PREP FOOTBALL SPOTLIGHT : FACTS, FIGURES AND COMMENTS FROM LAST WEEK’S GAMES : FIT TO BE TIED

Bishop Montgomery played to a tie Friday night for the second consecutive week, hanging on for a 14-14 deadlock with host Alemany of Mission Hills.

Knight Coach Bob Tompson had mixed emotions after the game, one of them being relief after Alemany missed a 32-yard field goal on the last play of the game.

Alemany moved into scoring position after quarterback Chris Tashima hit wide receiver Matt Lufrano with a 38-yard pass to the Bishop Montgomery 15 with two seconds left. Fortunately for the Knights, Brian Plasky’s 32-yard field goal attempt was wide left as time expired.

Tompson said he was concerned about Bishop Montgomery’s defensive formation before Alemany completed its last pass.

“I asked one of our coaches, ‘Aren’t we up a little tight?’ and then the next thing you know, (Tashima) completes the long pass,” Tompson said. “It was real fortunate for us that (Plasky) missed the field goal. It would’ve been a long bus ride home had he made it.”

Despite nearly losing in the final seconds, Tompson said the Knights (1-0-2) played better than in last week’s 13-13 tie with Mira Costa.

“Last week, it felt like a loss,” he said. “This week I feel better about it.

“It’s disappointing (to tie), but we made a real improvement from last week. (Quarterback) Tony Gutierrez is starting to get the feel for the passing game, and I think that will help us down the road.”

Gutierrez completed nine of 15 passes with no interceptions for 105 yards and one touchdown covering 17 yards to Rich Catipon.

THE NATURAL

Before the season, Peninsula Coach Gary Kimbrell had high hopes for junior tailback James Durroh.

“He’s probably the fastest back we’ve ever had,” Kimbrell said.

Faster than former Rolling Hills tailback Robert Coulter, who rushed for more than 3,000 yards in the 1989 and ’90 seasons?

“He’s faster than Robert,” Kimbrell said. “Running with the football, he’s a natural.”

Three weeks into the 1992 season, Durroh is showing opponents what Kimbrell was talking about. He moved into the South Bay lead in rushing Friday night, carrying the ball 20 times for 159 yards and two touchdowns in a 21-8 victory over Culver City.

The 5-foot-8, 170-pound Durroh has 432 yards and seven touchdowns in three games for the unbeaten Panthers.

“He’s getting better,” Kimbrell said. “His running ability has never been questioned. He’s got tremendous instincts.”

Durroh’s two longest runs against Culver City came on draw plays, both setting up TDs. A 24-yard run on third and seven gave Peninsula first down at the Culver City 25. Eight plays later, on fourth and goal, Durroh scored the game’s first touchdown on a two-yard run late in the first quarter.

The Panthers made it 14-0 midway through the third quarter on an eight-yard run by Durroh, one play after he had gained 39 yards on a draw play on third and 13.

Of course, the blocking of Peninsula’s big line and fullback Taso Papadakis had something to do with Durroh’s success.

“They kind of wore us down a little in the third quarter,” Culver City Coach Lou Lichtl said. “When we got down 14-0, our kids started to get down on themselves a little bit.”

WINGING IT

Serra’s wing-T backfield was nearly unstoppable in a 48-6 victory over St. Genevieve of Panorama City. Five Cavalier backs combined for 474 yards rushing in 34 carries, an average of 14 yards per attempt.

The backfield accounted for all seven of Serra’s touchdowns, highlighted by a 71-yard run up the middle by fullback Rory Aguilera, who usually plays linebacker. Aguilera led the team with 136 yards and two TDs in only nine carries.

“Because of an illness to our fullback, (Aguilera) had to go on the offensive side of the ball,” first-year Coach Kevin Crawley said.

Others who contributed to the onslaught were running backs Kenny Friedieu (134 yards, two TDs in nine carries), Ricky Boyer (87 yards, one TD in three carries) and LaJon Jordan (66 yards, one TD in nine carries), and quarterback Damon Vereen (51 yards, one TD in four carries).

Crawley said the running game excelled because of the blocking of the offensive line.

“Those five offensive linemen are probably the best since our (CIF) championship year in ‘89,” Crawley said. “They are tremendous athletes.”

HOLDING ON

Leuzinger (2-1), which had eight fumbles in its first two games, did not have any in a 21-7 victory over visiting Torrance (1-2).

COMING TO LIFE

Carson, whose offense had scored only two touchdowns in the first three games, finally got on track Friday night. The Colts gained 376 total yards (188 rushing, 188 passing) and scored five TDs in a 35-15 victory over host Colton.

Quarterback Jamie Sander had a hand in all of the scores, passing for three and running for two.

Carson (1-2-1) posted its first victory despite missing five starters who were benched for skipping practice Monday. Among those suspended were Shadeed Muhammad, the team’s leading receiver; Sean Turner, the top running back, and Dion Brumfield, the starting strong safety.

