PREP FOOTBALL SPOTLIGHT : FACTS, FIGURES ANDCOMMENTS FROM LAST WEEK’S GAMES : UNWELCOME WAGON

It was homecoming Friday night at Leuzinger, but the Olympians did their best to make a former teammate, Inglewood quarterback Leandrew Childs, feel like an outsider in a 33-0 Bay League victory.

Childs, who last season played running back for Leuzinger and led the team in rushing, was held to 44 yards in eight carries and completed only one pass for a one-yard loss. Childs was ejected early in the fourth quarter for arguing with an official.

“He has a big mouth,� Leuzinger defensive lineman Steve Barbero said of Childs. “We’re still friends--off the field is something else--(but) we were pumped because he was looking to kick our butt. This team is as good without him as with him.�

Said Leuzinger linebacker John Niko: “He was nothing.�

Olympian Coach Steve Carnes was upset when Childs transferred to Inglewood last year, but he said that wasn’t an issue in preparing for the Friday’s game.

“We never said anything negative all week,� Carnes said. “We just said, ‘Hey, he’s a good athlete. We have to stop him to beat them.’ �

After losing to Leuzinger for the fifth consecutive season, Inglewood’s players headed straight for the locker room, refusing to shake hands with the Olympians.

“It’s not like it’s a rivalry, but Inglewood has always wanted to beat us,� Leuzinger kicker Chad Satter said. “We wanted to shake hands, but they didn’t.�

Inglewood (2-5, 0-1 in league play) entered the game averaging 303 yards, but was held to 45 yards in 37 plays. Leuzinger (4-3, 1-1) finished with 285 yards rushing and utilized nine different backs.

“I felt we could beat this team if we minimized our mistakes, and for the most part we did,� Carnes said. “We needed this win. It gets us up for a chance at a playoff spot.�

CLOSE CALL

It wasn’t pretty, but Brian Belliveau’s 37-yard field goal with 16 seconds left was a beautiful sight for West Torrance. It gave the Warriors a 29-28 Pioneer League victory over host Centennial.

“It was definitely within his range, but he ended up kicking a knuckleball a foot over the (crossbar),� West Coach Kerry Crabb said.

GOING FOR BROKE

Bishop Montgomery came into Friday night’s Mission League game against visiting Chaminade with two ties. The last thing Knight Coach Bob Tompson wanted was another deadlock.

“I’m sick of ties,� he said.

Unfortunately for Tompson, what he got was worse--a 28-21 defeat.

Tompson passed up a chance to tie the game by deciding to attempt a two-point conversion with 4 minutes 38 seconds left after Bishop Montgomery had pulled within 22-21 on an 11-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Tony Gutierrez to wide receiver Eric Bogan.

The gamble backfired when Gutierrez was sacked by Chaminade’s Matt Campbell on the conversion try.

“We were going for the win,� Tompson said. “They made a good defensive play.�

Chaminade (5-2, 2-0) secured the victory in the final minutes on a 71-yard touchdown run by Justin Giovannettone and an interception by Jung Lee. Bishop Montgomery fell to 2-3-2 and 0-2.

The game featured four running backs who rushed for more than 100 yards. Giovannettone had 161 yards and two TDs in 19 carries and teammate Franklin Saunders had 132 yards and two TDs in 14 carries. Bishop Montgomery got 123 yards and two TDs in 21 carries from Eric Chaney and 108 yards in 14 carries from Tim Woods.

The Knights’ offensive output (318 yards) was marked improvement over their past three games, in which they combined for only nine points.

HIGHS AND LOWS

North Torrance’s Dean Halverson made the highlight and blooper reels in the Saxons’ 34-6 Pioneer League victory over host El Segundo.

Halverson, who plays wide receiver and cornerback, returned a punt 49 yards for a touchdown late in first quarter to help North take a 14-0 lead. In the second quarter, though, Halverson dropped a perfectly thrown pass from quarterback Frank Ramirez that--had he caught it--would have resulted in a 69-yard touchdown.

It was an uncharacteristic mistake for the 5-foot-8 senior, one of the South Bay’s leading receivers with 30 catches for 490 yards and five TDs.

“All I saw was the end zone and I lost my concentration,� Halverson said. “I was trying to run before I caught it.�

El Segundo, however, didn’t take advantage of its good fortune. On the next play, Nick Coulter tried to pick up a bouncing punt, was hit and lost the ball at the El Segundo 24. Three plays later, running back Lacy Watkins scored on a two-yard run to give North a 20-0 halftime lead.

The Saxons (7-0, 2-0) extended their lead to 27-0 early in the fourth quarter on a 51-yard TD pass from Ramirez to tight end Chi Lam, who was 10 yards behind the secondary.

“We had the safety blitz on and (Ramirez) read it,� said El Segundo Coach Craig Cousins, whose team lost its fourth consecutive game to drop to 3-4 and 0-2. “They hurt us with the big play.�

STREAKING SAXONS

North’s 7-0 record represents the best start for a Joe Austin-coached team since South Torrance opened the 1982 season by winning its first seven games. South’s streak ended the following week in a 45-0 loss to West Torrance, which went on to win the Southern Section Coastal Conference title with a 14-0 record.

Austin hopes history doesn’t repeat itself. North plays host to West on Friday night.

“We were a little sloppy tonight,� Austin said, referring to 100 yards in penalties called on his team. “We have to tighten it up against West.�

BAY SHOWDOWN

One of the most highly anticipated games of the year will take place Friday night when Hawthorne plays host to Peninsula for first place in the Bay League.

