Fremont Wins a Stunner on Final Play

Fremont High announced its arrival as a contender for the City Section football championship in dramatic fashion Friday night at San Pedro. The Pathfinders used an 82-yard run by Milvon James with less than two minutes left and a 24-yard field goal by Mike Ruiz on the final play to defeat San Pedro, 6-3, in a nonleague game before a stunned Pirate crowd.

“We’re here!” exclaimed James, who rushed for 153 yards in 15 carries and also intercepted a pass. “We’re the team of 2001 and we know we’re going to win a championship.” That might be overstating things at this early juncture of the season, but Fremont (2-0) demonstrated its mettle against San Pedro (1-1), which annually ranks among the best and grittiest in the section.

The last-second victory helped Fremont make up for a blown opportunity on the final play of the first half. With the score, 3-3, the Pathfinders had first and goal at the four with 1:30 left, but ran out of timeouts and were unable to get the ball snapped on fourth down at the one.

Fremont controlled the ball for all but two minutes of the fourth quarter, but appeared to be in danger of possibly losing the game on a safety when San Pedro punter Matt Dragich boomed a 52-yard kick that was downed at the Fremont two-yard line with 2:40 left.

Fremont was assessed a penalty for illegal procedure on its first play after the punt, moving the ball back to the one. James then carried twice, for four yards and one yard, before breaking loose off right tackle and down the sideline to the San Pedro 12.

Keyon Brown rushed twice for six yards before Fremont called timeout with one second left to set the stage for Ruiz, a 5-foot 9-inch, 160-pound senior. Ruiz had kicked a 28-yard field goal in the first quarter and missed a 35-yard attempt with 4:41 left.

But he looked perfectly calm as he kicked the game-winner. “I just blocked out all the noise from the crowd and kicked like it was practice,” Ruiz said. “I want to do this against Crenshaw and Dorsey.”

Mario Danelo gave San Pedro a 3-0 lead when he kicked a 32-yard field goal on the Pirates’ first possession.

Gary Klein

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Crenshaw 49, Banning 21--Corey Hudson rushed for 256 yards and two touchdowns in 13 carries to lead Crenshaw (2-0) at Banning.

Hudson, a senior , had runs of 53 and 61 yards that went for touchdowns and another for 50 yards that ended when he was pushed out of bounds inside the Banning one.

Banning (0-2) had pulled to within 28-14 when Patrick Perry scored on a 14-yard run with 5:18 left in the third quarter, but on Crenshaw’s next play, Hudson weaved though the Pilot defense for his 61-yard score that gave Crenshaw a 35-14 lead.

Ke’aundre Moore scored a one-yard touchdown after Hudson’ s 50-yard run and Crenshaw led 42-14 with 11:16 to play. They Pilots took a 49-14 lead when Jerrell Simpson carried six times in a seven-play drive and scored on a one-yard run with 5:58 to play.

“This is the best game I’ve ever had, that’s for sure,” said Hudson, who added that 256 yards was a career high. “I just saw guys coming at me and I had to make my cuts.”

In doing so, he left many of them in the dust.

“He has all the tools,” Crensahw Coach Robert Garrett said. “He’s a phenomenal player and always has been.”

The Crenshaw defense limited Banning running back A.J. Tuitele to 19 yards in seven carries. Perry had 99 yards and two touchdowns in 12 carries--all in the second half.

The game was marred by 22 penalties. Banning committed 12 for 109 yards.

Peter Yoon

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South Gate 7, Locke 0--Fabian Ruvalcaba rushed for 158 yards in 25 carries and scored the game’s only touchdown on a 34-yard run in the second quarter for South Gate (2-0).

Bell 34, Los Angeles 14--Mark Moreno passed for 241 yards and four touchdowns to lead the Eagles (1-1) over Los Angeles (1-1). Adrian Vasquez had 121 yards receiving and two touchdowns.

L.A. Franklin 44, Van Nuys Grant 17--Franklin improved to 2-0 as quarterback Narciso Diaz completed 18 of 34 passes for 181 yards and six touchdowns. Brandon Powers caught eight passes for 95 yards and three touchdowns. Powers also sparked the Franklin defense, blocking two punts. Grant is 0-2.

Granada Hills 33, L.A. Marshall 6--Jason Rilloraza caught two touchdown passes for host Granada Hills (2-0). Teammate Joel Fitzgerald ran for one touchdown and scored another on a kickoff return to start the second half and give Granada Hills an 18-6 lead.