AROUND THE CORNER

The scene is similar after every Taft High football game.

Airabin Justin, Taft’s senior cornerback, is the last player to leave the field. Surrounded by family, Justin receives an instant earful--a critique of his performance from his father Sidney, an assistant coach, and two uncles who watch the game from the stands.

Airabin has good reason to listen carefully. His father and his uncles, Tyrone and Robert, all played cornerback for major-college football teams. Sidney and Tyrone played professionally.

And so Airabin is backpedaling right into his family’s footsteps.

“I’ve been training to be a corner since I was five,” he said.

Less than six months after moving back to California, Airabin, 5 feet 11 and 172 pounds, has become an invaluable component of the Toreador defense. Along with junior cornerback Ronald Andrews and senior safety Sedric Hurns, he helps form the City Section’s best secondary.

Taft’s last line of defense is a prime reason why Taft is in the City Section final for the second consecutive season. The Toreadors (12-0) will be trying for their first football title when they meet San Pedro (12-1) at 8 tonight at the Coliseum.

Airabin, 17, perfectly complements Andrews. Each has six interceptions utilizing vastly different styles.

Andrews specializes in bump-and-run coverage. Airabin shadows opposing receivers, relying on his speed to close any gaps. Their ability to cover receivers one-on-one leaves Hurns free to support the run and help wherever needed.

“I don’t think we’ve had a defensive backfield that’s this solid since I’ve been here,” Coach Troy Starr said.

Since Taft has a record of 61-13-1 in Starr’s six years as coach, that’s saying something. One of Taft’s best defensive players in Starr’s first three years was DaShon Polk, now a starting safety at Arizona.

Airabin said he knew nothing about the success of Taft’s football program before last summer.

After playing on the Westchester High freshman-sophomore team as a freshman, Airabin moved to Kirkland, Wash., for two years. He lived with his uncle Kerry, who played more than a decade with the Seattle Seahawks and the United States Football League’s New Jersey Generals.

Airabin’s mother was supposed to join him in Washington, but when the move never materialized, he moved back with his father and stepmother this summer.

Sidney, who played with the Los Angeles Rams, Baltimore Colts and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League, was living in Sherman Oaks. But he wanted Airabin to attend a school close to the home they were moving to in Woodland Hills.

Airabin was greeted warmly by Andrews and Hurns.

“I feel so close to these guys now,” Airabin said. “They’re so motivated to win the City. I feel like I played here last year, too.”

Taft not only gained a proven defensive back, but also an assistant coach.

“The first day I brought Airabin, they were working on passing league and I couldn’t help it, I started telling the guys what to do,” Sidney said. “Coach Starr came up to me and asked if I had the time to help.”

Although Sidney’s coaching expertise was limited to one year at Granada Hills High, he had time. A singer with a musical group, Sidney helps Airabin, Hurns, Andrews and the rest of the defensive backs when he isn’t touring.

“Having your dad as a coach; it can be a little difficult,” Airabin said. “But I’ve been used to getting help from my family for so long, it doesn’t really matter.”

When Airabin lived in Washington, he was tutored by his uncle and some of his former NFL teammates.

The Justin entourage, however, will be without Sidney tonight. He left Wednesday for Italy on a holiday tour.

“It’s killing me not being there,” Sidney said. “But he’ll have plenty of help.”