El Camino Real, Kennedy Fight to 22-22 Tie

Kennedy High nearly handed El Camino Real a playoff berth wrapped in a yellow ribbon Friday night.

But Kennedy overcame 147 yards in 14 penalties, including six personal foul calls in the first half, to tie the host Conquistadores, 22-22, in a North Valley League game at Pierce College.

Kennedy (5-3-2, 4-2-1 in league play) even had a chance to win in the last seconds. The Golden Cougars drove to El Camino Real’s six-yard line but couldn’t get another play off before the clock ran out.

The tie means both the Golden Cougars and the Conquistadores (7-2-1, 4-2) will hope to receive an at-large playoff berth in today’s seeding meeting.

El Camino Real might have had a chance to win, except for a costly penalty of its own.

Late in the second quarter, the teams were involved in a scuffle along the Kennedy sideline after El Camino Real defensive back Ryan Venturine tackled Antwan Smith out of bounds after a short reception.

Both Venturine and Smith were ejected. Venturine, El Camino Real’s starting quarterback, scored on a 10-yard run in the first quarter. He had four carries for 49 yards, and completed three of four passes for 34 yards before the ejection.

“I was having my best game ever at quarterback,” Venturine said. “It hurt not to play.”

His replacement, Eugene Chow, completed only one of six passes for nine yards, but connected with Michael Cooper on a two-point conversion, which ultimately forced Kennedy to kick a tying field goal with 10 minutes 52 seconds left.

Dante Scarbrough led the Golden Cougar offense with 23 carries for 160 yards and two touchdowns, including a 55-yard scamper down the right sideline on the third play of the second half.

El Camino Real’s tailback, Chris Shinnick, gained 107 yards in 23 carries, including touchdowns of one and two yards.

But costly penalties by Kennedy, especially in the first half, helped the Conquistadores.

“It’s something that’s killed us all year,” Kennedy Coach Bob Francola said. “We just get too aggressive on defense.”

Kennedy quarterback Daniel McMullen completed 13 of 19 passes for 156 yards, including a 16-yard touchdown pass to Shaun Dudra two plays after the ejections.

Dudra caught seven passes for 103 yards, including two 15-yard receptions in the final minute to set up a potential field-goal attempt. But after a two-yard run by Scarbrough, Kennedy, out of timeouts, couldn’t get the play off.

“I thought we would get that play off,” McMullen said. “There was a little bit of confusion but considering the mistakes we’d made . . . what can you say?”