Story Created:
Sep 5, 2010 at 11:26 AM PST
Story Updated:
Sep 5, 2010 at 11:26 AM PST
Elijah Asante felt Carson High School was representing more than just itself Saturday.
The way he sees it, the honor of City Section football is always on the line when one of its teams plays an intersectional game, particularly one involving a Southern Section power.
That’s why the Colts, one of the City’s top teams this year, had to feel especially pleased about their 14-10 victory over CIF-SS Pac-5 Conference power Mater Dei at Santa Ana Stadium.
As the first-year Carson coach said, “The City doesn’t get much respect, except for one or two teams. This shows there are more than a few great teams in the City.”
Asante, who consistently packed the schedule with Southern Section powerhouses during his seven-year stint as L.A. Jordan’s coach, is doing the same at Carson, one of the section’s most tradition-rich programs.
A.B. Miller of Fontana, Santa Margarita, Mission Viejo and San Diego Lincoln follow in the coming weeks leading up to the start of Marine League play.
The hope is that this gauntlet of powerful programs helps the Colts win a section title and possibly secure a bowl bid.
“I told the team I came here to win championships,” Asante said. “My objective is to develop scholar-athletes and win every time we take the field.”
Not just beating, but beating them the way they did, has to make those doing the state rankings take notice.
The Colts faced a Mater Dei team ranked second in the Pac-5 preseason poll and featuring a USC-bound passing combination of quarterback Max Wittek and wide receiver Vince Blackwell. Displaying a physical presence on defense, they sacked Wittek four times and limited him to 64 yards (he was 7-for-17) passing. Blackwell caught one pass for 12 yards before leaving for good with an injury in the first half.
“Our game plan was to hit hard and be physical,” Asante said. “We wanted their receivers to fear going over the middle. Our defense was phenomenal. I have to give a lot of credit to our defensive coordinator, Frank Lewis.”
Carson’s defense was so stout it did not allow an offensive touchdown. Mater Dei’s lone score came when Glen Raphael stepped in front of an across-the-field pass, picked it off and returned it 74 yards for a second-quarter TD.
Carson immediately responded when Dion Willis returned the ensuing kickoff 95 yards for a score to give the lead back to the Colts.
“That was the story of the night,” Mater Dei coach Bruce Rollinson said. “We’d get the momentum, then give it right back on special teams.”
Willis also led the team with 51 yards rushing on 14 carries.
“Dion is a big-time player,” the coach said. “We built our team around him. He’s our rock. When we get into trouble, he’s the guy we go to.”
The other Colt TD was on an 11-yard run by Myles Johnson that ended an 80-yard, 10-play drive to open the game.
Quarterback Justin Alo was an efficient 11-for-22 for 118 yards.
The rest was up to the defense.
Justin Smith had three tackles for loss, including a sack. Tracey Harris had a sack and a fumble recovery late in the game that sealed the victory.
Asked if thought his team pulled off an upset, Asante said, “Yes, it might be considered one considering they were ranked No. 2 in the Pac-5 Conference. We knew we had a monumental task in front of us. We had a big mountain to climb and we climbed it.”
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