McKeon Passes Early Tests as Hart Wins Watts Games Football Title

Steve McKeon admits he was a bit nervous a couple of weeks ago before making his debut as Hart High’s quarterback at the Watts Summer Games.

And although he never doubted his ability to lead the team’s offense, he discovered the competition was solid at the Games.

“Some of those teams are pretty tough and I came to realize real quick that they’re good,” he said. “They are a lot quicker and better than the teams I faced on the freshman and sophomore teams.”

So how did McKeon get through the pregame jitters?

“I just kept telling myself, ‘Hey relax! Just go down and score.’ ”

Apparently it worked. McKeon who will be a junior in the fall, led Hart to its first Watts Summer Games football title Sunday at Compton College.

He led the Indians to a 7-6 victory over Muir in the final and a 26-6 victory over Trabuco Hills in a semifinal.

Hart defeated Bell, 26-0, Los Angeles, 31-0, and Carson, 20-13, last week to advance to the semifinal.

Interestingly, Hart could finish no better than third in its passing tournament on Saturday, losing to San Marino, 12-6, in the semifinals.

“He’s getting better each day,” said Hart offensive coordinator Dean Herrington. “We expect good things from him in the fall.”

McKeon (5-foot-8, 150 pounds) was quick to compliment his receivers. J.B. Neslon, who will be a junior in the fall, had three touchdown receptions against Trabuco Hills and senior Chris McCabe caught a 37-yard pass for Hart’s only touchdown in the final.

McCabe was named tournament most valuable player.

“Chris went up and out and jumped over Muir defenders,” Herrington said. “He impressed a lot of people.”

Nelson is the team’s quickest receiver, according to Herrington.

“He’s only 5-foot-9, but he’s not afraid to take a lick to catch a ball,” Herrington said.

No other Valley team reached a final in the Games. Moorpark lost to Banning, 3-0, in the semifinal of the boys’ soccer tournament and the Kennedy boys’ basketball team lost, 48-33, to Dorsey in the semifinals.

The Crescenta Valley boys’ basketball team fell to Morningside, 47-40, in the round of 16.

It was Kennedy’s best basketball showing in almost two decades of participating in the Games.

The 128-team tournament, which featured many of the Southland’s top programs, was the largest event in the Games.

“It was very satisfying for us,” Kennedy Coach Yutaka Shimizu said. “We have everybody back from last year so there’s a natural progression.”

The Golden Cougars went 5-1 in the tournament. Dominguez beat Dorsey, 92-58 for the title.

In track and field, Birmingham’s Adriana Garcia won the girls’ high jump and Birmingham’s Alejandro Dinajero won the boys’ 800 and 1,600 meters.