PREP FOOTBALL SPOTLIGHT : FACTS, FIGURES AND COMMENTS ON LAST WEEK’S GAMES : BATTLE OF THE BAY

Hawthorne didn’t waste time taking control against Peninsula on Friday night in a showdown for first place in the Bay League.

Before the Panthers had a first down, the Cougars had a 22-0 lead en route to a convincing 35-22 victory at Hawthorne.

“Our kids came out really fired up,” Hawthorne Coach Dan Robbins said. “I’ve never seen them that fired up, except maybe for Leuzinger, which is just natural because of the rivalry. I think a lot of it had to do with how well (Peninsula) had done.

“I was actually concerned before the game that our kids would be too up for it. I worried that they wouldn’t be disciplined, but they really were. They were pumped up and hitting hard, but they played with discipline.”

It was an uncharacteristic start for Hawthorne, which entered the game averaging only seven points in the first quarter. The Cougars built a 15-0 lead in the first eight minutes on two three-yard scoring runs by tailback Corey McCoy and extended it to 22-0 14 minutes in the game on a six-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Kenji Tatum to Raul Sanchez. Sanchez’s touchdown came a play after linebacker Tevita Moala recovered a fumble by Peninsula quarterback Scott Gordon and returned it nine yards.

“We spotted them 22 points,” Peninsula Coach Gary Kimbrell said. “You can’t do that against a good football team.”

Kimbrell said his players may have been affected by pregame nervousness.

“I think it was the hype and the jitters,” he said. “Hell, how long was it before we could get a snap and get something going? We were fumbling snaps.

“We have to come back and play with a little more poise. We were pretty much uptight.”

Hawthorne, winning its seventh consecutive game, improved to 7-1 and 2-0 in league play. Peninsula is 6-2 and 2-1.

GAME-BREAKER

Peninsula, held to 56 yards and one first down in the first half, finally got its running game going in the second half. But the Panthers’ comeback effort was thwarted by touchdown runs of 64 and 89 yards by McCoy, who rushed for 212 yards and four TDs, the third time this season he has scored four TDs in a game.

The Hawthorne senior leads the South Bay with 20 TDs and 124 points.

“I just saw a little crack in the defense and I took it,” McCoy said of his two scoring runs in the second half. “I have to thank my line and my receivers for blocking for me.”

McCoy’s 64-yard run gave the Cougars a 28-6 lead late in the third quarter and his 89-yard run made it 35-14 with eight minutes 10 seconds remaining.

“We were taking some chances on defense and he broke those long ones,” Kimbrell said. “Once he breaks past the line of scrimmage, it’s tough to get him. You’ve got to try and tackle him before he hits the line of scrimmage.”

Said Robbins: “They were saying they had to stop our big plays, and they didn’t.”

Hawthorne rushed for 260 yards against a Peninsula defense that had been giving up an average of 59.6 yards rushing a game. Hawthorne outgained the Panthers, 326 yards to 181.

SOLID GROUND

Serra Coach Kevin Crawley says Cavalier halfback Kenny Fredieu is the type of player who can excel under any condition.

Fredieu proved it by rushing for 223 yards and two touchdowns on a muddy field at Santa Monica College to lead Serra to a 42-21 victory over St. Monica. The victory gave the Cavaliers sole possession of first place in the Camino Real League.

“He’s a hard runner and he doesn’t slip a lot,” Crawley said. “He has good balance and he knows how to run regardless of how the field is.”

Fredieu, the area’s leading rusher with 1,235 yards, said he was surprised by his effort because of the field’s poor condition.

“It really was a little surprising because it was so muddy out there,” he said. “It was hard to get traction on this field, but I’m pretty proud of our offensive line and the way they blocked for us.”

Fredieu also returned a kickoff 78 yards for a touchdown, giving him 17 TDs on the season. Rod Smith scored on an 85-yard kickoff return for Serra, which improved to 6-2 and 4-0 with two games remaining. St. Monica dropped to 4-4 and 4-1.

“That was the best job from our kickoff-return team all year,” Crawley said. “They gave us good field position every time.”

CLOCK WATCHERS

Running time was kept during the second half of Banning’s 42-8 victory over Gardena and in the fourth quarter of San Pedro’s 48-0 shutout of Verbum Dei.

FINISHING TOUCH

After an ineffective first half, Carson quarterback Jamie Sander found his touch in the second half to lead the Colts past Dorsey, 27-7, in a Southern Pacific Conference game at Jackie Robinson Stadium.

Sander had three passes intercepted in the first half, but finished with 23 completions in 37 attempts for a career-high 445 yards and three touchdowns. It was the second-highest single-game passing total in Carson history. John Walsh holds the record with 478 yards against Crenshaw in 1990.

“I came into the game wanting to throw more, but I just got off to a shaky start,” said Sander, who has passed for 1,604 yards and 13 TDs this season. “I was able to make some big throws in the second half because I think our motion got them confused in their secondary.

“Our offensive line really came out in the second half and gave me time to throw.”

Leading 7-0 at halftime on a one-yard sneak by Sander, Carson built a 27-0 lead late in the fourth quarter on three second-half scoring passes by the senior quarterback, two covering six yards to wide receiver Ernest Claxton.

It was the fifth consecutive victory for Carson (5-2-1, 4-0), which moved 1 1/2 games ahead of Dorsey (3-2-1, 2-1-1) for first place in the Pacific League.