Hawthorne (6-1, 1-0) continued its dominant play Friday with a 47-7 nonleague victory over Beverly Hills. Junior quarterback Kenji Tatum, in his best outing of the season, completed 12 of 14 passes for 326 yards and four TDs for the Cougars, who are averaging 44 points in their past six games. Tatum has passed for 15 TDs and no interceptions.

Peninsula (6-1, 2-0), meanwhile, rolled past winless Santa Monica, 38-9, racking up more than 400 yards in offense.

As could be expected, both coaches are extolling the virtues of their upcoming opponent.

“It’s going to be a battle of wills, I’m concerned about it,� said Hawthorne Coach Dan Robbins. “They’re going to try to control the clock. They’ve got some big horses up front, and they have pretty good speed for their size. I don’t have a lot of confidence when I look at them.�

Said Peninsula Coach Gary Kimbrell, a Hawthorne graduate: “It’s a matter of whether our defense rises to the occasion. We haven’t played someone like Hawthorne, with all the speed and talent they have, but I’m sure they haven’t played anyone like us. We’re going to try to eliminate the big play, but I don’t know if that is possible.�

SINKING FAST

It’s getting harder and harder to believe that Redondo was actually 4-0 a few weeks ago.

After Friday night’s 42-0 loss to Culver City dropped the Sea Hawks to 4-3 and 0-2 in the Ocean League, Redondo Coach Chris Hyduke said, “Our kids forgot how to play football.�

The Sea Hawks’ embarrassing homecoming performance included six lost fumbles and a punt snap that rolled through the end zone for a safety. Culver City (3-4, 1-1), which ended a four-game losing streak, held Redondo to 37 total yards and five yards passing.

Running back Chris Ellison led Culver City, rushing for 138 yards and three touchdowns.

“We came to life tonight,� Culver City Coach Lou Lichtl said. “We were one step away from going into the tank.�

Redondo might be headed there instead. The Sea Hawks have scored only 15 points in their past three games after being ranked third in the Southern Section Division VII media poll.

SLIPPERY WHEN WET

Torrance is a passing team. South Torrance favors the run. With that in mind, one can understand how Friday’s rain may have contributed to South’s 35-7 Pioneer League victory.

“I think in the first half especially, the weather was a disruptive force for their team,� South Coach Don Morrow said. “We wanted to throw, too, and our kids had a tough time getting a grip on the ball.�

Despite the wet conditions, Torrance Coach Bill Bynum wasn’t crying the blues. His son, quarterback Bill Bynum, completed 16 of 24 passes for 168 yards and a touchdown. He had one pass intercepted.

“The rain didn’t help us, but that’s no darn excuse,� said the elder Bynum.

While the weather may have bothered Torrance (2-5, 1-1), Morrow said South’s defense also caused problems for the Tartars, who finished with 219 yards and two turnovers. South (4-3, 2-0) had 263 yards and, for the second consecutive game, no turnovers.

“Our defense is coming around very well,� Morrow said.

South quarterback Mike Rosato is also coming around. The 5-foot-7 junior completed seven of 10 passes for 132 yards and a TD and rushed for two scores.

“He was really good rushing the ball against West last week, and tonight he showed he can pass effectively,� Morrow said. “He’s got a good arm and he gives us a lot of versatility.�

DEFENSIVE GEMS

* Hawthorne linebacker Tevita Moala had 13 tackles, eight unassisted, in a 47-7 victory over Beverly Hills. Moala leads the Cougars with 91 tackles, 49 unassisted, and six fumbles caused.

* Leuzinger’s Rudy Casillas returned a fumbled kickoff by Inglewood 18 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter to give the Olympians a 13-0 lead en route to a 33-0 victory.

* Banning lineman Aaron Brice tackled Washington quarterback R.B. Bonner for a safety in the Pilots’ 26-14 victory.

* Morningside defensive back Michael Chapman had two interceptions in a 20-6 victory over Mira Costa.

* North Torrance defensive back Ryan Miyasato returned an interception 22 yards for a TD in a 34-6 victory over El Segundo.

IN QUOTES

West Torrance Coach Kerry Crabb after a last-second field goal beat Centennial, 29-28, and kept the Warriors (1-1) a game behind North and South (both 2-0) in the Pioneer League: “I told our kids we’re not in the driver’s seat yet, but at least we’re in the car.�

Mira Costa Coach Bill Lysle on his team’s 20-6 Ocean League loss to Morningside, in which quarterback Stais Boseman ran 68 yards and passed 63 yards to Dennis Savage for the Monarchs’ first two touchdowns: “It came down to two big plays. I’ve seen films (of Morningside) and they don’t do much more than this.... For us to be successful, we have to do everything right. We don’t have a big-play guy in our package.�

Morningside Coach Ron Tatum on the fact that Boseman carried the ball only four times against Mira Costa: “Pretty much he’s done everything he can do for Morningside. We don’t want him to have to carry the full load.�

Peninsula Coach Gary Kimbrell on a 29-yard touchdown run by 5-9, 210-pound fullback Jerry Pilato in the Panthers’ 38-9 victory over Santa Monica: “He’s Brunswick, the human bowling ball. He bounced through on the trap and found someone to run over, bounced off him and into the end zone.�

Dorsey Coach Paul Knox, whose team plays host to Carson in an important Pacific League game Friday night, after a 27-6 victory over Crenshaw: “This was by far our best effort of the season. We finally executed well from start to finish.