Despite the change of leagues and realignment of divisions in the CIF Southern Section, West Torrance’s football team has continued to keep past rivalries alive playing former Bay League adversaries Redondo and Mira Costa back-to-back.
Coming off a hard-fought defensive battle that saw West (2-1) fall to visiting Redondo 14-3, the Warriors will travel to take on undefeated Mira Costa (3-0) Friday at 7 p.m.
Mira Costa gained more than 600 yards in a 36-8 home victory against Trabuco Hills last Friday and has looked impressive on both sides of the ball.
Mustang quarterback passed for more than 300 yards and ran for nearly 100 more while receivers Ta’utino Sione and Chris Brown, along with running back Omar Morrison, each enjoyed 100-yard performances.
For the second time in three weeks, Mira Costa’s defense did not allow a touchdown. Trabuco Hills only score came after a blocked field goal.
“We were really clean with the ball for the most part and our offensive line was much crisper with their blocking schemes,” Mira Costa head coach Don Morrow said. “We had good balance and good distribution and were able to spread the ball around between short and long passes.”
According to Morrow, his squad has started the season 3-0 for the first time since 2005 which has built confidence in his young, yet athletic, team.
“When you win two or three in a row, the easiest thing to do is begin to think you have it all figured out, only to then suffer a natural letdown,” Morrow said. “We need to keep trying to improve, and so far we’re doing that. The guys are working really hard and tackling very well and so we’re very encouraged by that.”
In its quest for Bay League supremacy, West had many hard-fought battles with the teams from the Beach Cities, including overtime thrillers against Redondo in 2012 and Mira Costa in 2013.
Yet prior to the 2014 season when West and Leuzinger were moved from the Bay to the Pioneer League (putting all four Torrance schools in the same league), Warrior head coach Greg Holt decided to keep Redondo and Mira Costa on the team’s non-league schedule.
“We enjoyed competing against the Bay League schools and the coaches are good guys that know the game of football,” Holt said. “Therefore, we stay local and we get great competition which adds to the local South Bay culture.”
Mira Costa will be looking to avenge last season’s 35-14 loss at West. Unranked in the preseason poll, Mira Costa is now ranked No. 3 in the Western Division poll. With its loss to Redondo, West dropped two spot to No. 5.
“West comes in as probably the most comprehensive team we’ve played so far because they have a good defense, good offense and also kick the ball well,” Morrow said. “They are still breaking in a new running back and quarterback, but they look very good. They made a lot of very good plays last week versus Redondo, having plenty of opportunities to put points on the board, but just didn’t finish in the red zone.”
West and its hurry-up offense has enjoyed tremendous success the last three years, compiling a 32-8 record while reaching at least the semifinals each season.
Junior quarterback Drake Peabody runs an offense that includes includes receivers Cody Wissler and Denver Silverlake, supported by a running game featuring Michael Timmerman and EJ Hatter.
Linebacker John Girardini and defensive ends Luis Aguiar and Nathan Lima anchor the Warrior’s physical defense.
Peabody finished 18-of-30 passing for 135 yards and an interception. He also added 23 rushing yards for the Warriors.
“It’s exciting to have Redondo and Costa on our schedule,” Peabody said. “They’re strong teams that help us prepare for league. Our offense will need to play better than it did against Redondo if we want to beat Costa.”
Holt believes the showdown with Mira Costa will be another defensive — and physical — contest.
“The Costa offense is a spread offense that can mix some power with it,” Holt said. “They are always well coached and it will be a very tough battle.”