Their absences didn’t slow down the Colts, who received impressive efforts from several backups. Junior running back John Houston rushed for 142 yards and scored the game’s first touchdown on a 12-yard pass from Sander. Wendell Stevens, who filled in for Brumfield, had two interceptions, returning one 33 yards to set up a TD.

HISTORY LESSON

Don’t look for San Pedro to extend its shutout streak, which reached three games Friday night with a 25-0 victory over Venice. Winning its next game will be hard enough.

The Pirates play host to Carson, which has not lost to San Pedro since 1968 and leads the overall series, 19-1-1. The teams open Southern Pacific Conference play Friday night at Daniels Field.

SMALL WORLD

After 6-foot-2, 240-pound fullback Phil Fonua was sidelined with a knee injury, Mira Costa went with a backfield of Ernie Betancourt and Cory Gorospe against Santa Monica.

Although they lack the size Coach Bill Lysle likes in his running backs, Betancourt and Gorospe played big roles in the Mustangs’ 24-13 victory at Santa Monica College.

“We played our Muppet backfield,” Lysle said. “Between the two of them, they don’t weigh 300 pounds.”

Betancourt rushed for 51 yards and a touchdown in 21 carries, and Gorospe caught four passes for 80 yards.

DEFENSIVE STANDOUTS

Peninsula end Matt Cheeseman sacked Culver City quarterback Tommy Covington for an 11-yard loss and tackled running back Aki Wilson for a three-yard loss on back-to-back plays in the third quarter to help the Panthers protect a 14-0 lead en route to a 21-8 victory.

* Serra end Joseph O’Reilly, a junior, had six of his team’s 10 sacks of Alemany quarterback Alex Muller in a 48-6 victory.

* Redondo cornerback John Albertson, a sophomore, had two interceptions, and tackle Morris Greer led the Sea Hawks in tackles in a 13-12 victory over St. Bernard.

* Dano Casillas had two of North Torrance’s four interceptions and Dean Halverson returned an interception 29 yards for a touchdown in a 41-13 victory over Beverly Hills.

San Pedro end Michael Spelich had eight tackles, including two sacks, a blocked punt and a fumble recovery in a 25-0 victory over Venice.

Banning’s Jean Paul Oliphant had eight tackles, an interception and two pass deflections in a 27-12 victory over Palisades.

* El Segundo linebacker Joey Bolder had an interception to help the Eagles limit Mary Star to one completion in 11 pass attempts in a 26-10 victory.

Linebacker William Tuivai had two of Hawthorne’s five sacks on South Torrance quarterback Mike Rosato in a 39-10 victory.

Mira Costa defensive back Jade Byrd had 10 tackles, including a sack, in a 24-13 victory over Santa Monica.

* Leuzinger linebackers John Niko and Charles Smith helped the Olympians limit Torrance to 117 total yards in a 21-7 victory.

IN QUOTES

--West Torrance Coach Kerry Crabb, on holding Inglewood quarterback Leandrew Childs to 14 yards rushing in a 31-19 victory: “We did not let Childs do what he normally does, which is drop back and scramble around. He lets people spread out, then he finds a hole to run through. Our kids were extremely patient. I have to give a lot of credit to (defensive coordinator Greg) Holt, who came up with a simple but real effective game plan.”

Redondo Coach Chris Hyduke, after his team struggled in a 13-12 victory over St. Bernard: “We didn’t play very well at all. I’m disappointed with our performance.... We played just well enough to win. We’re a better club than we showed, that’s what makes me mad.”

North Torrance Coach Joe Austin, on holding Beverly Hills running back Tony Thapthimthong, who had 483 yards in the Normans’ first two games, to 44 yards in 15 carries in a 41-13 victory: “He’s a good back, but we’re a better defensive team than he’s seen.”

--Serra Coach Kevin Crawley, after his team rushed for 474 yards in a 48-6 victory over St. Genevieve: “We have halfbacks that as soon as there is daylight, they’re through it.”

Bishop Montgomery Coach Bob Tompson, after a 14-14 tie with Alemany gave the Knights two ties in a row and a 1-0-2 record: “We know we were the better team. We know we were the better team the last two weeks. But we’re happy that at least we’re still undefeated.”

INJURIES

El Segundo running back-

linebacker Joey Bolder separated a shoulder in a 26-10 victory over Mary Star and will be sidelined two to three weeks, Coach Craig Cousins said. El Segundo receiver-defensive back David Scanlan was limited to kicking conversions because of an injured arch. He is day to day. . . . Mira Costa tailback Ronnie Hand, the team’s leading rusher, did not play in a 24-13 victory over Santa Monica because of migraine headaches. Mira Costa fullback Phil Fonua hyper-extended a knee. . . . Peninsula tailback James Durroh suffered a bruised ankle in a 21-8 victory over Culver City but is expected to play Friday against North Torrance.