PATRIOTS' GAME KEYES POWERS BIRMINGHAM WITH 133 YARDS BIRMINGHAM 35, TAFT 7.Byline: Matthew Kredell Staff Writer There were no last-minute miracle plays miracle play or mystery play, form of medieval drama that came from dramatization of the liturgy of the Roman Catholic Church. It developed from the 10th to the 16th cent., reaching its height in the 15th cent. . Jubilation didn't turn to despair in the matter of seconds. This year's City Section football final was over early in the second quarter. And the end was just as shocking. Birmingham of Lake Balboa convincingly upset previously undefeated and top-seeded Taft of Woodland Hills 35-7 to win the first All-San Fernando Valley City final in 32 years Friday night in front of approximately 6,000 at the Coliseum Coliseum: see Colosseum. . It was the second City title for Birmingham (11-3), which last won in 1963. The Toreadors, ranked No. 1 by the Daily News, also lost the final last year when Dorsey blocked a Taft punt and recovered it in the end zone as time expired. Few gave Birmingham a chance because the Patriots lost 30-6 to Taft, a fellow West Valley League team, in the last game of the regular season. However, the Patriots controlled the game from the first play. Lombardo hit Garrett Feig for a 32-yard gain into Taft territory. Lombardo was successful on all four passes in the possession, culminating in a 28-yard touchdown pass to Brian Baylor. Of course, the Patriots had a similar 80-yard scoring drive against Taft in the regular season and failed to score again. Birmingham players felt they misrepresented themselves in that game. The young team, starting mostly juniors, admittedly fell apart and began bickering bick·er intr.v. bick·ered, bick·er·ing, bick·ers 1. To engage in a petty, bad-tempered quarrel; squabble. See Synonyms at argue. 2. and pointing fingers at each other in the huddle. That didn't happen here. Taft drove downfield down·field adv. & adj. Sports To, into, or in the defensive team's end of the field. Adj. 1. downfield - toward or in the defending team's end of the playing field; "he threw to a downfield receiver" and converted a fourth-and-2 to get a first down inside the Birmingham 30. Then quarterback Cary Dove fumbled at the 25, recovered by Keyes. Birmingham drove another 75 yards and Baylor, getting more carries because Keyes has been ill all week, scored on a 14-yard run to put the Patriots ahead 14-0. Lombardo completed his first six passes for 98 yards. Lombardo, who hardly threw in the second half, was masterful after a shaky performance against Taft the last time around. He completed all 7 of 12 passes for 105 yards in the first half after hitting on less than 50 percent of his passes and throwing two interceptions in the first game. All of a sudden, the Toreadors were the team falling apart. Moments later, Dove's pitch to Ian Bell Ian Bell can refer to:
adj. 1. Roving, especially in search of adventure: knights errant. 2. Straying from the proper course or standards: errant youngsters. 3. and recovered by Birmingham's Dorian Smith at the Taft 37. Keyes went up the middle from 1-yard out to put Birmingham ahead by 21 early in the second quarter. Birmingham went up 28-0 before Taft scored on a 28-yard pass from Dove to Noah Smith with 27 seconds remaining in the half to take something positive into the break. Any chance of a Taft comeback died on the first drive of the second half. Going for it on fourth-and-9 from the Birmingham 39, Dove lined up in the shotgun and pointed at something he saw in defense. The center thought he was signaling for the ball and hiked it right past Dove for a 21-yard loss to turn the ball over on downs. Taft (13-1) hadn't been in this situation all season. Taft's closest game of the year was a 12-point victory over Crenshaw cren·shaw also cran·shaw n. A variety of winter melon (Cucumis melo var. inodorus) having a greenish-yellow rind and sweet, usually salmon-pink flesh. [Origin unknown.] in the season opener. The Toreadors never scored fewer than 30 points in a game and only once trailed in the fourth quarter. Steve Smith broke the state record for receptions in a career on a 6-yard reception early in the third quarter. He finished his prep career with 271 catches, besting the record of 269 by Leodes Van Buren of Newbury Park (1990-93). But Smith, considered the best receiver ever to come through the San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. by many, never won a City title. Birmingham had reason to be hopeful. Three of the last four times City final teams played in the regular season, the loser of that game won the final. In 1970, when San Fernando San Fernando, city, Argentina San Fernando (săn fərnăn`dō), city (1991 pop. 144,761), Buenos Aires prov., E Argentina. It is a district administrative center in the Greater Buenos Aires area. and Granada Hills played in the last final between two San Fernando Valley teams, Granada Hills lost to San Fernando in the regular season but then pulled the upset for the title. Keyes overcame his illness to be the player of the game. In addition to the 133 rushing yards, he made key defensive plays, including an interception and a fumble recovery. He batted a fourth-and-goal pass away from Steve Smith in the end zone to clinch the victory near the end of the third quarter. Staff Writer Gerry Gittelson contributed. OTHER SCORES Southern Section Division III
Division III (or DIII) is a division of the National Collegiate Athletic Association of the United States. Notre Dame Notre Dame IPA: [nɔtʁ dam] is French for Our Lady, referring to the Virgin Mary. In the United States of America, Notre Dame 20, Mira Costa 17 Southern Section Division IV St. Bonaventure 40, Westlake 14 City Invitational in·vi·ta·tion·al adj. Restricted to invited participants: an invitational golf tournament. n. An event, especially a sports tournament, restricted to invited participants. Adj. 1. Narbonne 49, Granada Hills 38 CAPTION(S): 4 photos, 4 boxes Photo: (1 -- color) Teammates Garrett Feig, left, and Ryan Lombardo embrace after the Patriots' fourth touchdown Friday night. Tina Burch/Staff Photographer (2 -- color) Notre Dame's Cary Harris tries to elude e·lude tr.v. e·lud·ed, e·lud·ing, e·ludes 1. To evade or escape from, as by daring, cleverness, or skill: The suspect continues to elude the police. 2. the Mira Costa defense Friday night. Gene Blevins/Special to the Daily News (3 -- color) Taft running back Ian Bell (4) surges ahead during a third-quarter run Friday as Birmingham's Luke Laolagi (33) grabs hold. (4 -- color) A Taft fan watches as the Toreadors lose in the City title game for the second year in a row Tom Mendoza/Staff Photographer Box: (1) OTHER SCORES (see text) (2) CITY SECTION CHAMPIONSHIP (3) CALIFORNIA CAREER RECEPTIONS (4) PAST CHAMPIONS |
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