No Violence as San Pedro, Carson Play in West L.A.

With security perhaps as tight as has ever been seen at a Southland high school football game, San Pedro defeated Carson, 43-6, without incident Friday at University High.

The game, originally scheduled for Friday night at Daniels Field near San Pedro High, was moved to West Los Angeles out of fear of gang retaliation stemming from a recent local shooting. About 500 fans from the South Bay schools made the 25-mile trip.

“It’s sad that the game had to be moved,” said Pauline Aldrete, whose son, Paul, is a starting offensive lineman for San Pedro. “What’s really bad is that the kids on the field work and study hard, and they can’t play on their own field because of others on the outside.”

The unusual change in venue was prompted by a shooting in San Pedro on Oct. 19 that allegedly involved gang members from San Pedro and Carson. There was one fatality, a 15-year-old student from San Pedro.

As a result of the shooting, administrators from both schools agreed to move the game to an afternoon kickoff. Local law enforcement recommended an alternative site, however, amid rumors of retaliation.

“We worked on this all week, and we listened to what the police had to say,” said Steve Walters, San Pedro’s principal. “A lot of people didn’t want us giving in to the criminal element, but our top priority is to provide a safe environment.”

Not taking any chances, district administrators demanded heavy security. There was an estimated three dozen police officers and security guards, including a dozen police cars in the parking lot.

Each team received a police escort to their respective locker rooms at halftime, and the team buses pulled into the stadium after the game to protect players and coaches.

Although he understands the reasoning behind the move, San Pedro Coach Mike Walsh didn’t agree with the decision.

“When we bow down once, then we’ll have to bow down again,” he said. The schools lost thousands of dollars in gate receipts and concessions as a result of the move. San Pedro, which is off to its best start in school history with a 7-0 record, regularly plays in front of crowds of 3,000 or more.