After Nightmarish 1992 Game, Peninsula Gets Chance at Redemption

Perhaps the most painful memory of the 1992 football season for Peninsula Coach Gary Kimbrell was the opening 14 minutes of the Panthers’ game against Hawthorne.

Before Peninsula had a first down, Hawthorne had taken advantage of several Panther mistakes to build a 22-0 lead en route to a 35-22 victory.

“I don’t know if I would call it a choke,” Kimbrell said. “It was a just a complete breakdown. We were uptight and didn’t play with poise.”

For most of the first half, Kimbrell didn’t recognize his team. The defense played poorly. There were three fumbled snaps, one of which led to a Hawthorne touchdown. And the punt team gave up a long return after it got caught with 10 players on the field.

With that in mind, it’s not surprising Kimbrell wonders how his team will react to the pressure when Peninsula plays host to Hawthorne in an important Bay League game Friday afternoon. Hawthorne (6-1, 1-0 in league) is ranked No. 1 in the South Bay. Peninsula (7-0, 2-0) is No. 2.

“When you’re dealing with kids, you never know how they’re going to react,” Kimbrell said. “There’s so much psychology involved. If you had the answer, I guess you could make a million dollars writing a book.”

Kimbrell has a hunch nerves won’t be a problem this time. Although less experienced than last season’s team, the Panthers have displayed more of a hang-loose attitude, sometimes to the frustration of their coach.

“We have walk-throughs (of our plays) on Fridays, and there have been times when I’ve chewed them out pretty good,” Kimbrell said. “But they’re good kids. Sometimes being loose is the best way to be.”

After what happened to Peninsula last season, it might be the only way.

*

Kimbrell, a Hawthorne graduate, has lost four consecutive games against his alma mater--in 1988 and ’89 when he was coach at Rolling Hills, and the last two seasons at Peninsula.

To break the streak, Kimbrell knows Peninsula has to prevent, or at least limit, the big play. Hawthorne tailback Corey McCoy almost single-handedly beat the Panthers last season, rushing for 212 yards and four touchdowns, including backbreaking scoring runs of 64 and 89 yards in the second half.

Eric Chaney, a transfer from Bishop Montgomery, has replaced the departed McCoy as Hawthorne’s main running back. Although not as fast as McCoy, Chaney is stronger and has helped the Cougars put together several long, ball-control drives. Quarterback Kenji Tatum is the team’s experienced leader.

“They play with a lot of confidence and a lot of patience,” Kimbrell said. “They don’t get rattled when things don’t go their way.”

Hawthorne Coach Dan Robbins said he is most concerned about Peninsula’s size, and, in particular, the Panther offensive line that features Division I college prospects Matt Redman (6-foot-7, 285 pounds) and John Welbourn (6-5, 275).

“They remind me of the old Kansas City Chiefs,” Robbins said. “I almost expect to see Hank Stram on the sideline. The only difference between Peninsula and the Chiefs is that Peninsula is bigger.”

Leuzinger Coach Fred Boehm has more than a casual interest in the Hawthorne-Peninsula game. A Hawthorne victory would put Leuzinger (4-3, 1-1) in position to gain a share of the Bay League title by beating the Cougars on Nov. 12.

“Usually we don’t root for Hawthorne, but if they win there’s still a chance we could sneak in there,” Boehm said. “Plus, that would make our last game of the season (against Hawthorne) really worth something.”

Boehm should know. Leuzinger upset Hawthorne, 28-24, in the final league game last season to force a three-way tie for the Bay title between the Olympians, Hawthorne and Peninsula.

*

Former USC offensive lineman Titus Tuiasosopo, in his first year as an assistant at Banning, says the Banning-Carson rivalry is more intense than anything he experienced in college.

“It’s bigger than USC-UCLA or USC-Notre Dame because you see these kids all year long,” said Tuiasosopo, a former Banning standout. “The college games have a bigger audience, but after the game I didn’t see (former Notre Dame defensive lineman) Chris Zorich or (UCLA nose tackle) Bruce Walker anymore.

“But after the Banning-Carson game, I knew I was going to have a burger with Arnold (Ale) and I was going to play basketball with George Malauulu. I knew I was going to see Carson guys at church. It goes deeper than football. It’s what you discuss at the dinner table.”

Tuiasosopo will get his first taste of a Banning-Carson game from a coach’s vantage point Friday night, when the archrivals meet for the 42nd time in a Southern Pacific Conference game at Veterans Stadium in Long Beach. Carson leads the series, 22-19, but Banning has won the past three meetings.

Tuiasosopo expects the same kind of knock-down, drag-out game he experienced as a player.

