Second Effort Is Enough

The team nobody wants to face in the Southern Section Division X playoffs is Inglewood and Friday night, top-seed Temple City found out why.

Inglewood, which came in as the third-place team from the Ocean League, scored four touchdown in the first eight minutes of the second half and buried the Rio Hondo League-champion Rams, 45-21, in a quarterfinal game at Inglewood.

Inglewood, the division runner-up last season, will face North Torrance next in the semifinals. In an earlier meeting this season, North Torrance beat Inglewood, 23-22, on a last-second field. Goal.

The Sentinels (10-2) lost their last regular-season game against El Segundo and dropped to third place in the Ocean League, but Friday they showed they are no ordinary third-place team.

“I don’t think [Temple City] gave us any respect,” said Inglewood lineman Lawrence Jackson. “They can’t come into our house and win.”

Inglewood, which trailed, 13-12, at halftime, used its defense to take control. Temple City (11-2) went three and out on its first possession of the third quarter. Inglewood’s 45 points was the most allowed this season by Temple City, which allowed just 6.6 points per game and had shut out five of its last seven opponents.

Inglewood, which trailed, 13-12, at halftime, used it defense to take control. Temple City’s first four possessions of the second half resulted in a three and out, an interception, another three and out and another interception.

‘We came out focused in the second half, determined not to let our season end,’ Inglewood Coach Kevin Moore said

Inglewood’s surge began by forcing a Temple City punt on the first possession of the third quarter. Brian Flowers went 54 yards on Inglewood’s next play, setting up a 24-yard scoring pass from Nathan Beavers to Martel London.