Palos Verdes kicks Redondo’s football team off the hill

Redondo’s dual-threat quarterback Jack Alexander passed for 282 yards and four touchdowns and also ran for 136 yards and one touchdown in the Sea Hawk[s heartbreaking 37-35 loss at Palos Verdes. Photo

By Randy Angel

Playing daytime games at Palos Verdes High School has been a thorn in the side of Bay League teams for seven years and on Friday, it was Redondo’s turn to make the disappointing post-game trip down the hill.

The last time Palos Verdes lost a league home game was a 15-7 defeat to Mira Costa on Oct. 22, 2010  and the streak would have been snapped if not for the last second heroics of Palos Verdes kicker Derek Roah.

After trailing 24-14 at halftime and down 20 points at 34-14 with two minutes left in the third quarter, Redondo began to chip away at the Sea King’s lead.

Redondo’s Dawson Pierre caught a 9-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Jack Alexander to cap off a 15-play, 80-yard drive then, after Shaun Gold hauled in a 28-yard pass on a fourth-and-11 from the Palos Verdes 29, Alexander scored on a 1-yard run.

Redondo;s defense forced PV to punt and, with 1:05 remaining in regulation, Alexander connected with Aidan Goldfield on a 12-yard touchdown pass then ran for the 2-point conversion giving the Sea Hawks a 35-34 lead.

But PV quarterback Jake Nolls mounted a comeback of his own, connecting with receiver Julian Alessi for three gains of more than 10 yards to march the Sea Kings to Redondo’s 25-yard line where Roah kicked a 42-yard field goal with one second left for the win.

To muster such a great comeback, and then suddenly have it disappear, was wrenching for all Sea Hawks,” Redondo head coach Matt Ballard stated. “However, although we don’t usually subscribe to the concept of a ‘moral victory,’ if there ever was one it would have been our game.  We couldn’t be more proud of our boys who decided to fight; and they did so as a team, with resiliency and heart. The outcome was not what we wanted, but what our boys displayed was priceless.”

Pierre caught five passes for 99 yards and two touchdowns for Redondo and Aidan Goldfield had eight receptions for 78 yards and two touchdowns.

Alexander was named the team’s Offensive Player of the Game connecting on 23 of 38 passes for 282 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions and rushing for 136 yards and one touchdown on 20 carries.

Defensive Players of the Game were Sea Hawk linemen Brett Beeson, Jeffrey Leiato, John Welder, Jesus Ramirez, Christian Islas, Daniel Bermudez, Jayden Gregorio, D.J. Wingfield and Chris McPheeters.

Special Teams Player of the Game was sophomore Dylan Juarez and the Scout “Eager Beaver” Player of the Week was junior Eddie Martin.

Ballard is optimistic about the future of his program as Redondo’s junior varsity and frosh/soph teams recorded victories against Palos Verdes.

Redondo (3-4, 1-1) celebrates its Senior Night when the Sea Hawks host Peninsula (3-4, 0-2) Friday at 7 p.m.

Redondo, who finished in a three-way tie for the Bay League title last season, faces the same situation, having to root for rival Mira Costa to defeat Palos Verdes when the two teams meet on Oct. 27 then beat the Mustangs in the regular season finale on Nov. 3.

Mira Costa (3-4, 2-0) remained in the hunt with a 41-39 win at Morningside and will host Inglewood (4-2, 1-1) for its Homecoming Game Friday at 7 p.m.

Inglewood quarterback Carlos Fernandez passed for 230 yards with two touchdowns and rushed for one while leading Inglewood to a 26-21 victory at Peninsula. Teshawn White added 170 yards rushing yards and one touchdown for the Sentinels.

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