PREP FOOTBALL SPOTLIGHT : FACTS, FIGURES AND COMMENTS FROM LAST WEEK’S GAMES

THE INEVITABLE

A dazed and confused group of Serra players had a difficult time accepting their 31-0 loss to visiting Arroyo Grande in the CIF-Southern Section Division VII semifinals Friday night.

“It’s a shock,” defensive tackle Donald Hurston said.

But Serra Coach Leo Hand was prepared for the worst.

“I wasn’t surprised,” he said. “I was really worried about this team. I would have much rather played anybody else in CIF except this team, because I saw them on film and I knew we were in for a game. Their size is awesome.”

It was Serra’s first loss in two seasons under Hand, snapping a 24-game winning streak.

“I’m proud of our kids,” Hand said. “This is part of life. The inevitable happened. Nobody goes undefeated all through life. We had our day today. Now we have to get it together and try to do it again.”

TOTAL RECALL

Arroyo Grande Coach John Huss said last year’s 32-25 loss to Serra in the quarterfinals helped prepare the Eagles for Friday night’s rematch.

“I don’t know how much (it mattered) in terms of motivation, but I would say we knew what we were in for as far as the fierceness of their defense,” Huss said. “You can’t feel that or see that on videotape. We came in and played them last year and it took us a little while to adjust to the intensity. We were prepared for that this time.”

This time, it was Arroyo Grande’s defense that did a number on Serra.

The Cavaliers finished with only 21 yards rushing in 31 attempts, and standout running back Jerald Henry, who came into the game averaging 170 yards, was held to 24 yards in 12 carries, his lowest total of the year.

Serra’s quarterbacks were sacked four times for minus-37 yards.

INJURIES

The effectiveness of Serra quarterback Alex Marcelin against Arroyo Grande was hampered by a sprained ankle he suffered last week.

Marcelin, who also plays linebacker, was restricted to offense because of the injury and sat out three series. He managed to complete nine of 13 passes for 91 yards, but his immobility hurt the Cavaliers’ offensive scheme.

“It was really significant,” Hand said of Marcelin’s injury. “He passes best when he rolls out. He couldn’t do that. That really limited us.”

Said Marcelin: “It was kind of frustrating. But I put my heart into it and tried my best. I’m used to rolling out. When I couldn’t, it was hard.”

James Brooks, who isn’t a passing threat, filled in for Marcelin on three series but failed to move the team.

Arroyo Grande’s backup players did a better job. The Eagles lost their top running back, Clemente Sainten, to an injury in the first half, but fullbacks Josh Whitaker and Eric Lopez, running behind a huge line, combined for three touchdowns in the third quarter.

“We had a simple running scheme,” Coach Huss said. “We tried to take any angle that we could, literally, in our blocking on their blitzing defense, and it worked.”

WHAT GOES AROUND . . .

Morningside, which has exploited a few teams with the fake punt, got burned on the play Friday night in a 27-9 loss to Temecula Valley in the CIF Division VIII semifinals at Sentinel Field in Inglewood.

Faced with fourth down on the Morningside 43-yard line, Temecula Valley punter Roger Noon completed a 43-yard scoring pass to Greg Campbell to give the Bears a 14-0 lead late in the first half.

Morningside Coach Ron Tatum argued that Temecula Valley should have been penalized on the play.

“The rules say an eligible receiver must be within 15 yards of the huddle before lining up,” Tatum said. “Their guy (Campbell) was almost out of bounds. We called a timeout after that and questioned the officials. They said that (Temecula Valley) had warned them that they might use a play like that. That may be true, but the films show that the player was not within 15 yards of the huddle. We think the rule was violated.”

RECORDS, ETC.

Carson receiver Latario Rachal had a career night Friday in a 54-0 playoff victory over El Camino Real at Veterans Stadium in Long Beach.

The 6-foot, 170-pound senior scored five touchdowns, one shy of the school record, and set three Carson records:

* Rachal’s three touchdown catches give him 23 in his career, breaking the previous record of 22 set by Michael Ross in 1988 and ’89.

* He now has 1,084 reception yards this season, breaking the old record of 1,014 set by Melvin Smith in 1984.

* With an 83-yard kickoff return and 76-yard punt return, Rachal became the first Carson player to return a punt and kickoff for touchdowns in a game.

Afterward, Coach Gene Vollnogle had no idea that Rachal had enjoyed such a prolific game. “Are you kidding me?” he said. “He had five TDs?”

Yes, coach.

Theron Hill, Carson’s talented junior receiver, also got into the act. He caught nine passes for 86 yards and a touchdown, tying the school mark for most catches in a game. Ronnie Carver had nine catches against Locke in 1967. Carver, in the same game, set a Carson record with six touchdowns.

MR. VERSATILITY

Banning keeps finding ways to utilize the talents of Travis Davis.

The senior tailback rushed for 108 yards and a touchdown, intercepted two passes and returned a kickoff 97 yards for a TD in a 20-10 playoff victory over Kennedy of Granada Hills at Gardena High.

The kickoff return, in the fourth quarter, was pivotal because it came after Kennedy had scored to pull within 14-10.

“They were up and we were down, but that run turned things back in our favor,” Banning Coach Joe Dominguez said. “I thought we had it set up well for him, but he had to do a lot on his own, too. It was a great run.

“We’ve just started using him as a kickoff returner for the playoffs.”

Seems like a good idea.

LOOKING AHEAD

In Friday’s L.A. City 4-A semifinals, Carson will meet Granada Hills at Veterans Stadium and Banning will play Dorsey at Gardena. Banning shut out Dorsey, 21-0, in Pacific League play.

STREAKS

* Serra fell to Arroyo Grande, 31-0, ending its 24-game winning streak, the third-longest in California.

* Morningside fell to Temecula Valley, 27-9, ending its eight-game winning streak. It was Temecula Valley’s third consecutive victory over a South Bay team in the CIF playoffs.

* Carson defeated El Camino Real, 54-0, for its eighth consecutive victory.

* Banning defeated Kennedy, 20-10, for its sixth consecutive victory.

IN QUOTES

El Camino Real co-Coach Mike Maio, on his team’s 54-0 loss to Carson in which the Colts passed for 241 yards and four touchdowns: “They just had too much speed. They isolated on ( our defensive backs ) , and we just don’t have enough guys who can run with them.”

Serra defensive tackle Donald Hurston, on losing for the first time in two seasons: “I don’t know what happened. It’s weird.”

Arroyo Grande Coach John Huss, on his team’s 24-point third quarter in the victory over Serra: “I’m not good at recounting what happens. I’m just trying to concentrate on the next play and the next down. Truly, I didn’t even know how many points we had, I just knew we had touchdowns. And then I look up and, my goodness, we got 24 points.”

Banning Coach Joe Dominguez, on his team’s hard-fought 20-10 victory over Kennedy of Granada Hills: “We knew Kennedy was a real fine team. We couldn’t figure out how they had four losses.”

Morningside Coach Ron Tatum, on an interception in the fourth quarter that hurt the Monarchs’ comeback efforts in a 27-9 loss to Temecula Valley: “That was the real turning point in the game.”