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HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: WEEK 4 : Kennedy Stuffs San Fernando

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TIMES STAFF WRITER

At the moment, Kennedy High linebacker Tommy Gales isn’t among the half-dozen or so NCAA Division I prospects the Golden Cougars boast about.

After all, the 6-foot-3, 180-pound junior reserve is playing his first season of football at Kennedy. And his biggest athletic accomplishment to date is leading the Bell-Jeff basketball team in scoring last season before transferring to Kennedy.

But Friday night against San Fernanado, Gales took advantage of a knee injury to teammate Robert Cervantes. He helped the Kennedy defense take the elusiveness out of freewheeling quarterback Keijuan Douglas, and the Golden Cougars defeated San Fernando, 30-13, in a Northwest Valley Conference opener at Kennedy High.

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Gales, along with linebacker Semisi Umufuke and linemen Eric Richardson and Jeremiah McLoughlin, spent most of the evening in the Tiger backfield, sacking Douglas eight times and stifling the wishbone attack which had gained 763 rushing yards in three games.

San Fernando (1-3, 0-1) gained 21 yards in 34 attempts. Tailback Brandon Campbell, who had gained more than 100 yards in each of the Tigers’ first three games, was held to 37 in eight carries. Douglas finished with minus-41 yards in 18 carries and completed three of nine passes for 22 yards.

“I wasn’t expecting to play,” Gales said. “Once Robert went out, I just wanted to keep doing what we’ve been doing.”

Tailback Antwane Smith (185 yards, 26 carries) paced the Kennedy offense and broke open an 8-7 halftime game with a 58-yard run on the Golden Cougars’ first play from scrimmage in the second half. Smith earlier scored on a one-yard run.

Kennedy (4-0, 1-0) increased the lead to 22-7 moments later when Richardson stripped Douglas of the ball after a sack and returned the fumble 27 yards for the touchdown.

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