In fitting fashion, Friday’s 7 p.m. rivalry game between host Redondo and Mira Costa will have playoff implications with the winner holding the second spot in the Bay League.
Unfortunately, the game lost a little of its luster when Redondo running back Anthony Philyaw suffered a broken wrist on the second play in a 21-7 loss to visiting Palos Verdes last Friday. Philyaw and Mira Costa’s Raphael Lawson-Gayle are two of the area’s top running backs and leaders in their team’s potent rushing attack.
Redondo (5-4, 3-1) did its best to hang with Palos Verdes in what turned out to be a slugfest, but surrendered two second-half touchdowns after Freddie Smith tied the score 7-7 on a 1-yard run with 34 seconds left before halftime.
Palos Verdes (6-3, 4-0) claimed a share of the Bay League title with the win and will play at rival Peninsula (2-7, 1-3) Friday afternoon. Palos Verdes is ranked No. 4 in the CIF Northern Division while Redondo dropped out of the top ten.
Philyaw had two 17-yard gains before the injury sidelined the senior. He was the South Bay’s leading rushing entering the game with 1,256 and 14 touchdowns on 173 carries.
Jamaal Perkins picked up the load for Redondo but could manage only 40 yards on 15 carries. The junior was named the Sea Hawk’s Offensive Player of the Game.
“It was a tough loss for the Sea Hawks,” Redondo head coach Matt Ballard said. “The defense played well, and the offense did what it needed to in the first half. The Sea Kings strong running game took its toll on a defense that was on the field much of the second half. Key mistakes slowed our offense, an issue too costly in a championship fight. Not the way we wanted our championship hunt to end, but we are proud of the way our boys battled all night.”
Junior linebacker Stephon Suddoth was named Redondo’s Defensive Player of the Game, Special Teams Player of the Game was senior Brennan Ross and senior defensive end Justin Wesson was named Scout/Practice Player of the Week.
Mira Costa (6-3, 3-1) is ranked No. 6 in the CIF Northern Division and is coming off a 49-0 rout of visiting Leuzinger in a game where the Mustang’s offense rushed for 410 yards.
Quarterback Khalil McClain amassed 120 yards on the ground on just six carries and Ryan Sweigart added 80 yards and five carries from the signal calling position.
Mira Costa will look to avenge its 21-7 home loss to Redondo in 2011. Playoff pairings are scheduled to be announced Sunday at 10:30 a.m. and can be found at cifss.org.
