Carson-Banning Game Could Be a Preview of City Section Playoffs

If you happen to miss Friday night’s Carson-Banning football game at Long Beach Veterans Stadium, don’t worry.

Odds are good you’ll get another chance to see them play very soon.

If Banning and Carson win their City Section playoff openers Nov. 22, they will meet the following week in the quarterfinals. It would be the second meeting in three weeks between the rivals.

Carson co-coach Jim D’Amore said it is unfair to have two of the City’s traditional powers meet that soon in the 4-A Division playoffs. Carson has played in 10 consecutive City finals and is the defending division champion. Banning, the 1990 4-A runner-up, is unbeaten on the field this season, its only loss resulting from a Nov. 1 forfeit to Dorsey.

“It’s unfortunate that we would have to meet in the (second) round,” said D’Amore, Carson’s defensive coordinator since 1982. “I don’t know why they put us in the same bracket. It’s not fair to do it if you go on our previous record. We’ve lost some games, but we’re getting better. Maybe (the other City coaches) know more than we do.”

The 4-A seedings were determined Tuesday night by a vote of coaches from the 16 teams participating in the playoffs. Banning (8-1) was seeded third and will play host to Poly (7-2), last year’s 3-A Division champion, in the first round. Carson (5-3-1) will play at Garfield (4-3-1).

Carson was positioned in the playoff bracket based on the fact that it currently occupies third place in the Pacific League with a 4-1-1 conference record. If the Colts beat Banning (5-1) on Friday, they would finish ahead of Banning in league play. But it would have no bearing on the playoff pairings, which have already been determined regardless if league races change in the final week of the regular season.

In other words, Friday night’s Banning-Carson game means nothing, except for the usual pride and bragging rights that are at stake.

“It seems to be anticlimactic” D’Amore said. “But both teams will be highly motivated. Banning wants to prove they are the No. 1 team and Dorsey is not the No. 1 team.”

D’Amore does not believe Dorsey, the Pacific League leader with a 5-0-1 record, deserved to be seeded No. 1 for the playoffs. The Dons tied Carson last week, 16-16, and lost a nonconference game earlier this season.

“That’s the way I look at it,” he said. “But then again, I’m not in charge of that.”

Those in charge--City athletic officials--should re-evaluate the way the playoff pairings are determined. It seems ridiculous to seed teams based on league results that are not yet complete.

Dorsey, for example, could fall out of first place in the Pacific League if it loses Friday night to Gardena, yet the Dons would retain the top seeding for the playoffs.

Go figure.

Despite the fact that Friday’s game has no bearing on the playoffs, you know Banning will be motivated. The Pilots have lost seven consecutive games to Carson, the last four by a combined score of 174-37. It is the longest streak in the series, which began in 1963 and spans 38 games, including last year’s 4-A final won by Carson, 37-16.

“The pressure is on us to keep it going,” D’Amore said. “Since we’ve been passing the ball, it’s been tough on Banning. They haven’t solved the mystery. Maybe they will Friday.”

Actually, Carson isn’t throwing the ball much anymore. Quarterback Jamie Sander attempted only five passes last week against Dorsey, reflecting the Colts’ switch to a more conservative running attack because of problems with turnovers.

“But we’ve done both this year,” D’Amore said. “Banning has to be ready for the pass and they have to stop the run.”

Banning’s offense, which relies on the run, is more one-dimensional but has been more successful than its rival’s.

“Banning has the best offensive line I’ve seen that plays together as a unit,” D’Amore said. “They get off the line very well, they trap well and they are very physical.”

D’Amore is also concerned about Banning tailback Shayzar Hawkins.

“He’s a scary-looking guy to watch,” he said. “He reminds me a lot of our guys. You make one mistake and he’s gone.”

Carson lost a starter and gained a starter when the latest grades were released Monday.

Sophomore free safety Pa’pa Pepe was ruled academically ineligible, but Ed Tupuola has rejoined the team after being ineligible for the first nine weeks of the season. Tupuola, a starting offensive guard last season, will probably start on the defensive line Friday for Carson.

“He’s been running daily, so he’s ready to play,” D’Amore said. “He’s been chomping at the bit.”

Tupuola will join a Carson defense that has been dominating against the run, allowing only 1.2 yards per carry. Standouts include lineman Eric Taulua, his twin brother Eran, an inside linebacker, and outside linebackers Aaron Jackson and Chris Vaimilli.

Mira Costa football Coach Bill Lysle knows what his team’s role is Friday night when it plays host to rival Redondo in an Ocean League finale.

“We’re the spoilers now,” he said. “We’re in the pride mode.”

Redondo (6-3 overall, 2-1 in league play) can finish no worse than in a tie for the league title with a victory. Mira Costa (3-6, 0-3) is out of the race.

That scenario makes Redondo Coach Chris Hyduke a little nervous because he knows Mira Costa has nothing to lose.

“We’re real concerned,” Hyduke said. “Mira Costa is a real good football team, they’ve just had a couple of tough breaks. If we lose, we can go from a league championship to a possible third-place team.”

Redondo is tied for first place with Beverly Hills (7-2, 2-1) and Culver City (6-3, 2-1). Those teams meet Friday afternoon at Beverly Hills. Redondo will be pulling for Beverly Hills because if the teams end up tied for first place, Redondo will enter the Division VIII playoffs as the league’s top entry because it defeated Beverly Hills, 30-0.

A press conference will be held in Peninsula High’s gym at 7 tonight to announce that all four senior starters on the Panther girls’ basketball team--6-foot-5 center Jeffra Gausepohl, 6-3 forward Monique Morehouse and guards Kristen Mulligan and Raquel Alotis--will sign letters of intent with major colleges.

“They feel they’ve been through so much in the last two months with home visits and campus visits, that they’d like to get it done in one night,” Peninsula Coach Wendell Yoshida said. “We’ll kill all the birds with one stone.”

Peninsula’s team is made up of the five starters who led Palos Verdes to the State Division III title last season. Peninsula has been ranked No. 1 in the nation by Street & Smith magazine and is expected to be ranked No. 1 by USA Today.

Notes

Joanna Ziuraitis, a 6-1 forward for Bishop Montgomery, signed a letter of intent Wednesday to play basketball for Cal State Fullerton, Bishop Montgomery Coach Cedric Hurt said. Ziuraitis, a transfer from St. Bonaventure in Ventura, was an All-Southern Section choice last season. . . . Peninsula Coach Wendell Yoshida will conduct the South Bay Girls’ Basketball Club fundamentals clinic starting Saturday at Peninsula High. Girls 13 and under are eligible. The fee is $40 the first month and $35 for every month thereafter. Clinics are offered every Saturday and Sunday. Information: (213) 318-5491. . . . The Mira Costa girls’ volleyball team, 16-1 and Ocean League champion, will open the Southern Section 5-A Division playoffs at 7 tonight at home against Estancia of Costa Mesa.

South Bay’s Football Top 10

Selected by Times Sportswriters

Rank, School, League Record 1 Banning (Pacific) 8-1 2 Hawthorne (Bay) 7-2 3 Serra (Camino Real) 6-2 4 Carson (Pacific) 5-3-1 5 Peninsula (Bay) 7-2 6 Redondo (Ocean) 6-3 7 Morningside (Ocean) 6-2 8 B. Montgomery (Mission) 6-3 9 San Pedro (Southern) 6-3 10 El Segundo (San Fernando Vly) 7-2