Banning vs. Carson

Championship Games

* 1978--Banning 7, Carson 6: Carson holds future NFL player Stanley Wilson to only 42 yards rushing, but Tony Ponce’s three-yard touchdown run and a point-after kick by Steve Kim give Banning all the points it needs. Carson’s Tony Barnett scores on a one-yard run with 8:44 to play in the third quarter. However, the Colts’ fake-kick, two-point conversion try fails as Banning stops David Aupio short of the goal line.

* 1979--Banning 14, Carson 13: Carson has a chance to take the lead in the third quarter, but a pass on a two-point conversion attempt falls incomplete. Banning’s Ernie Johnson recovers a Carson fumble at the Banning 21 with 1:16 to play, preserving the Pilots’ victory and their fourth consecutive title.

* 1981--Banning 21, Carson 14: Banning is without its quarterback and running back, who are transferred out of the school for disciplinary reasons a few days before the game. Banning’s Jeff Simon returns the opening kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown, and sophomore quarterback Lee Atencio passes for a touchdown and catches a halfback-option pass for another score as the Pilots win their record sixth consecutive title.

* 1983--Banning 30, Carson 29: Anthony Simien rushes for 265 yards in 31 carries and scores all four Banning touchdowns, the last on a three-yard run with 4:30 left. Quarterback Jamelle Holieway rushes for the two-point conversion to give Banning the victory.

* 1984--Carson 33, Banning 20: Carson pulls a surprise by going to a passing game out of a no-back formation. Quarterback Carl Thompson passes for 339 yards and two touchdowns and also rushes for two touchdowns as the Colts finally break through with a championship-game victory over the Pilots.

* 1985--Banning 31, Carson 6: Banning, which began the season with losses to eventual Southern Section Big Five Conference co-champions Long Beach Poly and Huntington Beach Edison, ends it with a clutch performance by linebacker-turned-running back Earl Saunders. Saunders gains 110 yards and scores three touchdowns in 13 carries as Banning takes a 21-0 halftime lead.

* 1986--Carson 21, Banning 11: Banning starts the game ranked No. 1 in the nation by USA Today and averaging 35 points in the playoffs. But opportunistic Carson forces six turnovers. Michael Helm and Abdul Harris each intercept two passes and Alvin Goree rushes for 144 yards to lead the Colts.

* 1988--Carson 55, Banning 7: It’s no contest as the Colts score on their first seven possessions. Carson outgains the Pilots, 515-159, on its way to the most lopsided major-division final since Fremont defeated Hollywood, 59-0, in 1949.

* 1990--Carson 37, Banning 16: Gene Vollnogle, who coached Banning to two City Section titles before moving over to Carson, completes his 38-year career as a head coach by guiding Carson to the school’s eighth title. Vollnogle retires with a record of 289-74-1.

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TITLES BY SCHOOL

City championships won by Carson and Banning:

* CARSON: 1966, 1971, 1972, 1982, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1993, 1999.

* BANNING: 1958, 1960, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1985.