Quarterback Cesar Hernandez (7) leads Franklin High School into the City Division II playoffs that open Thursday. The Panthers play Jefferson. (Photo by Mario Villegas)
Story Published:
Nov 18, 2009 at 6:05 PM PDT
Story Updated:
Nov 18, 2009 at 6:05 PM PDT
The win-loss records aren’t much different for first-round opponents Garfield and Taft high schools.
No. 13 seed Garfield enters the City Section Division I playoffs with a 5-5 mark, as opposed to No. 4 Taft’s 6-4. The teams collide at 7 p.m. Thursday at Taft.
That’s where the similarities end, according to Garfield coach Lorenzo Hernandez.
Pointing to such Toreador talents as USC-bound tailback D.J. Morgan and quarterback Antuan Goodall, as well as a huge offensive line, Hernandez said his Bulldogs will have their hands full against the West Valley League team.
“D.J. Morgan is a special kid,” he said. “We’re not going to stop him, we just hope to corral him and minimize the damage he does.”
Morgan has rushed for 1,284 yards and Goodall has passed for 1,1,49 yards while operating behind a line that includes a 6-7, 335-pounder and a 6-3, 325-pounder.
“They have a lot of talent and a lot of size,” Hernandez said. “I always talk about us playing the best, so I think this is a good test for us. We always seem to play to the level of our competition.”
Taft’s record is a bit deceiving in that three of the losses have been at the hands of Notre Dame, Alemany and Serra, which are a combined 26-4. The Toreadors also lost a West Valley League game to 3-7 Birmingham, 44-32. Birmingham drew top-seeded Crenshaw as its first-round opponent.
Where Garfield might be able to exploit Taft is in the depth department. Hernandez notes, as talented as the Toreadors are, many go both ways.
“We’ll try to outscheme them and try to wear them down,” he said. “We’ve got to play fundamental football and not make the mistakes we’ve been making all year.”
Garfield, which closed the regular season with a 48-7 rout of South Gate, is a run-oriented team.
Tailback Jonathan Lopez has rushed for 958 yards and eight touchdowns to lead the offense.
Leonardo Vaal, who became the starting quarterback midway through the season, has thrown for 642 yards and five TDs. He was 11 of 16 for 217 yards and three scores against South Gate.
Bobby Vargas, with 15 catches for 272 yards, is the top receiver, as well as being one of the leaders in the secondary.
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In the Division II playoffs, Bell (7-3) is at Fairfax (5-5), Jefferson (3-6) is at Franklin (8-1), Wilson (4-6) is at Hamilton (7-3) at 2:15 p.m., Panorama (5-5) is at El Camino Real (9-1), Poly (8-2) is at South East (4-6), Marshall (7-3) is at Cleveland and Reseda (5-5) is at Arleta (9-1).
Franklin, the Northern League champion, goes in as the No. 5 seed.
Wilson is going against the No. 4 seeded Yankees of the Western League, while Bell is facing another tough Western League team in Fairfax.
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