ROUNDUP : Raphael Stars as Kennedy Edges Taft

A Kennedy High team that moved the ball well but had trouble finding the end zone needed a fourth-quarter touchdown to squeeze past Taft, 14-7, in a Northwest Valley Conference game Friday night at Kennedy.

Quarterback Tavarus Logie scored from seven yards with 1 minute 4 seconds left for the win. The Golden Cougars (5-1, 3-0 in conference play) had driven 66 yards in the waning minutes.

“We just had to suck it up,” Logie said. “I was telling my linemen, ‘We’ve got to score.’ ”

Logie’s late heroics capped an outstanding performance by the man who did most of the work for Kennedy: running back Elijah Raphael. The senior tailback carried 32 times for 203 yards.

Taft, which played sluggishly but just well enough to stay in the game, was led by quarterback Karlon Mack. He carried 13 times for 63 yards and recorded his team’s only score.

Mack didn’t fare so well passing, missing on all five of his attempts. Running back Randy Johnson was held to 34 yards in 12 carries and the Toreadors finished with 133 yards in total offense.

The Toreadors (0-4-1, 0-2-1) must have believed they needed something special to win this game. With barely a minute gone in the first quarter, they went for a first down on fourth and one at their own 25-yard line.

The gamble paid off--Johnson gained three yards--but the drive fizzled soon after.

Taking possession on its 25, Kennedy embarked on a ground-oriented drive. Raphael gained 60 yards in his first nine carries, including a 32-yard burst that put his team into field-goal range. But Jeremy Deach missed a 27-yard attempt.

Kennedy didn’t squander any such opportunities on its next possession. Again it was Raphael, breaking a 26-yard run this time, who fueled the offense. Fullback Viliami Langi capped the drive, bulling in from the nine.

The Golden Cougars led, 7-0, at halftime. But when Deach missed another field-goal attempt in the third quarter, Taft came to life.

The Toreadors drove to the Kennedy 38 where they faced fourth and two. Mack then bounced outside and raced down the sideline for the touchdown.

Kennedy then embarked on its winning drive. After Logie’s run, the Toreadors had one last chance, but Mack was sacked by linebacker Bobby Rodgers as time ran out.

“We didn’t light the scoreboard up, but we won the game,” Raphael said. “That’s all we need.”