Jordan Turns Up the Speed

Since Willie Guillory became head coach at Long Beach Jordan four seasons ago, the Panthers have had a run-oriented offense that he said “played right into the hands of Esperanza.”

So this season, Guillory scrapped the offense and decided to spread the field. He decided to make teams such as Esperanza, which has the reputation Guillory covets for his own team, try to cover his speedy skill players.

There’s no arguing the results. Jordan, ranked No. 23 in The Times’ top 25 poll, went on the road Friday and beat No. 5 Esperanza, 20-7, in a nonleague game in front of 2,500. It was Jordan’s first victory over Esperanza in nine meetings, and it came despite 16 penalties for 149 yards.

“This was a good step for us, this will wake some people up,” said Guillory, whose team plays second banana to Long Beach Poly in the Moore League. “It wasn’t given to us. We earned it. It took me four years, but we’re on the right track.

We’re the best-kept secret in the CIF.”

Jordan (2-1) may have spread the field but didn’t abandon its rushing game. The Panthers ran for 252 yards against Esperanza (3-1) and outgained their opponent overall, 307-182.

Grant McCray rushed 21 times for 152 yards, and Richard Nichols added 51 yards on a long gainer.

Cameron Smith, who completed five of 14 passes for 55 yards, also rushed 10 times for 49, including a one-yard touchdown with 1:18 left in the game.

That drive was set up after Esperanza quarterback Andy Webb, on fourth and 16 from his eight-yard line, fumbled while being sacked by Jermaine Seiuli, who recovered the ball at the one.

“This was the first time we really presented a challenge to them,” Guillory said. “I don’t think they’ll see the kind of speed we put on them. If they slip an inch we’re gone.”

That was the case in the second quarter against a tough Esperanza defense that had given up only 44 yards in the first 14 minutes, McCray took a pitch left, escaped one defender and then outran the Esperanza defense for a 60-yard touchdown run.

“We couldn’t afford to give up the big play,” Esperanza Coach Gary Meek said. “They outplayed us in every aspect of the game, they have a lot of speed that we didn’t have.”

It was a night of big plays for Jordan.

A muffed punt return by Esperanza’s Adam Hill allowed Jordan to maintain possession after Nichols’ 51-yard run.

Smith lofted a pass to the back of the end zone, and Tim McCulloch out-jumped a defender for another score. The point-after attempt failed, but Jordan took a 13-0 lead into the second half.