Bell Gardens’ 20-0 Lead Proves Barely Big Enough

Bell Gardens survived Peninsula’s on-side kick in the closing minutes for a 20-17 victory in the quarterfinals of the Southern Section Division III playoffs at Bell Gardens on Friday night.

After a Peninsula touchdown with 4:35 to play, the Panthers appeared to send their entire kickoff team to the right side of the field for an on-side kick.

However, going unnoticed was Panther junior Greg Hall, who was standing with his hands on his hips on the far left side. The kick went left and Hall fell on it 13 yards downfield on the Bell Gardens 48.

But three plays and one yard later the Panthers punted and the Lancers (9-2-1) ran out the clock.

“That guy really camouflaged himself,” Bell Gardens Coach David Newell said of Hall. “He blended in with the sideline.”

Said Panther senior Casey Gourdine: “It was the first time we used it all year. We had a chance.”

That had seemed out of the question after the first half, in which the Panthers (10-2) gained two yards on offense and trailed by 20-0.

Lancer senior running back Junior Samano dominated in the first half, rushing 18 times for 81 yards and two touchdowns, one from five yards out and the other from one yard.

The Panthers came back on a 14-yard scoring run by Mike Margold with 5:45 left in the third quarter and Peter Krogh’s 32-yard touchdown pass to Chris Chapman.