Simpson Puts Victory in Taft’s Grasp

Antwan Simpson started it. Two and a half hours later, Antwan Simpson ended it.

Somehow, the Taft High sophomore defensive back knew he was going to have an effect on the outcome of Friday night’s North Valley League opener at Kennedy.

“It was a miracle,” Simpson said, holding his head in disbelief. “It was my dream pass. I wanted to take the game into my own hands, and I did.”

To be sure, his fingerprints were all over Taft’s 24-20 victory.

Simpson intercepted a pass at the Taft 10-yard line with 1 minute 5 seconds remaining to thwart Kennedy’s second comeback attempt. For his efforts, Simpson’s teammates carried him around at midfield on their shoulders.

Simpson started the scoring when he stripped the ball from the hands of receiver Antwane Smith on Kennedy’s first possession and raced 50 yards for a touchdown. Taft (4-0) eventually rolled to a 17-0 halftime lead, but it didn’t last long.

Kennedy (1-2-1) scored three unanswered touchdowns and finally took a 20-17 lead with 3:51 left in the game when senior tailback Donte Scarbrough, who rushed for 118 yards in 24 carries, danced in from 13 yards.

Taft, however, rallied behind its passing game--hardly the team’s forte. Quarterback Mike Ferguson (seven of 12 for 140 yards) completed a 48-yard pass to Andre DeSaussure to move Taft to the Kennedy 32, and two plays later, he connected with Dayon Shaw on a spectacular 29-yard touchdown pass with 2:17 left.

Shaw, a junior, caught the ball on the goal line while falling backward. A Kennedy defender tipped the ball and it was batted around several times before Shaw pulled it in with his left hand.

“I was just concentrating on the ball,” Shaw said matter-of-factly. “I one-armed it.”

Kennedy subsequently straight-armed its way downfield behind quarterback Dan McMullen (17 of 34 for 177 yards) and again threatened to steal the game.

On a second-and-12 play at the Taft 22, McMullen attempted to hit Scarbrough, but Simpson picked off the pass and sealed the victory.

It was no shocker: Kennedy penetrated Taft territory on eight occasions but scored only three times.

With Taft leading, 17-0, Scarbrough started the Golden Cougar comeback with a minor miracle. As he rolled right, his feet became tangled with a Kennedy blocker as he unloaded a halfback option pass downfield--while falling down. Somehow, Smith pulled the ball in from a forest of arms and bolted 52 yards for a touchdown.

Scarbrough then scored on runs of two and 13 yards as Kennedy moved ahead, 20-17. Taft tailback Jerry Brown rushed for 134 yards in 21 carries.