PREPS : Banning Goes Back to Basics, Gunning for Another Shot at Carson in Playoffs

The way Banning High’s football team has dominated recent opponents is reminiscent of the Pilots’ glory days, says a longtime coach.

“This is how it used to be when I first started coaching here,” said defensive coordinator Rocky Garibay, a member of the staff during Banning’s run of six consecutive L.A. City titles from 1976-81. “We have to call off the boys in the third quarter.”

A resurgence? Could be.

Banning has put teams away early since losing to Carson, 41-14, Oct. 12. Sparked by a punishing ground game and suffocating defense, the Pilots have outscored their past four opponents, 166-33, allowing only six points in the last three games combined.

“I think if we face (Carson) again, they’re going to have their hands full,” Garibay said.

A rematch between the rivals is a distinct possibility. Carson (8-1) has been seeded first and Banning (6-3) second for the 4-A playoffs, meaning the teams could meet in the championship game. The playoffs begin Wednesday, but Carson and Banning have first-round byes.

Traditionally a running team, Banning seems to be emphasizing its ground game even more since the loss to Carson. The Pilots did not attempt a pass two weeks ago in a 49-0 victory over Gardena, instead relying on a deep and talented stable of runners led by senior tailback Travis Davis.

“We finally decided that’s what we do best, so let’s get good at it,” Coach Joe Dominguez said. “Our last few games really haven’t justified us throwing the ball; they got out of hand early. We’re going to keep throwing the ball, but only when we want to.”

In Davis, the Pilot coaches believe they have a running back who compares favorably to the Banning greats.

“I compare him to Freeman McNeil in high school because of his power and speed,” Garibay said. “I think he’s the best runner in California right now.”

The 6-foot, 180-pound senior has rushed for more than 200 yards in three consecutive games. Only in the season opener has Davis failed to reach 100 yards in a game.

But Dominguez points out that Davis isn’t doing it all on his own.

“The offensive line has just played super,” he said. “Any kid who goes over 200 yards three straight weeks has to be a great back, but the guys up front have to be doing something.”

Early in the season, Banning consistently ran to the right side, anchored by guard Eric Battle (6-3, 265), tackle Art Donnell (6-2, 290) and tight end Lino Quintana (6-2, 225). But recently, Dominguez said, the Pilots have been “running left, too.”

Most encouraging, Dominguez said, has been the team’s steady improvement.

“We’re a completely different team than we were a month ago,” he said. “When we watch a video from six or seven games ago, we say, ‘Huh, that was us?’ We played poorly against Carson. The kids realize that. I think they’re looking forward to the playoffs more than us.”

Three of the South Bay’s top basketball players are expected to sign national letters of intent with colleges during the early one-week signing period, which began Wednesday.

Wyking Jones, a 6-7 forward for St. Bernard, will sign with Loyola Marymount; Frank Willis, a 6-8 forward for Leuzinger, will sign with New Mexico, and Roger Hendrix, a 6-6 forward for Rolling Hills, will sign with Utah State, according to their coaches.

St. Bernard Coach Jim McClune said Jones is the first Viking basketball player in recent memory to sign directly out of high school with Loyola, which is about a mile from St. Bernard. Corey Gaines, a St. Bernard alumnus, played at Loyola after transferring from UCLA.

Jones also visited UCLA, Oregon, Oregon State and UC Santa Barbara, McClune said.

Willis, who averaged 15 points and 10 rebounds a game last season, gave an oral commitment to New Mexico during a recruiting visit last weekend. He also took trips to Drake, San Diego State, Cal State Fullerton and Pepperdine, Leuzinger Coach Phil Sherman said.

Mira Costa Coach Glenn Marx said Chris Davis, the Mustangs’ highly touted 6-8 forward, will wait until after the season to sign.

Jones, Willis and Davis were all second-team selections on the Long Beach Press-Telegram’s Best of the West squad, which is chosen based on a national poll of college recruiters and scouts.

Morningside guard Princess Murray fulfilled an oral commitment Wednesday by signing to play for the Loyola Marymount women’s basketball team. She is the first Morningside player, male or female, to sign during the early one-week period, Morningside girls’ Coach Ron Randle said.

The 5-10 Murray, who averaged 12 points and nine assists a game last year, chose the Lions over USC, Colorado, Washington and San Diego State.

“I like the academic program they have,” Murray said of Loyola. “Plus, the basketball team is developing. They’re starting to get good players.”

Murray is the second South Bay standout signed by Loyola in the past year. Lisa Humphries, an All-CIF guard from Palos Verdes, is a Loyola freshman.

If you’re wondering how many yards Serra running back Jerald Henry has rushed for this season, forget it.

Coach Leo Hand said Wednesday that he has not kept individual statistics. Last year, Hand established a policy of not revealing individual stats until after the season.

This year, though, he decided to junk the common practice of keeping track of players’ performances.

While Hand does this with Serra’s best interest in mind--he feels it helps maintain team unity--it should be pointed out that without statistics it will be more difficult to select Serra’s top players to the various all-star teams that are chosen after the season.

Players named to all-star teams sometimes increase their chances of being recruited by colleges.

With that in mind, Hand might be doing his players a disservice.

Charlie Lane, a senior receiver-defensive back for Bishop Montgomery, ended his high school career in style Friday night in the Knights’ 14-3 victory over Chaminade.

Lane scored on a 65-yard option pass from receiver Anthony Milanes, returned a kickoff 70 yards, intercepted a pass, recovered a fumble and knocked down three passes.

Although Bishop Montgomery struggled to a 3-7 record (1-5 in the Mission League), Coach Steve Carroll is looking forward to next year, when the Knights return 13 starters. Included in that group is junior Joe McEwen, a speedy running back who emerged as the team’s top offensive threat.

Notes

Israel Pose of Torrance will head a strong field of South Bay runners Saturday in the Southern Section cross-country finals at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut. Races start at noon. Pose recorded the best time (16 minutes, 10 seconds) last week in the Division II-AA prelims. Other area runners expected to do well include Shawn Page of Redondo (II-A, 16:06), Joe Reinisch of Bishop Montgomery (II-A, 16:19) and Kala Parker of Chadwick (girls’ IV-A, 22:20). The Palos Verdes girls, meanwhile, will be going after their sixth consecutive Southern Section title in the I-A finals. However, the Sea Kings are going up against Agoura, the top-ranked team in the state. Agoura has beaten Palos Verdes twice this season in invitationals. The Palos Verdes boys are in a similar situation in the III-AA finals, where they are rated second behind Laguna Hills. . . . The top-seeded Palos Verdes girls’ tennis team, led by freshman Nicole London, will travel to face Capistrano Valley at 2 p.m. today in the Southern Section 4-A semifinals.

South Bay’s

Football Top 10

Selected by Times Sportswriters Rank, School, League: Record

1 Serra (Camino Real): 8-0

2 Carson (Pacific): 8-1

3 Banning (Pacific): 6-3

4 Hawthorne (Bay): 8-2

5 Morningside (Ocean): 8-2

6 Leuzinger (Bay): 7-3

7 Torrance (Pioneer): 7-3

8 West Torrance (Pioneer): 8-2

9 Mary Star (Santa Fe): 7-3

10 Mira Costa (Ocean): 5-4-1