Culver City and Santa Monica have competed in several exciting football games over the past decade with the outcome in doubt until the final minutes. Friday night was no different when the Centaurs hosted the Vikings for the top spot in the Ocean League. On a cold, wet evening, Santa Monica took advantage of two late Culver City turnovers and held on for a 17-14 victory that assured the Vikings a league championship.
The Centaurs wrap up their season tonight when they travel to Beverly Hills to face rival Beverly Hills.
With the victory, the Vikings (4-0, 8-1) claim their first league title in several years. The Centaurs (2-2, 6-3) have a firm hold on third place and could clinch a playoff spot with a win over the Normans. Culver City would most likely have to travel for its initial playoff contest.
The Centaur defense had another excellent performance for the fourth straight week, allowing only one score through three and a half quarters despite Santa Monica exceeding 32 minutes in time of possession. The Viking defenders were equally impressive as they limited Culver City to just a single touchdown until late in the contest and held the Centaurs to less than 100 yards rushing.
Santa Monica employed a strong run game and looked to take control on the game’s opening drive. The Viking offense held the ball for more than six minutes as it drove to the Culver City one-yard line. However, a bad snap led to a fumble that the Centaurs recovered and kept the game scoreless.
Culver City and Santa Monica exchanged touchdowns to start the second quarter. The Vikings scored their lone first-half touchdown on the quarter’s first play. Quarterback Christian Salem went into the end zone from eight yards out to give Santa Monica a 7-0 lead. The Centaurs quickly responded as Kevin Porche scored a one-yard touchdown run less than three minutes later.
The defenses controlled the final nine minutes of the first half as neither team could add points. Culver City had decent field position on their final two drives but was unable to take advantage. One drive led to a 43-yard field goal attempt, but Ret Tilman’s kick came up short.
The teams entered halftime knotted 7-7.
The two squads battled through a scoreless third quarter before Santa Monica took advantage of two Culver City miscues early in the fourth stanza.
Centaur tailback Kavan Buggs committed the first turnover when the ball was stripped from his grasp as he crossed the 50-yard line. The Vikings recovered the fumble and took nearly six minutes moving down the field. The drive stalled at the Culver City 23-yard line and Santa Monica converted a 40-yard field goal to regain the lead, 10-7.
Just over a minute later, the Centaurs fumbled a second time. The Vikings scored three plays later as leading rusher Kori Garcia (26 rushes, 171 yards), provided an 11-yard touchdown run and increased the advantage to 17-7.
Culver City immediately struck back as quarterback Lukas O’Connor found receiver Alex Jackson on a crossing pattern near midfield. Jackson did the rest as he went untouched for a 72-yard touchdown, and the Centaurs trailed by just three points with less than four minutes remaining.
Culver City could not recover an onside kick attempt and Santa Monica was able to run out the clock.
O’Connor completed eight of 14 passes for 140 yards.
Porche rushed 10 times for 33 yards. He connected on his only pass attempt for 42 yards. Buggs, Julius Wilson and Akili Skannal gained minimal yards on the ground.
Jackson, Ronald Jones and Jimmy Haywood each had two receptions.