“The Banning-Carson rivalry is simple--it’s smash-mouth football,” he said. “It’s nothing fancy. You tie on your chin strap and try to stop each other. That’s why it’s such a cherished rivalry.”

*

Apparently, Melvin Blue has worked his way out of the Banning doghouse.

Blue, a highly regarded senior, was benched earlier in the season for refusing to play fullback, the position he played as a junior, after coaches changed their plans to start him at tailback.

A starter again, Blue had his best game as a senior Friday in a 52-0 victory over Gardena. He rushed for 54 yards and a touchdown at fullback, and had two sacks playing defensive end.

“We had to give him a little wake-up call,” Tuiasosopo said.

*

South Torrance quarterback Mike Rosato was the picture of passing efficiency Friday, completing 12 of 14 attempts for 167 yards and a touchdown in a 16-16 Pioneer League tie with Torrance.

On the down side, Rosato was sacked seven times for minus-37 yards. After the game, South co-coach Joe Austin suggested that some of the sacks might have been Rosato’s fault.

“Mike just needs to learn to get rid of the ball quicker,” Austin said. “Sometimes he holds it too long. But he had a good game.”

Austin said the tie shouldn’t hurt South’s chances of reaching the Division IX playoffs. The Spartans, who were favored to win the Pioneer title, are off to an 0-1-1 start.

“I don’t think it does anything,” Austin said of the tie. “It’s doesn’t matter. If we win our next three games (against El Segundo, Centennial and North), it won’t matter.”

*

San Pedro Coach Mike Walsh isn’t one to start a quarterback controversy.

Despite the fine job done by junior Mike Lennox in the last three games, Walsh said senior Chris Pappas, now recovered from a knee injury, will return as the Pirates’ starting quarterback Friday night against Crenshaw at Daniels Field.

“Chris does some things a little bit better because of his experience,” Walsh said. “But we were really pleased with Mike.”

Walsh also pointed out that with Pappas at quarterback, Lennox can return to helping the team at wide receiver and free safety.

“Anyone can figure that two (players) for three (positions) is better than two for one,” he said.

*

Don’t try comparing football scores in the Southern Pacific Conference. It will only confuse matters.

After four weeks, each of the conference’s eight teams has at least one loss and there have been several upsets, most notably Washington’s 7-6 victory over Banning and Crenshaw’s 11-6 victory over Dorsey.

Carson hammered Crenshaw, 35-6, then lost to Dorsey last week, 18-13.

San Pedro’s Walsh, whose team leads the Southern League with a 3-1 record, was asked to explain the rash of inconsistent results.

“I think it’s the way that some teams match up against the strengths and weaknesses of other teams,” he said. “And some teams just haven’t showed up to play. Take Banning’s game with Washington. I think Banning’s tank was empty on that Friday, although Washington played an excellent game.”

In other words, a team can’t afford to take an opponent lightly.

“Definitely not in this conference,” Walsh said.

Notes

Former Bishop Montgomery football coach Steve Carroll is making strides in his first season as coach at Lakewood Mayfair. On Friday, the Monsoons (2-5) defeated Suburban League rival Lakewood Artesia for the first time in 12 years, 41-25. . . . The 7-0 record of Mira Costa’s football team looks good on paper, but it should be noted that its opponents have a combined 14-33-1 record. The Mustangs moved up a spot to No. 2 in the Southern Section Division VII poll this week.

Mira Costa clinched its second consecutive Ocean League water polo title Tuesday with an 8-1 victory over Redondo. Dan Stephenson had three goals and Sean Nollan added two for the Mustangs (18-6, 10-0). . . . The Peninsula girls’ cross-country team moved past Agoura into the No. 1 spot in the Division I poll after its first-place finish Saturday at the Mt. San Antonio College Invitational. Molly Mehlberg led the Panthers by placing second individually.

The National Strength and Conditioning Coaches Assn. will conduct a weight training and conditioning clinic Nov. 20 at Redondo High. The clinic is open to all high school students, male and female. Information: Les Congelliere at (310) 798-8665 on weekdays; (310) 543-4618 on nights and weekends.

South Bay Prep Football Top 10

Rank School Record Comment 1. Hawthorne 6-1 Has won 18 of 20 games. 2. Peninsula 7-0 Ready to challenge Hawthorne. 3. Mira Costa 7-0 Has outscored opponents, 208-25. 4. San Pedro 6-1 Key players return from injuries. 5. Carson 4-3 Yet to beat a team with winning record. 6. Banning 4-3 Coming off its best offensive game. 7. Leuzinger 4-3 Still in hunt for Bay League title. 8. West Torrance 4-3 Defense will be tested by North. 9. South Torrance 4-2-1 Still looking for Pioneer victory. 10. Torrance 3-3-1 Played best game in tie with South.