CITY SECTION: IT'S OVER AT THE BEGINNING '02 CITY CHAMP BIRMINGHAM UPSET IN FIRST ROUND NARBONNE 27, BIRMINGHAM 20.Byline: Jill Painter Staff Writer Quarterback Andrew Miramontes lay face down on the ground and slammed his arms to the grass. A few minutes later, he stood in the Birmingham High huddle and apologized to the seniors. Then he told the underclassmen he wouldn't stand for such a performance next season. A first-round playoff play·off also play-off n. Sports 1. A final game or series of games played to break a tie. 2. A series of games played to determine a championship. Noun 1. loss certainly wasn't the way it was supposed to end for Birmingham of Lake Balboa Balboa, town (1990 pop. 2,751), Colón prov., in the former Panama Canal Zone, on the Gulf of Panama. The port for Panama City, Balboa was the administrative headquarters of the Panama Canal Zone. It was also the site of a U.S. navy base (closed 1999). . Last year, the lovable lov·a·ble also love·a·ble adj. Having characteristics that attract love or affection. lov underdogs went on a magical ride, which ended with a rout over Taft of Woodland Hills in the City Section championship game. The ride came to an end in the first round of the City Section playoffs Thursday, when Narbonne of Harbor City used a physical running game to earn a 27-20 upset at Birmingham. Receiver Benny Ward stood in the end zone fuming fuming /fum·ing/ (fum´ing) emitting a visible vapor. fum·ing adj. Producing or emitting smoke or vapor, as for certain concentrated nitric, sulfuric, and hydrochloric acids. after the game. Several players were crying. And senior defensive back Nick Jones knelt knelt v. A past tense and a past participle of kneel. knelt Verb the past of kneel knelt kneel all by himself near the end zone long after the game was over, still in disbelief. Narbonne fullback Pat Smith ran for 156 yards on 18 carries and scored three touchdowns. By Birmingham coach Ed Croson's account, Smith - who weighs 205 pounds - outweighed every one of his defensive players but two. ``They just manhandled us,'' Croson said. Birmingham, which lost most of its skill players from last season, finished the season 7-4. Narbonne improved to 6-5. Birmingham running back Bryan Baylor had 95 yards on 14 carries and two touchdowns, but Birmingham played from behind all night. The Patriots even put together a last-ditch drive in the waning seconds and reached the 19-yard line with four seconds left. Miramontes, who was under pressure, didn't see Major Culbert barreling down on his blind side. Culbert stripped him of the ball, then recovered it as time expired. Birmingham had four turnovers and didn't score in droves as it had done in averaging 36.7 points in the regular season. And the Patriots couldn't stop Narbonne's punishing run game. ``We can't do this again next year,'' Miramontes said. ``I'm not making any promises, but we just can't do this.'' Last year, running back Dennis Keyes, who was playing with a yo-yo on the sideline sideline See on the sidelines. Thursday, led Birmingham to the playoffs. Keyes now is at UCLA UCLA University of California at Los Angeles UCLA University Center for Learning Assistance (Illinois State University) UCLA University of Carrollton, TX and Lower Addison, TX . Miramontes hopes not to be in the same spot next season. He threw for 143 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. Birmingham also fumbled twice for four turnovers. But the Gauchos' stout defense had a lot to do with that. ``Did you see those guys?'' Croson asked. ``We played a very physical team. We were outmatched. They're a physical team, and our guys hung in there.'' Narbonne senior Jeff Brown
``I know we were the underdogs, but I told them I was going to come up with a big play,'' Brown said. Narbonne played without its best receiver, Keenan Jones, who suffered a broken ankle two weeks ago. But it had plenty of skill players, including Smith, who left the game late in the fourth quarter with a sprained ankle A sprained ankle, also known as a ankle sprain, ankle injury or ankle ligament injury, is a common medical condition where one or more of the ligaments of the ankle is torn or partially torn. . With just more than four minutes left, Birmingham was called for a 15-yard facemask face·mask n. A protective or disguising cover for the face, often enveloping the entire head: wore a facemask while diving; a skier's facemask; armed robbers who wore facemasks. penalty against Smith. He injured in·jure tr.v. in·jured, in·jur·ing, in·jures 1. To cause physical harm to; hurt. 2. To cause damage to; impair. 3. his ankle on the play and didn't return. And neither did that Birmingham magic. Jill Painter, (818) 713-3615 jill.painter(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): 2 photos, box Photo: (1 -- ran in Valley edition only) Bryan Baylor (4) rushed for 95 yards on 14 carries and two touchdowns, but Birmingham won't repeat as champ. Joel P. Lugavere/Special to the Daily News (2 -- ran in Final edition only) Bryan Baylor (4) rushed for 95 yards on 14 carries and two touchdowns, but Birmingham won't repeat as champ. Joel P. Lugavere/Special to the Daily News football - high school - - game Box: Inside the NUMBERS Compiled by Sean Ceglinsky |
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