OUT IN FRONT

Since trailing, 21-20, in the third quarter of its season opener against Artesia, North Torrance has not been behind in a game. The Saxons extended that streak to 29 quarters Friday night in a 42-14 Pioneer League victory over visiting West Torrance.

North (8-0, 3-0) has outscored its opponents, 54-0, in the first quarter and 151-24 in the first half.

“We’ve been fortunate to get right on top of people,” North Coach Joe Austin said.

The Saxons scored on their first three possessions against West (5-3, 1-2) to open a 21-0 lead with 10:42 left in the second quarter.

EMERGING MUSTANGS

Mira Costa put itself in contention for a Southern Section Division VII playoff berth Friday night with a 28-13 Ocean League victory over visiting Beverly Hills.

The Mustangs (3-4-1, 1-1) are in a three-way tie for second place with Beverly Hills and Culver City with two games remaining. Morningside (4-3, 3-0) has clinched at least a tie for the league title.

Mira Costa Coach Bill Lysle said the improvement of quarterback Scott Combs has helped his team. Combs completed 11 of 16 passes for 190 yards and a touchdown against Beverly Hills.

“If we’re going to be successful, we’ve got to throw the ball a little bit,” Lysle said. “Tonight we had a quarterback actually come out and do what he was coached to do. Scott Combs finally matured tonight as a high school quarterback.”

Wide receiver Cory Gorospe was Combs’ favorite receiver, catching seven passes for 130 yards, including a 21-yard TD that put Mira Costa ahead for good, 14-7, with 57 seconds left in the first half.

11/1/92 Kickers Alberto Loeza of Inglewood and Richard Perez of Culver City delivered game-winning field goals for their respective teams Friday night.

Loeza kicked a 35-yard field goal with 17 second left to give Inglewood a 10-7 Bay League victory over visiting Santa Monica. Perez kicked a 40-yard field goal with 4:20 remaining to give host Culver City a 10-7 nonleague victory over Leuzinger.

Inglewood (3-5, 1-2) rallied from a 7-0 deficit in the fourth quarter, getting a 56-yard touchdown run from quarterback Leandrew Childs.

CLEANING IT UP

Torrance, which had been averaging 10 penalties a game, was penalized only once in a 21-13 Pioneer League victory over visiting Centennial. The Tartars rallied from a 13-6 halftime deficit.

“This was a real solid performance,” Coach Bill Bynum said. “(Penalties) had taken us out of every game. I don’t think we had been playing as a team, but we finally showed some discipline.”

The passing of quarterback Bill Bynum set up two short touchdown runs by Jay Silverman in the second half as Torrance (3-5, 2-1) tuned up for Friday’s game against unbeaten North.

DEFENSIVE GEMS

* South Torrance defensive back Steve Finley had two interceptions in a 28-7 Pioneer League victory over host El Segundo.

* San Pedro safety Joey DiLeva had two interceptions, giving him four on the season, and six tackles to help the Pirates post their fourth shutout of the season in a 48-0 nonleague victory over visiting Verbum Dei.

* North Torrance had a group effort in its 42-14 Pioneer League victory over West Torrance. Linebacker Chi Lam and end Robert Sperry each had an interception, tackle Keith Traylor had a sack and a fumble recovery, and linebacker Dave Afoa and end Dino Harris each had a sack.

* Torrance end Jarett Schuler, a 6-foot-5, 230-pound junior, and tackle Damian Martinez, a 6-4, 245-pound sophomore, helped the Tartars hold visiting Centennial to 122 yards in a 21-13 Pioneer League victory.

* Mira Costa defensive backs Scott Combs and Ryan Barnes each had an interception in a 28-13 Ocean League victory over visiting Beverly Hills.

* Carson lineman Sipo’u Mareko had a team-high 14 tackles and helped the Colts limit Dorsey to 104 total yards in a 27-7 Pacific League victory.

IN QUOTES

Hawthorne tailback Corey McCoy, who rushed for 212 yards and four touchdowns in a 35-22 victory over Peninsula: “(Peninsula’s) defense is solid, but our team speed is a lot better than theirs.”

Peninsula Coach Gary Kimbrell after his team’s loss: “We’re going to bounce back. This is a good group; the chemistry is right. I’m not going to worry about tonight.”

Mira Costa Coach Bill Lysle on Morningside quarterback Stais Boseman, who passed for five touchdowns Thursday in a 35-27 victory over Redondo: “I figure he’ll be at USC for three years, get his Heisman Trophy and go right to the NFL.”

West Torrance Coach Kerry Crabb after North Torrance handed his team a 42-14 defeat: “They’re a championship-caliber team. I was questioning that coming in, but they gave us a good, old-fashioned butt-whuppin’. “

Serra Coach Kevin Crawley, whose team rushed for 330 yards in a 42-21 victory over St. Monica: “Our offensive line just dominated the line of scrimmage. I really preached to them before the game that they had to block well, and that’s what they did.”

St. Bernard Coach Tom Strickland on his team’ 37-6 Mission League victory over Bishop Montgomery: “We felt that if we controlled the ball on offense, which is what we did well by running the ball, that would keep us in the game.”

Dorsey Coach Paul Knox, whose team was held to 12 yards rushing in a 27-7 loss to Carson: “They were able to control the line of scrimmage and we couldn’t run.”