Banning Could Set Troubling Precedent

A discouraging situation may result if Wilmington Banning High does not play its scheduled City Section football game against Dorsey on Friday because of the fear of violence.

Over the last two weeks, Banning officials have made it clear that they would rather forfeit than play at Dorsey’s home field, Jackie Robinson Stadium, which is in an area with a history of violence.

Last week, Banning officials met with Dorsey officials and members of the Los Angeles Unified School District and tried to get the game moved to a neutral site. That request was denied.

The district did change the starting time from 8 p.m. to 2:15, and agreed that there was a need for extra security. But Banning players voted not to play unless the game between the City’s top two teams was moved.

The obvious message is that it is not safe to play in the neighborhood near Dorsey High, located near La Brea Avenue and Rodeo Road. Since gunshots were fired outside Jackie Robinson Stadium during a Crenshaw-Dorsey game earlier this season, the area has gained a reputation as a war zone.

The problem with Banning’s uncompromising stand is that if every Dorsey opponent takes a similar position, the Dons will never be able to play at their home field.

There were no incidents at Dorsey’s homecoming game against Washington last Friday night, but if other City opponents fall in behind Banning, Dorsey may never get another chance to prove that conditions in the area are better.

Banning’s stance on this particular game is understandable, considering that two students were injured outside the stadium at the Dorsey-Crenshaw game, and Monday a Dorsey student was shot and wounded in what appeared to be a gang-related incident, according to police.

Those events make it difficult for anyone to send a child to a game. A parent’s decision involves much more than a football game, it comes down to the child’s safety.

But the Pilots are saying that they want never to play at Jackie Robinson Stadium again, no matter what precautions are taken. That comes down to more than a football game, too. That attitude divides and isolates communities.

Banning Principal Augustine Herrera has said that he believes necessary measures have been taken to provide a safe game for participants and fans.

“We’re at an impasse now, but personally I’d like to see us go to (Jackie Robinson Stadium) and play the game,” he said. “The district has shown me they’re serious about making it a safe venue by guaranteeing nine (police) black-and-whites in addition to 18 (school) police people. So if safety is the issue, I think that it is being addressed.

“With all the publicity the game’s receiving, it has the potential to be the safest place in town.”

Other Banning officials, however, say they are reluctant to play at Dorsey for another reason, fear that the Dons may retaliate for last season, when Banning defeated the Dons in the playoffs.

Violence nearly erupted at the end of that game, but it was played at Gardena High, the home field for many Banning games.

Perhaps a factor in Banning’s decision is that the Pilots really do not have anything to gain by playing Dorsey during the regular season, when games have lost some significance.

Banning, which has not won a City championship since 1985, has been the top-rated City team for most of the season. After playing second fiddle to neighborhood rival Carson for the last six seasons, winning the Pacific League title does not compare to a City title for Banning followers. That has made games during the regular season secondary.

It is not unusual for teams to meet for the second time in the City 4-A Division playoffs, where the last 10 finals have been rematches. Whether Friday’s game is played or not, it is likely that Dorsey and Banning will meet in the championship game next month at a neutral site anyway.

A complaint often heard from coaches is that it is difficult to defeat a team twice in a season.

The situation is a touchy one that does not have any altogether correct answers. Still, not playing the game is not going to improve relationships between city schools.

The long-awaited game between Rialto Eisenhower and Fontana, The Times’ top-rated Southern Section teams, was moved from Friday night, Nov. 8, to Saturday, Nov. 9, at 1 p.m., because of a recommendation by the Rialto Police Dept.

When these teams played last year at Fontana, a standing-room-only crowd of 15,000 rushed onto the field and ripped down the goal posts after Eisenhower had won. Another factor in the decision was a stabbing death on the Eisenhower campus during the fourth quarter of its game against Las Vegas Clark on Oct. 11.

“The . . . police did not feel that they could provide adequate supervision of the area around the school if the game was held at night,” said Roger Reupert, Eisenhower athletic director. “They originally wanted it played in the morning, but we finally agreed to a 1 p.m. start.”

Eisenhower wanted to move the game to a bigger stadium because its own can hold only 10,000, but was unable to do so.

Reupert said that the school may limit the tickets and may have only pregame sales. “Crowd control is always a concern when these great teams meet and we’ve tried to oblige,” Reupert said. “But, you can’t please everybody.”

Prep Notes

When host Crenshaw defeated Carson, 12-6, last Friday, the Cougars ended their 19-year losing streak against the Colts. Carson is 3-4, the first season since 1976 that it has lost as many as four games.

Times’ Prep Polls

CITY SECTION

No. School Div. Record LW 1. Banning 4-A 7-0-0 1 2. Dorsey 4-A 5-1-0 2 3. San Fernando 4-A 7-0-0 3 4. Kennedy 4-A 6-1-0 5 5. Washington 3-A 5-2-0 4 6. Poly 4-A 6-1-0 8 7. Sylmar 4-A 5-1-0 9 8. Locke 4-A 6-1-0 5 9. Granada Hills 4-A 3-3-0 6 10. Fairfax 4-A 5-1-0 NR

SOUTHERN SECTION

No. School Div. Record LW 1. Eisenhower I 7-0-0 1 2. Fontana I 7-0-0 2 3. Mater Dei I 8-0-0 3 4. Bishop Amat I 7-0-0 4 5. Esperanza III 7-0-0 5 6. Tustin VI 7-0-0 6 7. Thousand Oaks II 6-1-0 9 8. Loyola I 4-2-0 8 9. Royal II 7-0-0 11 10. Valencia VI 7-0-0 12 11. Morningside VIII 6-0-0 14 12. Canyon Springs IV 6-1-0 NR 13. El Modena II 7-0-0 15 14. Glendale II 6-1-0 NR 15. Artesia VI 7-0-0 NR