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Crenshaw gets victory vs. rival Dorsey on festive night

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Dorsey and Crenshaw are located 2.6 miles apart. Dorsey has sent numerous players to the NFL. Crenshaw has five players on NFL teams this season.

Imagine if these two City Section football powers could combine their teams.

“Oh, my God. We’d beat everybody,” one Crenshaw booster said.

Their annual rivalry game on Friday night at Crenshaw produced the usual sights and sounds. There was the aroma of chicken meat grilling next to the snack bar. There was a DJ loudly playing “Dreams and Nightmares” during warmups, with players from both teams singing along.

When the teams ran onto the field, each one having a player carry their school flag, players converged and began hollering and taunting and laughing. It was friend against friend, with bragging rights and more at stake.

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By game’s end, Crenshaw left its fans and alumni wanting to party the night away after a 33-14 victory, putting the Cougars (5-2, 2-0) in position to run away with the Coliseum League championship and perhaps earn a No. 2 seed behind Narbonne for the new Open Division playoffs.

Former Crenshaw star Eric Scott, now an assistant coach at Nevada, was on the sideline. Scott was the head coach at Los Angeles last season. The Romans won the Division II title until having to forfeit the victory. When Scott left, Crenshaw became the recipient of several quality transfers.

Solomon Hassen, a running back for the Romans last season, scored touchdowns on runs of two, 73 and 35 yards and finished with 172 yards rushing. Isaiah Johnson, the quarterback for the Romans, passed for a touchdown and ran for another touchdown.

Dorsey (1-6, 1-1) trailed 27-7 at halftime. The Dons closed to 27-14 midway through the third quarter on a three-yard touchdown run by Charles Mincy Jr. and appeared ready to get another touchdown run from Mincy when they were called for consecutive penalties. Dorsey never recovered.

Mistakes once again hurt Dorsey. The Dons were called for 16 penalties. If things don’t change, they may end up not making the Open Division playoffs, and that would be stunning for a team that started the season considered No. 2 behind Narbonne.

Crenshaw received exceptional play from its defensive line and was able to put pressure on Dorsey quarterback Isaiah Smalls and prevent any big plays from the Dons’ quick running backs. Defensive end Tyree Harper had a sack.

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One reason Crenshaw could be the prime challenger to Narbonne is its line play on both sides of the ball. Linemen Ahmir Crowder and Sabbri White are the standouts. Each never leaves the field. Crowder was opening holes and so was White. “I definitely get tired, but you have to play through,” Crowder said.

Crenshaw had lost the last two rivalry games with Dorsey.

eric.sondheimer@latimes.com

Follow Eric Sondheimer on Twitter @latsondheimer

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