Birmingham won’t look past Garfield

Los Angeles Garfield High’s football team spent last summer focusing on its first opponent, Lake Balboa Birmingham.

Birmingham had spent much of its preseason practice preparing for the powerful team it would play second, Encino Crespi.

So perhaps it should have come as no surprise when Garfield upset the two-time defending City Section champion Patriots, 29-28.

“We took them for granted,” Birmingham Coach Ed Croson said on the eve of the teams’ rematch tonight in a City Section Championship Division first-round playoff game at Garfield. “We were working on our Crespi game plan and there was stuff we weren’t going to use for Garfield.”

Things will be different tonight, at least with personnel.

In the teams’ first meeting, the Patriots were without defensive lineman Ariel Ford because of a hand injury and free safety Donte Gilmer because of ineligibility.

Standout receiver De’Von Flournoy, limited because of a sprained ankle, did not return kicks or play cornerback because he could not backpedal or cut. Birmingham’s secondary was further depleted during the game when cornerbacks Kenny Pool and Davontae Perry were lost to injuries.

And still, Birmingham had a chance to win until backup quarterback Steven Zamora was stopped on a late two-point conversion attempt. The play was controversial because the ball appeared to cross the goal line before falling out of Zamora’s hands.

The Patriots (5-5), seeded No. 9 in the Championship Division, are expected to be at full strength tonight against the No. 8 Bulldogs (6-4).

Garfield will hope for a repeat performance from 5-foot-3 quarterback Patrick Vargas, who passed for 144 yards and three touchdowns in the teams’ first meeting. Sergio Macedo rushed for 108 yards.

Said Garfield Coach Lorenzo Hernandez: “We know they feel this game is an opportunity to prove ‘We can beat those guys.’ ”

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ben.bolch@latimes.com