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Carson Is Too Much for Banning

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TIMES STAFF WRITER

For 12 games, Carson High used a high-powered passing attack, but the Colts stayed on the ground to defeat Banning, 37-16, for the City 4-A Division football championship Friday night at El Camino College.

After trailing at halftime, 10-7, Carson scored two quick third-quarter touchdowns behind the running of Abdul Muhammad to put the game away.

The win gave Carson Coach Gene Vollnogle his record-breaking 10th City title in his final game. Vollnogle finishes with a 289-74-1 varsity career record in 38 years of coaching.

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It was the seventh consecutive time Carson has beaten its archrival, including a 41-14 victory during the regular season. The streak started in 1987, when the Colts beat Banning in the City title game. In all, the Colts have won eight City titles.

“It feels great to win the last ballgame,” Vollnogle said. “It was great to come from behind like that. I am real proud of the kids.”

Carson quarterback John Walsh did not play a major role, but he completed 12 of 20 passes for 176 yards and two touchdowns. Walsh finishes the season with 4,206 yards and 48 touchdowns, which are both state single-season records.

The showdown between Walsh, who threw for over 300 yards in seven games this season, and Banning tailback Travis Davis, who scored 17 touchdowns, never materialized, as both defenses effectively shut down each team’s star player.

However, Carson’s running attack turned out to be the difference. The Colts gained only 80 yards on the ground but got the yardage when they needed it.

“It was kind of tough because they took away our passing game,” Muhammad said. “We came out trying to run at first, and then when they stopped our passing, we got off track. In the second half, things just came together.”

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Carson (12-1), which had outscored its two playoff opponents, 111-13, began the game with a four-play, 51-yard drive that was capped by a 14-yard shovel pass from Walsh to Theron Hill.

Banning (9-4) answered with a 29-yard field goal by Ricardo Robledo to cut the Colts’ lead to 7-3 with 1:24 left in the first quarter.

In the second quarter, Banning took Carson’s passing attack away by using five defensive backs on every down. Walsh finished the first half by completing six of nine passes for 55 yards, with most of his yardage coming on shovel passes.

In the second half, Banning fumbled on its first play and Carson recovered.

The Colts needed only four rushing plays to drive 24 yards to take a 14-10 lead, with Walsh scoring on a one-yard sneak. The Colts added to their lead with an another all-rushing drive, which took six plays to go 25 yards after a short punt by Banning. Muhammad scored on a one-yard plunge to give Carson a 20-10 lead.

In the fourth quarter, the Colt defense, behind big plays by Mathew Faraimo and Marcus Long, took control. Anthony Nicholson, who finished with eight completions in 21 pass attempts for 118 yards, had problems getting the ball in the end zone. Twice, Banning drove deep into Carson territory and did not score.

After a 33-yard field goal by Aron Villareal, Carson scored two more touchdowns to take a 37-10 lead late in the game. Darryl Gideon scored one touchdown on a three-yard run and Walsh passed for his second score when he connected with Latario Rachal for an 11-yard touchdown pass.

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Davis rushed nine yards for Banning’s final touchdown with less than two minutes remaining.

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