Kennedy Puts Up Big Numbers, Routs Crenshaw

Lots of heads were being scratched. Several questions were being posed.

And for Kennedy High, it’s usually a good sign when folks are running around the sideline asking things such as, “When was the last time we had this many . . . ?”

The correct answer, in some cases, might be never.

A handful of Kennedy players recorded career-best nights as the Golden Cougars buried Crenshaw, 55-12, in a nonleague game at Kennedy on Thursday night.

The Golden Cougars (1-1-1) were firing on all cylinders from midway through the first quarter. In fact, Kennedy scored on seven consecutive offensive possessions, then delivered the coup de grace when a blocked Crenshaw punt was returned 25 yards for the final touchdown of the night.

Who went nuts for Kennedy, which piled up 490 yards? Who didn’t?

“I’ve been waiting for a night like this,” receiver Shaun Dudra said. “The offense just played great.”

Dudra and junior quarterback Dan McMullen were particularly effective. The pair connected on scoring passes of 24, 14 and 20 yards as the 6-foot-4 Dudra did as he pleased against 5-7 Crenshaw cornerback Donald McCall.

On Dudra’s first two scoring receptions, McMullen tossed up jump balls near the goal line and Dudra skied over McCall, then rambled in for the touchdown. Dudra, a senior, also was perfect on six point-after kicks and finished with 24 points.

McMullen, a first-year starter, completed 11 of 16 passes for career highs of 181 yards and four touchdowns. “Pretty good for a pup,” Coach Bob Francola said.

Tailback Donte Scarbrough didn’t exactly miss out on the numbers barrage. He rolled up a career-best 173 yards in 20 carries and scored on runs of six and 12 yards. He also tossed a 60-yard halfback option pass play to Antwane Smith, who caught three passes for 105 yards and a touchdown.

“The holes were so big you could have driven a truck through them,” Scarbrough said. “We wanted to knock some guys down.”

Early on, Crenshaw (0-3) landed some blows too. With 7 minutes 39 seconds left in the first half, running back Farrel Payton scored from five yards to cut Kennedy’s lead to 13-12. But it wasn’t close for long: Kennedy scored three touchdowns over the final 5:28.

Scarbrough hit Smith on the option pass to key the next scoring drive, which Scarbrough capped with a six-yard run. Kennedy took possession with 2:35 left and only needed 39 seconds to score. McMullen hit Dudra on a 14-yard pass in the right corner of the end zone to give Kennedy a 27-12 lead.

Kennedy scored again with nine seconds remaining on a 20-yard fade pass from McMullen to Dudra.