Servite Foiled by Mistakes, McCullough

Speed kills, but sometimes turnovers can be even more deadly.

Servite’s defense had its seat belts fastened and were prepared for Pasadena Muir’s running sensation, Saladin McCullough, in the Division II quarterfinals.

But what the Friars didn’t anticipate were six turnovers committed by its usually reliable offense, and the end result was a 21-14 loss in front of 4,500 Friday night at Pasadena City College.

Muir’s victory sets up a semifinal showdown with Esperanza, another Orange County team that prides itself in defense. Esperanza advanced with a 23-14 victory over Compton Dominguez.

Muir (11-1) recovered three fumbles and intercepted Servite quarterback Eric Hannah three times in what was otherwise a game that pitted two evenly matched teams.

McCullough entered the game with 1,950 yards rushing, 33 touchdowns and enough press clippings to attract the attention of every major college team on the West Coast. He gained 189 yards in 28 carries and scored on runs of 91 and 15 yards. McCullough didn’t dominate, but he made a believer out of at least one Servite lineman.

“He’s awfully quick,” Servite defensive end Brian Crooks said. “If he finds an opening, he’s gone.”

McCullough demonstrated his quickness on the first play of the second quarter, when he found a seam on the left side of the Servite line and then found open field for a 91-yard run.

McCullough added a 15-yard scoring run in the fourth quarter that expanded Muir’s lead to 21-7. McCullough’s run followed teammate John Long’s second fumble recovery of the game.

Friar running backs Steve Correa and Ryan Popovich, usually sure-handed backs, had problems holding onto the ball when they hit the rock-hard dirt field. Correa fumbled twice and Popovich once, but Servite Coach Larry Toner believed the turnovers weren’t a factor.

“You come into a game against a team with their speed and athletic ability, and you have to figure that turnovers are inevitable,” he said. “Even when we gave up the long pass on the last play of the first half, the team was still fine. We were in the game until the very end.”

Well, not quite. Servite (9-2-1) appeared to gain some much-needed momentum when it drove 73 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter to tie the game, 7-7. Hannah threw a one-yard pass to Correa for the touchdown with 15 seconds remaining in the half.

But the 15 seconds was all Muir needed to score again, as quarterback Andy Colbert connected on a short flair pass to Derek Norman. Servite linebacker Joe Vargas managed to tip the pass, but Norman made a nice play to turn and catch the ball and then dashed 69 yards for a touchdown as time expired.

Hannah had his problems all game, but finally came to life in the fourth quarter. He connected on a short screen pass to Correa with 4:47 remaining on a fourth down play that seemed to build his confidence. The play went for 17 yards, and Servite had a first down on Muir’s 29-yard line.

Then, Hannah hit Popovich and Correa on consecutive pass plays to set up Correa’s two-yard touchdown run with 2:47 left to play, trimming Muir’s lead to 21-14.

Servite wasn’t finished. The Friars followed with an unsuccessful on-side kick, but regained possession with 1:36 remaining, when defensive back Daron Barclay intercepted Muir backup quarterback Jeremy Bonwell’s pass at the Friar 24-yard line.

Hannah’s last hurrah came on the next play, when he teamed with tight end Kyle Frank on a 40-yard pass to give the Friars a first down on Muir’s 36-yard line. But Hannah threw two incomplete passes, and then was intercepted by Muir’s Maurice Simpson, snuffing the Friars’ last hope.

M--McCullough 91 run (Norman kick)

S--Correa 1 pass from Hannah (Traut kick)

M--Norman 69 pass from Colbert (Norman kick)

M--McCullough 15 run (Norman kick)

S--Correa 2 run (Traut kick)

LEADING RUSHERS--S: Popovich 20-97; M: McCullough 28-189; LEADING PASSERS--S: Hannah 13-26-3, 144; M: Colbert 1-1-0, 69; LEADING RECEIVERS--M: Norman 1-69; S: Correa 6-63.

Attendance: 4,500