Banning Bounces Back in Big Way, 33-0 : Preps: After losing to archrival Carson last week, the Pilots manhandle Dorsey, 33-0.

Adversity didn’t stop the Banning High football team Saturday in a 33-0 victory over Pacific League rival Dorsey at Cerritos College.

In addition to being without injured tailbacks Jermaine Claxton and Sean Turner, Banning (5-4, 4-2 in league) had to cope with the death of starting guard Andrew Lalau’s mother, who died Saturday morning after a bout with cancer.

“It brought the team together,� Coach Ed Paculba said. “We told Andrew before our pregame meal this morning that he could do whatever he wanted, and I think playing helped him. He is a very proud person and the team really came to help him.�

Lalau and his fellow linemen dominated the line of scrimmage and helped the Pilots rush for 170 yards.

“I wasn’t going to get down on myself,� Lalau said. “I wanted to go out there and kill me some Dons. I wasn’t going to play, but then I realized my mom would have wanted me to. She would have wanted me to be successful.�

The main beneficiary of the line’s blocking was tailback Ricardo Diaz.

A junior starting his first game in place of Claxton and Turner, Diaz rushed for 126 yards in 22 carries and two touchdowns. He scored a third touchdown on a 72-yard pass from quarterback London McBride.

“He did a heck of a job,� Paculba said of Diaz. “He and the offensive line really came through when we needed them.�

Banning scored midway through the second quarter when Diaz capped a seven-play, 71-yard drive with a 16-yard touchdown run to make the score 6-0.

Dorsey (6-3, 3-3) managed only 19 yards offense in the first half and finished with 68 yards. Neither of the Dons’ quarterbacks, Roderick Brown or Antwain Wilson, was able to complete a pass.

The Pilots put the game away by scoring three touchdowns in an eight-minute span starting late in the third quarter. A 56-yard interception return by free safety Eric Whitfield capped the surge. It was his seventh interception of the season and the second he has returned for a TD.

Banning’s performance was encouraging to Paculba, whose team was coming off an emotional loss to archrival Carson, 20-14.

“I was really happy with the kids,� Paculba said. “They showed that they wanted this game more then Dorsey. We had to improve on our offense, and we did that.�

The Pilots totaled 304 yards in offense, with McBride completing five of nine passes for 134 yards.

The victory kept Banning’s hopes alive for a share of the Pacific League title, but for that to happen, the Pilots must beat Crenshaw on Thursday and San Pedro must beat Carson on Friday.