Hart Takes Beating, Wins

With an ice pack fastened to his right knee, Newhall Hart High quarterback Matt Moore was walking gingerly after the Indians 34-0 rout of defending city champion Wilmington Banning on Friday at College of the Canyons.

In truth, he was grateful to be walking at all after enduring a punishment more suitable for the World Wrestling Federation.

Banning was called for eight personal foul penalties, four of which were for late hits on Moore. Three Pilot players were ejected.

“What they did was wrong and stupid,” Moore said. “I messed up my knee and back. It was brutal.”

Banning Coach Ed Lalau defended his players, insisting the hits were not intentional.

“Our role was to get to the quarterback and disturb him,” Lalau said. “Maybe our hits looked a little unsportsmanlike to them, but that’s the way we play.”

The Pilots will have to play Long Beach Poly next week without defensive lineman Fred Matua, defensive back Britton Hawkins and linebacker Chris Garrison--all of whom were ejected.

“It was very dirty play,” Hart Coach Mike Herrington said. “When players are not looking and they hit them in the back, that’s not disturbing the quarterback; that’s cheap shots.”

The schools had signed a two-year contract, but Hart officials said they won’t play the Pilots next season.

Moore, making his first varsity start at quarterback, struggled at times on eight of 18 passes for 97 yards. Running back Tim Gregory, returning after two surgeries on his right knee, rushed for 53 yards in 15 carries and scored three touchdowns.

Banning was called for 149 yards in penalties, lost two fumbles and had four interceptions. Of all the scenarios envisioned, no one imagined it would be Hart’s defense coming through with a shutout. It was a unit that returned only one starter from last season’s Southern Section Division III champion and had linebackers so inexperienced that none had ever played in a varsity game at the position.

But the linebacking trio of Dan LaChasse, Cody Kase and Eric Baron made solid tackles and didn’t let quarterback Damien Satete break loose on option runs.

Defense back Jimmy Neill had an interception, fumble recovery and scored on a 47-yard run as a reserve quarterback. Hart led only 14-0 at halftime despite the Indians getting the ball to start drives on the Banning nine, 38, 31, 35 and 28. Moore had difficulty adjusting to Banning’s aggressive defense.

One bright spot for Banning was sophomore running back Patrick Perry, who rushed for 101 yards.