FOOTBALL : Crenshaw Scores Late to Upset Banning, 9-6

Crenshaw High scored a touchdown late in the fourth quarter Thursday night to upset Banning, 9-6, at Daniels Field and end the Pilots’ hopes of sharing the Pacific League football title.

Banning entered the contest trailing Carson by a game in the Pacific standings, but the loss knocked the Pilots (5-5, 4-3 in league) into a third-place tie with Crenshaw (4-6, 4-3) in the four-team league. The loss could jeopardize Banning’s chances of making the City 4-A Division playoffs.

Crenshaw tailback Ferrel Payton brought the Cougars back from a 6-3 deficit with a 40-yard touchdown run with 2:31 left. Banning then allowed Crenshaw to field the kickoff at the Banning 33-yard-line, a blunder that sealed the Pilots’ fate.

The Cougars took a 3-0 lead on a 30-yard field goal by Andre Armstrong late in the second quarter. Banning came back to take a 6-3 lead midway through the third quarter after field goals of 32 and 38 yards by Jaime Torres.

Farrel led all rushers with 132 yards in 20 carries. Banning running back Melvin Blue rushed for 87 yards in 11 carries. Crenshaw held the Pilots to 166 total yards.

The game was delayed 10 minutes late in the third quarter after the teams engaged in a bench-clearing brawl.