Everyone in the South Bay knows Culver City High School’s football team can score points.

The question was: Could they play solid defense against a quality opponent?

The resounding answer: They defeated North Torrance, 37-14, last Friday.

The Centaur defense needs to stop teams in the pre-league season because that will give them momentum going into the tough Ocean League in a few weeks.

Their first two Ocean League games will be against two of the best, El Segundo and Lawndale.

As for this week, on Friday evening at 7, the 2-1 Centaurs travel to 2-2 University High, Los Angeles.

Culver City Coach Jahmal Wright thought the defense stepped up when it had to. “They really listened to the coaches this week,” he said. “We had a solid defensive game plan, and we were able to get stops when we needed to.”
The whole starting defense played well, and junior lineman Jayden Porter was one of the key contributors.

“Coach Wright has us believing that we can get the job done,” said Porter.

Work remains, however.

“Our defense has to get better,” he said. “We must play faster and be more physical at the point of attack.”
The way the5-foot-9, 250-pound Porter does.

Other defensive players who erformed well against North Torrance were lineman, Cameron Williams, Nathan Stennett, Roman Hayden and Justin Berry. So did linebackers Elijah Salazar, Elijah Zavala and Jordan Armstrong, and the backfield of Charles Ross, Tyler Luckett, Alexander Smith and Steven Ashby.

Ashby made some spectacular plays in the second half. “We were not getting to our spots at the beginning,” he said. “We were a little slow. At halftime we made adjustments. I tried to make up for my mistakes in the first half. I wanted to show the coaches they did not make a mistake when they made me a starter. “Mentally and physically the whole team is getting better.”

Mr. Finley may be contacted at sfinley50@aol.com

Mr. Laase may be contacted at GMLaase@aol.com