If the first game of the football
season is any indication, Culver
City will need to grow up fast
if it expects to have a productive
year. The 36-15 loss to a West
Torrance last Friday night highlights
the young Centaurs’ need
to outrun opponents in order to
win.
The Centaurs travel to Peninsula
for a 3 p.m. game on Friday.
Peninsula beat North Torrance
51-0 on week one of season.
“We have only three returning
starters from last years’ team,”
Centaur coach Jahmal Wright
said after their loss. “We played
a lot of young guys tonight and
that was the main reason we
committed to many penalties
and made too many mistakes.”
Wright is trying to get the
ball to the speedy Centaurs’
receivers, whom were open last
Friday, but the quarterbacks
were not able to deliver. Senior
David Handler started the game
at quarterback and sophomore
Armani Rodgers came in during
the fourth quarter which
appeared to spark the team.
Both quarterbacks have different
styles with Handler standing
at 6-5 and 225 pounds, is
more of a traditional drop back
quarterback. Rogers, at 6-5 and
200 pounds, has more qualities
of a running quarterback.
“We are going to keep working
with both of our quarterbacks
and the player who steps
up will win the job,” offensive
coordinator Aki Wilson said.
“Armani is young, and he is
just learning the offense. David
needs to relax.”
All-League running back and
defensive back Stanley Norman
leads a group of inexperienced
running backs and receivers that
have speed and power.
“We need to get our kids to
understand that talent alone is
not enough to win games,” said
Wilson. “We need to execute
and pay attention to detail.”
“Culver City is really young
and I told Coach Wright that I
don’t want to play Culver next
year,” West Torrance Coach
Greg Holt said. “Those young
players will be bigger, faster and
stronger next year. Culver City
has a bright future and they are
going to win some games this
year.”
