to Torrance High’s 17-0 victory over No. 1 Palos Verdes Thursday night at Torrance Stadium.

The game was called with 4:44 left in the fourth quarter due to a neck injury suffered by Palos Verdes defensive end Andrew Miller. He was taken by paramedics to Little Company of Mary Hospital in Torrance for precautionary measures.

Torrance, which is No. 10 in the poll this week, was led by junior quarterback Jason Kendall, who accounted for two touchdowns, and senior running back Carlos Hilliard, who rushed for 117 yards on 25 carries. Junior wide receiver Ralph Martinez (four catches, 52 yards) was Kendall’s favorite target and scored the game’s first touchdown on Kendall’s 13-yard pass with 8:07 left in the first quarter.

Kendall finished with 10 completions in 16 attempts for 145 yards and two interceptions. Torrance (3-1) led 7-0 at halftime despite committing four turnovers.

In the third quarter, the Tartars scored on Scott Hagerman’s 35-yard field goal and then on Kendall’s one-yard run. Palos Verdes (3-1) managed only five first downs of its own and yielded 13 first downs to Torrance.

The Sea Kings’ deepest penetration came midway through the fourth quarter, when they got to the Torrance 34-yard line. But quarterback Tim King’s third interception killed the drive.

Thrust into an unfamiliar position in attempting to come back from a sizable deficit, Palos Verdes struggled offensively. King didn’t complete a pass until the fourth quarter.

He finished with two completions on 12 tries for 27 yards. Sea King running back George Felactu was kept out of the end zone for the first time this year and had 36 yards on 11 carries.

Each team fumbled away its initial possession in a sloppy first quarter. But Torrance opened the second quarter with a seven-play, 53-yard touchdown drive in which Kendall completed all four passes for 46 yards.

The Tartars also started the third quarter with a scoring drive. On the 71-yard series, which set up Hagerman’s field goal, Hilliard gained 50 yards on six carries.

On its next possession, Torrance drove 44 yards in six plays, with Kendall scoring on third-and-goal from the Palos Verdes one-yard line. Tartar tight end Colby Kaopua had a 26-yard reception to highlight that drive and finished with three catches for 76 yards.